Diligence doesn't mean intensity.

Diligence doesn't mean intensity.

It doesn't mean you have to sprint all the time.  It doesn't mean working yourself to death.

Diligence is the constant application of your practice to the circumstances of your life.

Diligence is continued effort.  Effort today, tomorrow and the next, month after month, year after year.  Effort when times are good, effort when times are bad.  Effort, when it is convenient and when it is not. 

Your list of goals will change, your responsibilities will shift and flux, yet you continue with dedication in your practice.

That is diligence. 

Sprint.

It is nice to pace yourself.  Slow and steady wins the race.  But sometimes you need to push yourself.  Sometimes it is good to stretch the legs, see how how far you can go.

What is off in the distance that you have had your eye on?

It could be a project.  A goal.  Sure.  Could definitely be house cleaning.

But it could be your practice.

What if you sat in meditative equipoise for ten hours today?
What if you did 1000 prostrations today, or sun salutations for three hours?
What if you offered 10,000 mandalas this month?  Or recited OM MANI PADME HUNG 100,000 times?
What if you could replace your distracted, tired mind with a mind that was powerful and stable?  What if hesitation and doubt were replace with confidence and certainty?

Time to run.  What are you waiting for?