#embracechallenges

Of the seeds that are scattered on earth, how many successfully sprout and grow to their fullest potential? Not all. Only a few get the right soil. But not all such seeds get sufficient water at the right time. Among the ones that do, not all of them receive adequate sunlight, shade, or nourishment. Among the few that get all of these, some saplings may be devoured or trampled by animals. Thus, one or the other factor causes the seed to not grow to its fullest potential.

If all the necessities were fulfilled, would the seed still flourish? The seed needs to sacrifice itself for the sapling to take birth. It has to allow its walls to dissolve and merge into the surrounding soil, so that it gives way to the sapling. The purpose of the seed is fulfilled only through its sacrifice, its willingness to dedicate itself to transformation. Similarly for spiritual growth, it is essential for the mind to surrender. When the mind drops, the Self shines. It is like the caterpillar that undergoes metamorphosis only when it sacrifices itself to go through the stage of the cocoon and then strives out of it. Only then does the butterfly emerge and take flight in all its glory.

The caterpillar dedicates itself to the stage of the cocoon. The cocoon in the caterpillar’s journey of metamorphosis represents the period where we commit ourselves to transformation by applying and experimenting with various tools for spiritual growth including meditation, contemplation, reading and listening to wisdom teachings, etc.

When the would-be butterfly strives to come out of the cocoon, it applies pressure on the cocoon walls with its unformed wings. This striving actually helps strengthen its wings. Those caterpillars that do not apply their energies remain stuck inside the cocoon. This striving to break out of the cocoon represents the ultimate human challenge of getting out of the shell of our old identity that was built on limiting beliefs, to realize our fullest potential.

When we limit ourselves to our comfort-zone and resist or shy away from the struggles of life, we remain like seeds that never blossom to the fullest. The seed has the potential of becoming a full grown tree and ultimately an entire forest! If the seed falls short of this, it feels incomplete that ‘I could not become what I was meant to be. I could not fulfil what I was destined for.’

Just as the caterpillar realizes the purpose of struggling out of the cocoon only after it emerges, it is only after going through challenging situations in life that we realize that they were opportunities meant for us to explore and experiment, so as to realize our highest creative potential. So let’s embrace the challenges in our life as they are those walls that help strengthen our wings to take that great flight. Let’s resolve to grow into a beautiful butterfly.

Let us thank not only the good things that life gifts us, but also the challenges and problems that come our way. As everything in the universe happens in perfect order, so are the challenges in life. They are here just to help us blossom in the beautiful garden called life.

Navigating change with a growth mindset turns challenges into opportunities for growth.

Embrace uncertainty, stay adaptable, and focus on solutions to build resilience and uncover new possibilities.

How do you respond to unexpected shifts?