...(or do anything) because who you THINK you are is imaginary. Nevertheless, something (THIS) is reading these words, and THIS will do whatever it does. This is why many sages use the word "mystery" concerning how the truth unfolds.
Who you think you are can't make the body/mind meditate or even go on a diet. Whether the body/mind meditates, shifts attention away from ideas of expectation, goes on a diet, or does anything else is beyond the idea of control or no-control. THIS may read the admonition to ATA and either do it or not do it, but who you think you are has nothing to do with what will happen.
The illusion of selfhood and volition is powerful, so here is a thought experiment to consider. A woman decides to go on a diet tomorrow morning. She intends to limit herself to x calories per day, and she thinks about what she will eat to meet her goal. The next morning she gets up and the body/mind does exactly what she imagined it would/should do. She feels successful, and at the end of the day she discovers that she has lost two pounds. She thinks to herself, "This is a great diet, and I've done well. If I stay on this diet every day for two weeks, I will meet my target weight."
The following morning she gets up intending to eat exactly what she ate the previous day, but, instead, she gets a craving for a big cinnamon roll, gobbles it down, and continues eating high calorie carbs all day. At the end of the day she discovers that she has gained back three pounds, and feels terrible about herself. She thinks, "I'm such a failure. Why can't I stay on a diet? Why am I cursed with a slow metabolism? I should exercise more and be more disciplined." She is filled with despair and self-loathing.
Most adults in our culture have experienced something similar to what I've described here. The most interesting question is, "Why did the woman stay on her diet the first day but not on the second day?" Her intention and motivation was exactly the same, but the actions of "her" body/mind were radically different.
Here's what's happening. The mind thinks thoughts that sometimes coincide with reality and sometimes diverge from reality. The thoughts that roughly coincide with reality reinforce the idea/illusion that there is an entity capable of exercising control. With simple activities that do not involve apparent effort, reward, or punishment, the thoughts almost always coincide with reality. We think, "I will now lift my right arm," the right arm rises, and we conclude that we controlled what happened. However, if we think, "I will go sit in silence for a week and contemplate my existence," not one person out of a hundred will see that activity happen. Why? Because its a nice-sounding idea whose implementation would require what we might call "some serious commitment."
What would it mean to live without expectations, and how could that happen? Well, you could do Katie's "The Work" and question your thoughts about expectations. Or, you could shift attention to what can be seen or heard anytime you become aware of thoughts involving expectations. Or, you could practice mindfulness and simply watch everything. Or.......
What will THIS do? Is it ready to live without expectations? Is it ready to give up all ideas about how the world/family/friends/etc should be? Is it ready to walk into the unknown and accept whatever happens? This is not a path for sissies! How badly is the truth desired? Watch and see.
Who you think you are can't make the body/mind meditate or even go on a diet. Whether the body/mind meditates, shifts attention away from ideas of expectation, goes on a diet, or does anything else is beyond the idea of control or no-control. THIS may read the admonition to ATA and either do it or not do it, but who you think you are has nothing to do with what will happen.
The illusion of selfhood and volition is powerful, so here is a thought experiment to consider. A woman decides to go on a diet tomorrow morning. She intends to limit herself to x calories per day, and she thinks about what she will eat to meet her goal. The next morning she gets up and the body/mind does exactly what she imagined it would/should do. She feels successful, and at the end of the day she discovers that she has lost two pounds. She thinks to herself, "This is a great diet, and I've done well. If I stay on this diet every day for two weeks, I will meet my target weight."
The following morning she gets up intending to eat exactly what she ate the previous day, but, instead, she gets a craving for a big cinnamon roll, gobbles it down, and continues eating high calorie carbs all day. At the end of the day she discovers that she has gained back three pounds, and feels terrible about herself. She thinks, "I'm such a failure. Why can't I stay on a diet? Why am I cursed with a slow metabolism? I should exercise more and be more disciplined." She is filled with despair and self-loathing.
Most adults in our culture have experienced something similar to what I've described here. The most interesting question is, "Why did the woman stay on her diet the first day but not on the second day?" Her intention and motivation was exactly the same, but the actions of "her" body/mind were radically different.
Here's what's happening. The mind thinks thoughts that sometimes coincide with reality and sometimes diverge from reality. The thoughts that roughly coincide with reality reinforce the idea/illusion that there is an entity capable of exercising control. With simple activities that do not involve apparent effort, reward, or punishment, the thoughts almost always coincide with reality. We think, "I will now lift my right arm," the right arm rises, and we conclude that we controlled what happened. However, if we think, "I will go sit in silence for a week and contemplate my existence," not one person out of a hundred will see that activity happen. Why? Because its a nice-sounding idea whose implementation would require what we might call "some serious commitment."
What would it mean to live without expectations, and how could that happen? Well, you could do Katie's "The Work" and question your thoughts about expectations. Or, you could shift attention to what can be seen or heard anytime you become aware of thoughts involving expectations. Or, you could practice mindfulness and simply watch everything. Or.......
What will THIS do? Is it ready to live without expectations? Is it ready to give up all ideas about how the world/family/friends/etc should be? Is it ready to walk into the unknown and accept whatever happens? This is not a path for sissies! How badly is the truth desired? Watch and see.
