Nothing you can do to awaken?

Some teachers say that there is nothing one can do to awaken, that it is perhaps grace. Remember, words are pointers and not true reality. 

We choose where we want to put our attention. We can open the door of our mind. We can observe carefully where thoughts return to when they are finished. We can observe the silence that is always present, under thoughts, feelings and sense perceptions. We can turn our attention to our silent center and notice if it is separate from anything. We can observe our story, our motivations, what drives the ego/mind, and see if all that mental activity is successful in giving us what we truly want. And we can stop. We can align our consciousness with silent awareness, like a tree with its fruit exposed to the light of the sun, ripening naturally. This ripening goes a long way toward the recognition, realization, and acceptance of one’s infinite, eternal nature.