Reminder: There's nothing left to lose, and Janis Joplin
May the road rise up to meet you.
In this world where uncertainty and possibility meet in every moment, we must take care to remember how to find steadiness. Obviously, I would suggest doing some form of mindfulness/spiritual practice as a method for engaging with the turbulence that each day brings. However, to arrive at contentment and to meet life as it is, it equally valid to spend time remembering that in this life we have nothing to gain or lose.
Dominant culture teaches us to evaluate our worthiness and belonging on our utility, ability, and by sources of external validation. We are also encouraged to attempt to control the circumstances of life, as though we were able to funnel joy, prosperity, and pleasantness into our lives through our own actions. The world of human constructs is built on a niavete and hubris about our capacity to control what happens in life. It is certainly true that we are able to work within the circumstances of our lives to become more aware of and open to possibilities and choices. However life is not ours to control. Life itself is wild, unpredictable, and constantly changing. It both changes as regularly as the seasons, and as suddenly and intensely as a storm.
To lvie our lives with humility is something we are not encouraged by modernity to do. To reclaim our capacity to revel in our own existence, to embrace the mystery and uncertainty of life, and to find enthusiasm to face discomfort is highly countercultural. To surrender to life is to say yes to, and enjoy and grieve, all aspects of life.
Here are some recent thoughts, from June's monthly Satsang, on how there's nothing left to lose::
Inspired by Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee
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