If there is one thing I've learned over the years walking the path of ascension, it is to never give up. There are ups and downs on the path, and that's normal and expected, but if you intend to do something, then do it good. Incrementally elevate your spirit to new highs, allowing yourself plenty of 'break time' in between difficult climbs.
In the beginning, we often experience emotional highs triggered by our excited imagination followed by brutal lows of our every day reality. We grasp onto elevated states of mind as a drowning man grasps for air in hopes of salvation. Many of us are often inspired by the dreamy promises of the enlightened masters and their life stories, only to find ourselves looking at our own unique realities full of unsurmountable challenges and complex emotional problems.
The path of ascension is a long game, and those who are 'slow and steady' eventually reach the top of the mountain within. It is important to pace yourself, to let your inner fire steadily guide you into your next adventure. Though it may seem obvious, we often forget to pick our own battles, learning humbleness and gratitude along the way as we charge our shadow selves with fervor and passion. Those are the times when stepping back is especially important, allowing common sense to guide us through the treacherous terrain created by our inner tricksters.
Rewarding yourself for every achievement, no matter how small or seemingly inconspicuous it might seem, is a winning practice that will help you master your game in the long run. Mistakes are lessons, one should study them in detail without identification or emotional attachment. Easier said than done, try to simply allow yourself to make mistakes as part of your journey, understanding that deeper truths can not be reached without them. Learn how to be grateful, especially for those moments that have given you the most wisdom, for they are the most precious gifts indeed. View your life experiences as such and your path will be endowed with many blessings.
Learn to love the path, for within it is the very secret that you are searching for. It is not about reaching a specific goal or a destination, but being embodied with a gentle and graceful awareness of your own divine presence as you move through it. Recognize the traveller and the path are one and find within yourself the best possible version for everything that happens on it. Conditions will repeat until the lesson's learned, so pay attention! Strive for a place of no more thought, where only radiance and clarity abide in peace.
Those who enter the path are bound by its rules and promises, and without a diligent upkeep, good deeds are often marred by lack of purpose or simple disregard. Only with limitless devotion can one achieve the goal, for that is the very source of the divine inspiration. Look within yourself for that precious quality, do not let it be spoiled by futile reasoning of the subservient mind.