Willpower

There are some who say there is a force inside ourselves, the ego, who wants to keep us from going home. Well, if that is the case, you will have to apply willpower to advance on your spiritual path, at least initially until you have figured out what the scheme of the ego is all about. When you look at the final temptations Jesus Christ and the Buddha had to endure before they reached enlightenment: it was authority in the case of the Christ and it was sexual lust in the case of the Buddha.

What is it that gets your passions going? Chances are the force that wants you to keep you from going home will zoom right into it. But if you get your chastity belt out you also know that you are doing something wrong. Don't torture yourself as the Course in Miracles states, it is more a matter of mindfulness. The initial stage is just about figuring out where the problem statement lies, that is, discovering the two forces at work. But once you have figured out the scheme, all you have to do is to apply mindfulness as well as a little willpower. Once your mind goes back to your favorite subject, the observer kicks in and gently reminds 'Here we go again!'