“When challenges come, as they always do, make it a habit to go within at once and focus as much as you can on the inner energy field of your body.” Ekchart Tolle (from A New Earth)
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The key work here is “habit.” Habit is practice. Practice your piano before the recital. Practice, practice, practice is what every master knows, no matter what his art or sport. But here we are interested in Life as Art, so Life as Practice is what we are interested in here.
Challenges then are life. All life is a challenge, so all life is practice. Compartmentalizing life into safe zones where you can relax with a beer, and unsafe zones where you have to “focus on the inner energy field” is not a practice that is gong to be there when you need it. Only 100 percent practice will be there when a “challenge” calls you on stage before an an audcdene to play.
Focus on the inner energy field of the body when there is no challenge, then when the challenge comes, the practice will be there for you to take refuge in. When the practice is 100 percent, you will then be able to play like a master—as if you had never practiced at all. When practice is complete: spontaneity is complete. You will be controlled spontaneity.
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