Natural changes

Meditation changes our lives. Really. But we don't need to force change or be impatient about it. Ram Dass speaks to this in his book, Journey of Awakening:

Though you can start meditation any time, it's harder if your life is chaotic, if you're feeling paranoid, if you're overwhelmed with responsibilities, or if you're sick. But even starting under these conditions, meditation will help you to clear things up a bit. Slowly you reorganize your life to support your spiritual journey. At each stage there will be something you can do to create a supportive space. It may mean changing your diet, who you're with, how you spend your time, what's on your walls, what books you read, what you fill your consciousness with, how you care for your body, or where and how you sit to meditate. All these factors contribute to the depth and freedom that you can know through meditation.

You are under no pressure to rush these changes. You need not fear that because of meditation you are going to lose control and get swept away by a new way of life. As you gradually develop a quiet and clear awareness, your living habits will naturally come into harmony with your total environment, with your past involvements, present interests, and future concerns. There need be no sudden ending of relationships in order to prove your holiness. Such frantic changes only show your own lack of faith. When you are one in truth, in the flow, the changes in your life will come naturally.

Forcing change is not necessary. But perseverance is. This is where the community of practitioners becomes so important. The support of others makes all the difference in our willingness to "keep on keeping on" with our meditative practice. And if we do this, we will, indeed, see the changes in our attitudes and behavior that promote well being and deep happiness.