Cattāri Brahmavihārā

The quote above is one of my favorites of all time because it speaks to the fact that anything worthwhile can only be acquired by abstention from pleasure and by means of pain. In my short life (although it may be longer than most other humans) I have only recently discovered the importance and efficacy of using the body to harden and train the mind. By constantly running up against the wall of pain and exhaustion, I am learning what determination really means.

It can be easy, however, to forget the real goal. When I lose my mindfulness I can fall into comparison and covetousness – thinking that I want to be strong like this person or develop this skill. When I forget it is easy to pretend that this body will last. But it won’t and this persistent pain in my left foot that accompanies my me on every run, is both a reminder of the importance of the body and an opportunity to harden myself against pain and learn how to apply every and determination.