This puzzle has formed a barrier to all wisdom work down through the ages of humankind. It springs into existence the moment we attempt any work of enlightenment, whether it be in the area of psychotherapy or in the area of spiritual enlightenment itself. The barrier of this paradox of intent is that we must reconcile the following opposites. While striving with intensity to do our inner work we must, at the very same time, let go and relax. There are several reasons why this paradox springs into existence.
Conscious awareness can only focus on one thing at a time.
We cannot force holistic insights to come to us. We can only hope to receive them. Insights come as gifts. We do not create them. The actual gift, the insight itself, we cannot cause to come into our consciousness.