{"id":1695,"date":"2009-01-10T23:49:51","date_gmt":"2009-01-10T23:49:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/?p=8"},"modified":"2020-05-06T16:37:55","modified_gmt":"2020-05-06T23:37:55","slug":"the-path-of-trust","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/the-path-of-trust\/","title":{"rendered":"The Path of Trust"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Forest
Forest Path off McKenzie Hwy. Oregon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

True and lasting peace will be realized only by forging bonds of trust between people at the deepest level, in the depths of their very lives. – Daisaku Ikeda<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Looking back over my years of having a spiritual practice I have noticed a couple of key principles that continue to make a difference in my life. I\u2019ve noticed that the intent underlying my prayer has a significant influence on my daily practice, and the results I see in my life.<\/p>\n

A while back I had an experience that demonstrates two principles that have made the biggest difference in my spiritual practice: listening and trusting that still quite voice in my life.<\/p>\n

I had accepted an invitation to go rock-climbing with a friend, an experienced climber. It was my first experience at the time with rock climbing and something I had wanted to do for years. The experience turned out to be much more challenging than I had imagined.<\/p>\n

My objective was simply to reach the top. I had barely begun when serious doubt crept in. I realized this was far more difficult than I had expected. But I was determined to proceed as far as I could. At the halfway point, my doubt only increased. Then I said to myself, \u201cI can do this. I am doing it.\u201d That affirmation lasted for another two feet.<\/p>\n

My friend provided some good coaching and constant encouragement from below. I made it a few more feet only to be stopped, not seeing any way to go farther. I tried my friend\u2019s suggestion of a route to the right. But it didn\u2019t work. By then it was close to sundown, and it seemed that time was running out. I told myself, \u201cI\u2019ll return another day.\u201d From below my friend shouted, \u201cJust relax; let the harness and rope support you.\u201d Automatically, I thought, \u201cThink Chuck.\u201d Then suddenly I thought, \u201cNo, don\u2019t think. Just listen. There is nothing to figure out. Just listen and trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a calm and deep listening, I scanned the rock columns and repeated to myself, \u201cHow ever long it takes, I will stay here until I hear the way.\u201d Then, off to the left\u2014opposite the route my friend had suggested\u2014it seemed as if the rocks were calling me. Trusting what I heard, I moved to the left across the rock columns. Slowly I ascended to the top. The new route worked!<\/p>\n

My friend\u2019s coaching and support was helpful. Yet, in the end, I had to listen and trust my own heart. There is nothing to figure out. Listen to that still, quiet voice; trust; and take action.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

True and lasting peace will be realized only by forging bonds of trust between people at the deepest level, in the depths of their very lives. – Daisaku Ikeda Looking back over my years of having a spiritual practice I have noticed a couple of key principles that continue to make a difference in my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1002,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1695"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1695"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1695\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1002"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chuckcraytor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}