Non-Attachment

I have learned something interesting and enlightening about myself recently that is a new characteristic for me. It has not yet truly been put to the test but it is being poked and prodded at the moment. It has to do with my attachment to material, and even non-material, things in my life. And it is has come up for reasons that have yet to even remotely manifest but are reasons that could very possibly come to pass.

I have tended in the past to be very attached to objects, pursuits and emotional states that I have invested myself or my time in. These have included former jobs, former girlfriends, former states of mind, etc. I am quite sure that I still am attached to many things but I know for certain that it's much less than in my past.

I know this because it's been a very important part of my yoga practice. In my practice, both the physical and the spiritual, I force myself to let go of any investment I may have in a particular "pose." If one day I move strongly and deeply into warrior and feel that my hips and feet and entire body are "in the zone," I don't then the next day expect that to happen again or when it does not, let myself get agitated because I happen to not be in that zone that day. I have finally trained myself to see these type of things as they are - as they are.

The future and the unknown nature of the future are what has stimulated this realization. Marcia and I both have chosen a path that makes the future even more difficult to handle than in previous phases of our lives. We have staked ourselves on the success of us and of the fickle nature of the consumer economy we live in. Right now, we seem to be in a phase where that fickle nature is being just that - fickle. Only time will tell how fickle or even if that nature will impact us in any way. But this is the first time since we've ventured out on our own that we may be facing a period of time that could test our resolve to be our own bosses.

My reaction to the possibility that we could be in for a test has been very interesting. Instead of reacting with fear and the stress that fear produces, I have quite naturally reacted by continuously generating a list of the possibilities and opportunities that are available to us no matter what may happen. Even if the worst case scenarios were to play out - which of course, they never will - I now know of countless paths that we could take.

Suffice it to say that I now am confident that in this reality, at any moment on our Path, there are always countless forks in the Road.

All of this has reminded me of a quote I came across not so long ago that really inspired my progress in this area. I think it's one to truly ponder and see how it applies to your life.

"So long as we believe in our heart of hearts that our capacity is limited and we grow anxious and unhappy, we are lacking in faith. One who truly trusts in God has no right to be anxious about anything."

~ Paramahansa Yogananda

Namaste.