Today is Ash Wednesday, for Catholics it is the start of 40 days of Lent. It is a time of solemnness and traditionally abstention from the consumption of meat. It is a time of cleansing and an opportunity to start over. I feel that the Seven Laws of Spiritual Success gives us the opportunity to start over with practices that truly clean our heart and minds.
Last week I discussed that when we are feeling our best and life is good, we actually want a nice piece of fruit or a healthy meal. It is effortless reaching for healthy food. That brings us to the Law of Least Effort, the fourth law is based on the principles of nature. As elements of nature change, evolve, and function with the least effort, frictionless and innately, we as humans are meant to effortlessly accomplish. With the least action and no resistance, we go through life with a sense of grace, ease, and lightness and avoid struggle and suffering.
When we learn this lesson from nature, we easily fulfill our desires. Just as birds simply fly, grass doesn’t try to grow, it just grows, and it is the nature of the sun to just shine, it is human nature to make our dreams manifest into physical form, easily and effortlessly. When you are in harmony with nature, you are established in the knowledge of your true Self, then you can make use of the Law of Least Effort.
Least effort is expended when your actions are motivated by love, because nature is held together by the energy of love. When you seek power and control over other people, you waste energy. When you seek money or power for the sake of the ego, you spend energy chasing the illusion of happiness instead of enjoying happiness in the moment. When your actions are motivated by love, there is no waste of energy. Your energy multiplies and accumulates — and the surplus energy you gather and enjoy can be channeled to create anything that you want, including unlimited wealth.
Take the vow and put into motion The Law of Least Effort:
“I will put the Law of Least Effort into effect by making a commitment to take the following steps:
- I will practice Acceptance. Today I will accept people, situations, circumstances, and events as they occur. I will know that this moment is as it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be. I will not struggle against the whole universe by struggling against this moment. My acceptance is total and complete. I accept things as they are this moment, not as I wish they were.
- Having accepted things as they are, I will take Responsibility for my situation and for all those events I see as problems. I know that taking responsibility means not blaming anyone or anything for my situation (and this includes myself). I also know that every problem is an opportunity in disguise, and this alertness to opportunities allows me to take this moment and transform it into a greater benefit.
- Today my awareness will remain established in Defenselessness. I will relinquish the need to defend my point of view. I will feel no need to convince or persuade others to accept my point of view. I will remain open to all points of view and not be rigidly attached to any one of them.”