Greetings Sadhakas,
This week in class we are exploring the practice of letting go
of desires.
Remember that you
ought to behave in life as you would at a banquet. As something is being passed
around, it comes to you. When it comes to you, stretch out your hand gently, take
a portion of it politely, but pass it on. Or, it has not come to you yet. Do
not project your desire to meet it. So act always in life.
– Epictetus
This is the nature
of desire: it jumps out from the present to the future. When you have a very
pleasant event planned, the desire has jumped out already to meet it. Even
though this particular event will take place on Saturday, and today is Monday,
half of you is already living in Saturday.
And next Monday
morning, you will be at your desk, remembering the great day you had Saturday.
Epictetus says,
don't ever let your desire jump out to the future, and don't let your mind
wander to the past, because you will never be present in the here and now.
If, for example,
you are going to the theater to see Anthony and Cleopatra, it is only when you
get into the theater that you let your attention dwell on it completely. Until
then, you don't think about it. And when you are watching the play, you are
there completely, with no wisp of consciousness wandering to what your boss
said to you yesterday about the project that is late, and no wandering to what
you would like for breakfast tomorrow. You are there completely, sailing down
the Nile with Cleopatra.
Words to Live By:
Inspiration for Every Day – Eknath Easwaran
The homework is to look at your desires
with the idea that all desire leads to disappointment. Then cultivate the practice of letting
go of desires. Make a list of some of
the desires you are “holding” on to. Be
honest with yourself. Let the list sit for
a few days and then revisit it and see if any revisions are in order. Then choose one thing from your list to
completely let go of. Say to yourself, “This
mom ent is the perfect mom ent to let go.”
Continue with this practice and all that will be left is love.
Excerpts paraphrased from “Living your Yoga, Finding the Spiritual in Everyday Life”, by Judith Lasater.
Blessings,
paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
360.834.5994
www.rushingwateryoga.com
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