Have I done enough?

When the “enoughs” creep in, there is Aparigraha non-attachment

Today marks the middle point of my summer and the “enoughs” are beginning to creep in.  Have I done enough? Relaxed enough? Experienced enough?  I could just dismiss this as over-thinking something silly like summer, but this is also a common thought pattern in my life for more serious moments. I often worry if I’ve done enough.  

Many modern societies encourage us to feel empowered.  And this makes it an amazing time to be alive for many traditionally unempowered people.  But this message has some unintentional ripples.  Sometimes “empowered” ripples out into our unconscious as “in power”.   Is it in my power to make the most of a moment?

In order to make the very most of a moment, we would first need the power to see the best possible outcome and then the power to make that happen.  My sci-fi fans out there, imagine being Dr. Strange and being able to see all of a moment’s possibilities.  Unlike Dr. Strange, we are neither mystical nor magical.  There are possible outcomes that we would never and could never even think of - millions of them! 

The sigh of relief, is that we also don’t have the power to be the worst. Whatever you did; however you reacted; whatever you said or didn’t say…  What are the chances that out of all the million (unlimited?) possible outcomes, you made the very worst?

Yoga philosophy of old speaks of Aparigraha, or non-attachment. It speaks to how moments unfold. We make a choice in the moment, and then it unfolds the way it’s going to unfold (or needs to unfold), and then we experience all of the feels (both in the body and in the emotions). And then we let that moment go. We have to let it go, or we might not be able make choices or feel the feels of the next moment.  

Aparigraha also has amazing advice for battling the “enoughs”. We don’t have the power to make the best or the worst of a moment, remember? We also do not have the super-power of “enough”.  We do not have the power to relax enough, experience enough, do enough, be enough. 

Which means, we are going to have to settle with: We just ARE enough. 

Until next time,

Laura