While the end of the journey is a resting place, balanced between attraction and rejection, we rarely find our way there by remaining neutral.

What is it that will carry us forward on this journey?   What moves us; gives us impetus; sustains us through difficulty; orients us to the right direction?

It is our wish, our desire, to arrive there.

Sometimes, it seems that our wishes are like a wavering compass needle, leading us in all directions.  When we know the taste of this, we see the need to guide our wishing, to nurture those desires that point in the direction we choose for our life.

How, then, do we nurture wish?  Isn't it true that desire is like a wild horse, following its own imperatives, beyond our control;  an aspect of us that speaks a different language?

We need to learn the language of desire.

Three things that will nurture wish --

• hold the end result in mind, dwell on it, enumerate its beauty, recall the taste of it
  
  
• use imagery, music, poetry and allegory to waken desire
  
  
• follow the wish when it appears, however weak it is; your response to it will strengthen it; never ignore or put on hold

Wishes and desires that pull you in unhelpful directions can be starved by not dwelling on the end result; by resisting their expression through imagery, music, poetry and allergoy; and by not following when the desire pulls at you.

Many of us aren't in touch with what we truly wish for.  Perhaps we live out the wishes and expectations that were laid on us throughout childhood or perhaps our life circumstances have been so constricted that there has been little room for our wishes and we have starved them.  We need to learn what it is that we truly wish for by inner enquiry.

Here is something to try. Sit quietly for 15-20 minutes, let your thoughts quieten, be aware of the rise and fall of your breath.  Then ask what it is that you want to do today.  Let this question float in your mind and pay attention to whatever comes up, no matter how trivial.   Regardless of your beliefs about what you ought to want, this thing that comes up is likely to be close to what you actually want.  If this wish is aligned with the direction you want for you life, make sure that you try to follow it and don't strive too hard after other wishes and desires today.

To be clear about what you really want, will be an immense help to you.   Even if you don't like what you see.

Be prepared to be surprised about some of the things that you really want.

In striving for balance, we must be careful not to starve all our wishes. Without wish, every step will be a major act of will power draining us of energy.

Dare to desire, for desire is the force that will draw you forward.

Image ©
Maud Adams
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