You don’t feel right.
A yearning, a questioning, perhaps a sense of curiosity.
Maybe it’s worse; a feeling of dis-ease, a malady, excessive rumination.
Lets assume that something inspires you to seek out change.
And you do. You take your courage and you book yourself into a retreat.
Many people join our retreats when life has thrown a curveball or two.
On them, Raya and I share a heartfelt, humble and Soulful message.
99% of the time, we share what has worked for us; Himalayan Meditation.
We learned Himalayan Meditation from our guide, Swami Shivkrupanad (our Swamiji).
Swamiji’s teachings are delivered in an accessible, simple way. Many in his community will be familiar with the refrain;
“No expectations!”
Expectation is a funny thing.
It is defined as as “a strong belief, anticipation, or assumption that something will happen or be achieved in the future.”
If we are seeking to heal and grow, why are we pushed to let go of expectation? Surely there is nothing wrong with beginning meditation and expecting, i.e. anticipating that something will happen?
Not so fast…
The crux of what is wrong with expectation is the part about it being achieved in the future.
What’s wrong with the future?
Thinking of the future pulls us into the right channel, also known as our masculine side or the pingala nadi. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, but it comes at a price.
The pendulum of the mind keeps swinging.
One minute its future, then next it will be past. Future. Past. Future. Past.
Life goes by in the blink of an eye, eaten by the unsteady mind.
Meditation though, is the art of doing nothing.
It is the art of letting go. Of Surrender.
When we release thoughts that are related to both past and future, something strange begins to happen… we occupy the present.
From the present moment, indeed only in the present moment, can we tap into the deep knowledge of what we truly are.
The tradition of Yoga posits that we are a Soul; pure consciousness, being, bliss.
Back to the future; it only exists in our mind.
Thinking “I expect (and hope) that if I meditate I will eventually become a Soul” is a very different thing than reciting “I am a Holy Soul. I am a Pure Soul.”
One is a proclamation of what we are, the other is a weak statement that keeps us hidden from ourselves.
Expectation robs us of recognising what we are here and now. It leads us into wanting, the root of which is insufficiency, lack.
“I expect if I meditate, my problems will go away.” This is called begging the universe / God / Spirit / Source.
I meditate, during my site, “I feel that my problems are gone.” This is called knowledge. This is called faith.
Feeling is a gateway back to the here and now. Expectations are a gateway to the insanity of the mind.
So I admit, we are in a bit of a bind; expectations pull us into the future and deny us the peace of the present, but the reality is, we all have them.
I go to bed, a part of me expects to wake up.
Rather than see that I am doing something wrong by expecting the Sun to come up each day, I choose to be self-aware and to reflect upon my expectations. Why? I would rather be honest about where I am at rather than pretend I am prematurely free of my expectations.
When I feel the familiar pang of suffering, I ponder what is my expectation?
“Traffic sucks this morning…” can be met with “Why was I expecting it to go my way? Do I believe the city revolves around me”
When we catch ourselves hoping for something in the future we can interject. How about asking “Can I find my future want, that very thing I am seeking…. in the present moment? “
“I expect meditation to solve my (insert life, relationship, health or money) problems” can become, with a simple twist of the mind “I am grateful for what (insert thing I am seeking) that I already have here and now.”
This simple shift; from wanting to thanking, unlocks greater prosperity, health and peace than anything else.
How so?
In all truth, the future is a myth; a trick of the mind laden with it’s expectations. Yoga posits that our true nature is the ever present, self-luminous Soul, content, satisfied and enough, as it is, here and now.
Meditation is not about making something new, but recognising what is, was and will always be, hiding in plain sight.
May you be given the grace to see where you are forming your expectations, and may you have the fortitude and strength of spirit to surrender accordingly!
If you are struggling to gain clarity on what it is that you are unconsciously expecting, and need a genuine, honest reflection and a helping hand getting set up with a positive outlook on whatever troubles you are facing, our retreats are safe, intimate containers for you to recalibrate life.
It would be our sincere joy to host you when you feel the call.
Click through for more info and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need a hand.
Jai Atmeshwar,
Victory to your Soul as Divine
David
