We have a completely misguided idea of how to become happy. The billions of dollars spent trying to convince us to buy the newest razor or sedan does not help. We see people that are famous and they seem rich and successful and happy, whether they are or not! We imagine that if we only had a bigger house, or a vacation home, or the newest over-priced pair of sneakers from the hottest hip-hop star we would finally be complete. If we were only to get that next promotion, or the corner office, or …..
But, we are heading in the wrong direction. More stuff means more worries. We are human beings not human doings or human accumulatings. Why is meditation so powerful? Because it is all that we need! If we can learn to be present, be inside and aware of right now, we can be happy. Everything that we need is inside us right now. There is an infinite world of peace and purpose and time and space. Many religious traditions teach us that the divine is inside us. Look in not out.
If you are one that experiences anxiety start practicing letting go of anxiety. Join me in stopping everything several times a day and just taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling, releasing all tension in the body, relax your shoulders down, unclench your jaw, let everything drain out of you into the Earth. The Earth is always there to support us! . Our heart rate and blood pressure will fall. All kinds of other “magical” wonderful stuff will automatically happen, it is how we are built. Do it again. Think of something to let go of as you fill your lungs, then let go of stress and perfection and fear and politics and your-favorite-team losing the championship, and hair loss, and weight gain, and leaky roofs, and potential leaky roofs, and fear of leaky roofs, and global warming, and nuclear war, and missed opportunities, and expectations, and measurements, and interest rates, and social media, and death. Let it all go.
It’s not about dominating or controlling or accomplishing, it is about surrendering and releasing and freeing. It can be scary to let go, especially to the silly notion of control. There is no such thing.
Why stop there? Let go of unused unneeded bicycles and sweaters and old magazines and closets full of stuff. Get rid of hundreds of square feet of furniture and heated space. Get rid of everything but a robe and a rice bowl….or at least consider moving towards that instead of the newest ultra-high HD curved 60” OLED 4K free-range cruelty-free organic television. Put the computer or phone down. Go outside and breathe. Walk. Close your eyes and feel the ground as the bi-lateral stimulation of left, right, left calms you and moves stuff around in your head to a healthier place. If you want to return to reading stuff great, if not you have everything you need inside you right now. You always have.
