Today marks the midpoint of my summer and “sufficient” is beginning to creep up. Have I done enough? Have you relaxed enough? Have you experienced it enough? I was able to dismiss this as being overthinking something stupid like summer, but this is also a common thought pattern in my life at more serious moments. If you do it enough, you often have to worry.
Many modern societies encourage us to feel empowered. And this makes for a great time to live for many traditionally unemployed people. However, there are unintended ripples in this message. Sometimes, “powered” wafts unconsciously spread as “power.” Is it my power to make the most of the moment?
To make the most of your moment, you need to first have the ability to see the best possible outcomes, and then you need to achieve them. Imagine my sci-fi fan coming out there and being Dr. Strange and seeing all the possibilities in a moment. Unlike Dr. Strange, we are neither mystical nor magical. There are consequences that we can never even think about and never think of – millions of them!
A sigh of relief means we don’t have the worst power either. Whatever you did; but you responded. Whatever you say or not say… Of the millions (unlimited?) possible outcomes, what is the possibility that you have had the worst results?
Old yoga philosophy talks about aparigraha, or non-attack. It talks about how the moment unfolds. We make a choice at the moment, then unfold the way it unfolds (or needs to unfold) and experience all the sensations (both physically and emotionally). And we let go of that moment. We have to let go of it, otherwise we may not be able to make choices or feel the next moment.
Aparigraha also has great advice for fighting “good enough”. We don’t have the power to make the best or the worst for a second, do you remember? Furthermore, there is no superpower that is “sufficient.” We don’t have the power to relax enough, have a full experience, do what is enough, do it.
In other words, we will have to settle down: we are just enough.
Until next time,
Roller
