While meditation (in its many forms) is the mainstay practice that leads us into the depth of spirituality, sooner or later we encounter blocks to deepening meditation. Whether we realize it or not, we come up against our own resistance. This is what is often referred to as the "ego", but that can be confusing, because the "ego" is defined differently in varying fields of study. Let's just put it this way: our sense of ourself as an independent, self operating, separate individual is threatened and avoids the conscious recognition of another reality: We are an aspect of the whole of life, and the Source of life, with no independent separate existence.
In a sense, both realities are true, depending on your reference point. Like zooming in on a text, till one letter--lets use "X" as the example-- expands to the whole of the screen, it appears to be singular, self standing, highly significant, but while zooming out, we see that "x" as a tiny yet necessary part in the shared context of all the letters that make up words, and sentences, and paragraphs, together building a complex narrative with an entirely different meaning and purpose.
As we approach the conscious awareness of discovering this phenomena of self (like "x") and Self (like "X"), we are beset with resistance and blocks, both internal and external. Moving beyond resistance and blocks becomes part of the meditative process.
With the Pandemic dominating activity, emotions and thoughts across the planet, it is realistically more difficult to settle into stillness. On the other hand, we are suddenly, collectively, more aware than ever before how our lives are intertwined with each other, whether we are focussed on our household, our immediate neighborhood, or the struggles of other countries around the globe. That alone is a powerful spiritual realization.
There's an added spiritual boost that comes when you realize that while you meditate or do other spiritual practices, many others worldwide are also settling into their practice as well. An NIH study in 2017 found that 14.2% of America's adult population practice some type of meditation. That's 42,600,000 people in this country, how much more in the world? Millions, staggered through the world's time zones.
You are never alone in your time of meditation and spiritual practice. (Susan Nettleton)