How Does God Talk To You And A Word Or Two On Strength

A quote for Strength of all types taken off the wall in my father's office:

"When flowing water...  meets with obstacles on it's path, a blockage in it's journey, it pauses.

It increases in volume and strength, filling up in front of the obstacle and eventually spilling past it...

Do not turn and run, for there is nowhere worthwhile for you to go.

Do not attempt to push ahead into the danger...

emulate the example of the water:

Pause and build up your strength until the obstacle no longer represents a blockage."

(Taken From:  
To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love)

Now, I haven't read this book (yet).  Clearly, as of last Wednesday afternoon, it is on my list.  I'm just starting Journey to Ixtlan by Carlos Castaneda and well...  this will be next.  Interesting how this quote should appear before me and how rare it is I'm in my father's office.

But that bodes the question:  How does God talk to you?  The days of burning bushes, I think, are over.  My assumption is God is more subtle.  The thing is, are you listening?  Are you open?

Keep in mind, God doesn't have to be the Old Guy with the beard that kind of looks like Mel Brooks.  Who God is and what he/she looks like is up to you.  We're not going to worry about how God looks nor should we try to define God.  But once we commit to the existence of a higher power with conscience intelligencer, clearly there's a potential for communication here...  are you listening?

So, here I am in my father's office working with him on publishing my up-in-coming book, How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone, and I look on his wall and see this amazing quote.

From everything I've learned as a practitioner of strength, from how to execute a proper deadlift, to how to press a Kettlebell, this quote is like a Zen Master's instruction of strength.

Now, how can you incorporate this into daily life?  Strength of will and determination.  What habit's are you trying to develop and what habits are you trying to kick?  What obstacles are you using?  What are you allowing to block your progress?

This is the time to pause.  It doesn't have to be a long pause.  Just long enough to recognize the gap that lies between stimulus and response.

The Kettlebell Clean and Press is a great drill to learn the pause.  Swing the bell back and launch it forward as you would in a normal swing.  But instead of an arc out, you pull up and "tame" the arc.  The Kettlebell lands home resting on your forearm and shoulder, the rest of your body braced for impact, tight, rigid and rooted to the ground.  Energy bounces from the ground to explode out as you press the bell skyward.  That is the moment before the press where in the rest of your life you get to choose to press on or crumble under the weight.

In the physical realm, the Kettlebell will act as your obstacle.  Whatever it may be.  For me it has been addiction, grief, and low self esteem, to name a few.  Learning how to press on when it seems too heavy is something worth training for, wouldn't you agree?