Page 95 - Pearls of Perception (eBook)

In the same line of thought, expecting the weekend days to be relax-
ing will project relaxation onto your experience and thus create the
impression that the weekend is all about a relaxing, good time.

“And what’s wrong with that?” you might ask.

Well, the only problem with that is that it keeps you prisoner in a
waiting game. No matter how hard you try to focus on the present
moment, there will always be that eagerness to get past the week
faster so you can relax at the end of it.

Projecting happiness and relaxation in the future is just like holding a
carrot in front of a donkey to get it to keep moving: the donkey will
never actually get it, no matter how fast it goes.

Why will you never get to fully enjoy happiness and peace in this
way?

Because happiness and peace are not things of the future.
They are, and they will always be things of the present.
Only in the present can you taste them, only now is their flavour
fresh.

So let’s try a different thing. Instead of expecting life to turn in a cer-
tain direction, instead of going along with what has been generally
accepted to be in a certain way (like “Mondays”), why not drop all
expectations on the spot? Why not remain empty of any expecta-
tions and free of anticipation? Why not completely open up to this
mysterious, yet totally simple and spontaneous flowing of life?