OK, this is just too good to let go. This is a perfect teaching moment, born of my own failure:
Context:
From a translation of the Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 48:
"Perform actions, O Dhananjaya, steadfast in yoga, abandoning attachment, being the same in regard to success and failure. Equanimity is the path to Unity.
And verse 49:
"Far inferior is mere action to action performed with wisdom. Take refuge in wisdom, O Dhananjaya. Wretched are the result seekers.
Now, this sounds like so much highfalutin' philosophy, but let's give a practical example from real life that just happened to me:
The setup: I had just completed writing my assigned freelance articles for the week. It required a lot of focus, I wasn't getting paid well, considering how much time I was putting in, and I was doing my very best to make sure the quality was high. I get to the shared google doc, where three of my fellow freelance writers had been divided amongst the various bite sized tourist spot descriptions. I go to post my completed work, and suddenly see that I have just done the wrong descriptions. There are only a few hours before the deadline, and I have another meeting coming up in a few minutes.
My whole body gets hot, and I feel like a big inflatable animal that's just sprung a leak and is quickly deflating to a flat, empty puddle of plasticy fabric on the ground. All that work, for nothing. Someone else was assigned to it so I doubt they'll pay me for it. It was totally my mistake--I double check that, looking at the revisions history to make sure they didn't change who was assigned what. Nope.
The solution: I'm feeling pretty unhappy, and then it hits me: this is a perfect example of "being attached to the fruits of my actions." And all that other stuff the above Gita verses recommend against. I didn't realize I was so attached, but there's nothing like life to show you where you're not as evolved as you think you are.
I realize I'm obviously attached to doing a good job, having people think well of me, getting paid, and keeping my job. All things I now think are in jeopardy. It also hits me that I've been forgetting to dedicate my action and the results (the fruits) to God. Another suggestion from the Gita. Sheepishly I offer up the results of the work I've been doing, into the fire of the Divine, apologizing for forgetting to do it earlier.
In any case, that surrender makes me start to feel better. Since I've done my best, and decided to leave any results to nature, I start to relax. I got practice writing. And I was reminded of an important lesson: when you're attached to the results, when you're not the same in regards to success and failure, sometimes you'll feel good and sometimes you'll feel really bad. Also: triple check your assignments!
Finally starting to re-inflate to a point where I can deal with the rest of the day, I remember a few details about the shared document. I realize it's possible the person who was assigned to the travel destinations I accidentally did, may not have started working on them yet. In which case, maybe--just maybe--she can do the one's that were assigned to me instead. I send emails and make comments on the doc, first apologizing for what I've done, and then asking about the possibility of switching, if it's not too late. Assuming it will be of no avail, I brace myself for having to cancel my evening plans and get the articles done as quickly as possible, staying up late into the night.
A few hours later, after a wonderful session with a client, (life coaching stuff) I see an email. The other person hadn't started, the company contacted her in time, and she's doing what I was assigned. All is well. I do a little happy dance in my head and am astounded at how effective 'surrendering the fruit' was.
I would not have even thought to ask about that possibility if I'd stayed stuck and attached. I don't know what I would have done. Moped and maybe watched TV or something else to try and distract myself from how wretched I was feeling. And I would not have been in a good head space for my client. It wasn't until I let go of the attachment to success and aversion to failure, till I gave it over to the intelligence of the universe, that everything reversed itself and became OK.
Whether you want to think of this as genuine magic, or simply effective working psychology, this seems like a pretty strong mark in favor of this particular piece of advice. Also a rather harsh reminder. So there you go. The Bhagavad Gita in everyday life. Learn from my example so you don't have to go through the misery yourself.
And I'll leave you with verse 51:
"The wise, established in equanimity of mind, having abandoned the desire of the fruits of their actions, are freed from the bondage of birth and death and go to a state beyond evil."
As an aside and commentary on this: abandoning the desire for the fruits of action doesn't mean you don't get to enjoy anything. It's the difference between:
1)
Climbing up an apple tree, breaking branches and knocking apples as you go, and then ripping an unripe apple off the tree, causing more damage, then falling down and spraining your ankle. And the apple isn't even good because it's not ripe.
And
2)
Noticing a ripe apple falling as you're watering the tree, picking up the apple, dusting it off, and thoroughly enjoying it's crisp sweetness, ripened to perfection.
Now I'll see if I can get a nice bonus one up for you, since I missed last weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment