The instant we realize we are in attachment to a certain outcome, we let go of our demand that life fit our limited expectations. We let go of our demand for a certain outcome. Every time we begin the day, every time we begin a new activity, we humbly dedicate it to God, to the good. We lovingly release the outcome of our effort to life’s higher, deeper, subtler purposes for this moment. We simply do what we do as a servant, as a prayer, in self-offering. We do what we do for its own sake, utterly surrendering the outcome to life and to God.
Attachment and the blows of life
We are all enrolled in the same university of higher learning: The University of Life, the school of unified consciousness. Whether or not we realize it, whether or not we give our consent, we are constantly being groomed. Our consciousness is being pruned and clarified, honed and heightened through every life experience. If we are paying attention, we gradually begin to notice: That which we desire causes certain things to happen. That to which we are attached becomes the source from which the hardest blows of our life arise.
The moment we cling to something, the moment we attach our expectations and preconditions, the moment we latch onto our ideas for a given outcome or to a concept of how things must be, our clinging immediately results in a miserable state of mind. We become constricted, anxious, fretful, easily angered. We are unable to be fully conscious or present to the moment as it is. Life is infinitely more diverse, subtle, rich and complex than our limited understanding. There are deeper workings of the spirit at play than the ones that appear on the surface. So we must have our lesson. With a magnetic force akin to gravity, our attachment inevitably begins to attract a teaching blow.
How do we release the stubborn grip of our attachments?
We begin with keen awareness of the anxiety and misery that our attachment causes, not only to ourselves, but to those around us, to those we love. We begin to see how all attachment robs us of peace of mind. Then we begin to understand the importance of letting go. We begin to practice letting go.
The instant we realize we are in attachment to a certain outcome, we let go of our demand that life fit our limited expectations. We let go of our demand for a certain outcome. Every time we begin the day, every time we begin a new activity, we humbly dedicate it to God, to the good. We lovingly release the outcome of our effort to life’s higher, deeper, subtler purposes for this moment. We simply do what we do as a servant, as a prayer, in self-offering. We do what we do for its own sake, utterly surrendering the outcome to life and to God.
A lesson from the Buddha and Ananda
A beautiful story is told of the Buddha and Ananda, his beloved devotee and cousin. They were traveling together. Suddenly, the Buddha said, “I am thirsty. I want a little water to drink.” Ananda remembered that when they were coming through the village they saw a small stream. So Ananda thought, “Let me go there for some water.” He ran to the stream but, just as he got there, a bullock cart passed through the water. The water was very muddy. Ananda was in a hurry because he had to get water for the Buddha. He started trying to clear the water as best he could, but he couldn’t do anything. He struggled, but he couldn’t find any water that was drinkable. Finally, he ran back to the Buddha and said, “I’m so sorry. I couldn’t get you water.” The Buddha asked, “What happened, Ananda? Why couldn’t you get water? We saw a stream right over there.” Ananda said, “I found the water but it was very muddy and when I tried to clean it, I couldn’t.” The Buddha responded, “Ananda, go back to that place now and get me water.” Ananda ran back to that place and found crystal clear water. All the dust, all the mud by then had naturally settled.
The futility of ego
For most of us, what we try to do is from our ego. It is our vanity. We struggle to make life fit our expectations, into the understanding that has grown in us over years of practice. We always try to set things right our way. We are like Ananda, trying to get drinkable water by frantically stirring the water. We remain thirsty; we can’t have water that is clean.
Thus, it often happens that when negative comes to you, if you try too hard to fix it, if you force the situation, things only get worse. You try to manage things and nothing that you do helps. At that point, the best thing to do is to create a distance; to witness the whole situation with a deep sense of trust in the Divine design. Just let go, without muddling with it.
Make the cosmic process your partner
If you let go, if you give the outcome to God and trust, there is time. Let time settle it. Time is the healer. We need to accept the heavenly energy which is always available and can take care of all our problems, provided we learn the art of letting go and surrender our doubt.
Trust and patience are very important in the day-to-day management of life. Trust in Divine providence. Trust in the Divine Mother. Trust in the wonderful intelligence of the cosmic process. You will never find a more powerful partner in life, or one who will bring you greater peace and joy. Have patience. If you want something to heal, you need to allow some time.
Expect nothing
Each attachment, every expectation, is a seed that you sow to reap future unhappiness. There is such beauty in the Divine design. At certain times, sometimes in short intervals, you will be given shock treatments to help you understand that it is not good to expect. The design is continuously operating. You keep expecting that there should be no problems – which only cause you more problems. Eventually, awareness starts to dawn. You find yourself contemplating, “Should I expect anything at all? Shouldn’t I just let go?”
After all, you are seeking happiness and peace. You are not seeking anything else. Whatever may be the activity, whatever may be the thought, you are seeking happiness and joy and peace, nothing else. You find expectations have been leading you to misery and unhappiness. A time comes when you take stock of the whole thing, even if you don’t read books and don’t attend meditation classes. That doesn’t matter because you are in the meditation class of the Universe. Mother Nature will teach you. She teaches us all: We create miseries with our expectations. Eventually, we learn. It is only when we expect nothing, when we offer ourselves and all outcomes to God, that we are flooded with peace and joy.
Practice
1. Whenever you are moving from one activity to another, make it a practice to pause. First, be grateful for what you have just completed and everything you learned from it. Then offer all of your efforts, the results and the outcomes of what you are about to undertake, to the Divine.
2. As you begin a new activity, open your heart and still your mind, if only for a few seconds, to receive the nameless energies of Divine Grace, inspiration and guidance. You are creating space in your heart and mind for Divine energy, infinite intelligence, and creativity. You are allowing it to move ahead of you, to form and express life’s larger intentions through this upcoming activity. Release all the outcomes to whatever your higher power is and begin. Observe how you receive the guidance and inspiration you need to respond to each moment as it unfolds.
3. As you start to work on any project, consciously hold your heart open to the higher purpose of life and to any unknown and unanticipated ways that you can serve life and others through your work. Notice the unexpected miracles, large and small, tender and intimate, that come from that openness.
Sri Sri Shuddhaanandaa Brahmachari (Baba) is a renowned speaker, philosopher and author of “Baba Lokenath – The Incredible Life of a Himalayan Yogi; Words of Pure Bliss and Making Your Mind Your Best Friend.” He works for the emancipation of women and children. His Lokenath Divine Life Mission treats more than 200,000 patients every year and promotes eco-friendly agricultural products.www.babalokenath.org
