Our mind is the determiner of whether we are happy and content, or longing and dissatisfied. We may think it is because of this situation or that one, but one way or another we find out that it always stems from our mind. The question is, will we learn to become the masters of our mind or not.
Yes, we all wish for possessions, praise, friendships and a loving family. But, when one of those categories falls short, how will we respond? It depends if we let the external situation be our emotion dictator or not.
The reason we struggle in life is because our expectations of how life should be are not being met. So, we need to reexamine our expectations. Hopes and goals and dreams, wonderful. Expectations though mean our happiness is dependent on the circumstances and we are a slave to our whims.
If we can first acknowledge that a monk meditating in solitude, with no possessions, in a cave somewhere, can be extremely happy; then we can start to recognize our own capacity for happiness in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.
So during the week ahead, think of the monk. See if you can wish for nothing more than what a simple monk has. You may notice that suddenly, every single possession, opportunity, and challenge becomes a welcomed gift in your life that fills you with gratitude, no fear of loss or damage, no longing or wishing or craving. It’s only our longing mind that makes us suffer. By paying close attention to those pesky desires, we become free from the suffering they create. There is nothing stopping us from enjoying this moment right now except our mind. Set down all of the thoughts about what is making this moment imperfect for just a moment, and the perfection that is there will be revealed.
ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Wisdom can come from anywhere: spiritual texts, a fairytale or a friend. There is so much in the world to explore and learn from. When we look at many different sources of information, we can understand how they are connected, how they are different and how they are the same.
We can see from different points of view and a great wisdom can arrive that is broader than our own experience. You don’t have to believe everything that you read and incorporate it into your lives, but you will always learn something.
Love,
Todd
PS – When we understand our grief, we begin to see the beauty in it. Just like giving birth can be a beautiful, yet painful, celebration of life; so too can our grief. Grief is love, grief is healing, and grief is there to help us. In my YouTube video, I share how we can make peace with grief.
