Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted.
10 Comments
Betty on June 28, 2021 at 12:35 PM
Think of how boring and pointless life would be if we always got what we want.
In the world of form nothing exists or has meaning without it’s opposite. This lesson can be found in the simple and profound book of the Tao Te Ching.
Diane on June 26, 2021 at 4:05 AM
Disappointment and anger come up for me when I don’t get what I want at first. The experience then becomes one of looking inward as to what is underneath the disappointment and anger. Often it is me throwing a tantrum and feelings of unworthiness! Then I look to the bigger picture that bald Eagle sees and often the silver lining under the not getting what I want. Without going into story, this just happened with regard to an audition that didn’t work out but something different opened up to replace it.
Betty on June 25, 2021 at 12:04 PM
I, too felt the love and support from our community last night. Keshav, thanks for the words “swept away.” Perfect description.Still feeling it today. Thank you every one (One.)
Keshav Howe on June 25, 2021 at 8:43 AM
Thank you for really living up to your name – Brave Heart.
For me, I went into last night's journey experience consciously balancing my role of facilitator of a healing circle in ordinary reality, with the client that needed healing "here and there." I was well aware that my willingness and ability to receive healing was directly related to my desire to unconditionally surrender to unconditional support – "here and now."
After the journey, I continued to experience a sea of unconditional love. Faced with a managing a difficult task later last night, I still felt the support of many hands and hearts. I also felt the urge to tighten up, and used the attempted return of "doubt and uncertainty" to inspire me to consciously made room for the love to flow to and through me. I felt swept away.
What I imagined was "going to be challenging" was a joy when faced in the moment. The falling away of expectations and time-bound strategies yielded to an unwavering sense of support, and a palpable ease of being. The character named "Keshav" could not have imagined how effortlessly life was playing out.
Braveheart on June 25, 2021 at 7:17 AM
I am getting a lot of experience lately. And it is a learning experience. A company hired to pack out my house then remove asbestos started demo and asbestos abatement first. Not protecting my things. Anger and fear came up. Then sadness from loss. Asbestos can’t be cleaned from soft items like clothing or curtains. Then came realization and experience. 1. Things are only things. (Maybe they will be replaced, maybe it was time to let go) 2. Look at the bigger picture. (Asbestos was removed from my house. New flooring and ceiling will be installed) 3.People are less willing to help if when you complain. (Be grateful. If you must fight, choose your battles carefully.) 4. Not everyone does things the same way. (Open to new ways of doing things. Let go of control. Let things flow.) Side note, I am a less fussy eater now as we received meals that I might not have chosen. (Gratitude, graciousness and being open to gifts from the heart, opens the heart) Namaste
sasanijjs on June 24, 2021 at 10:48 AM
When I don’t get what I think I want, there is an opportunity for me dive into the discomfort that arises when mind is agitated. There is an illusion that feeling “good” is right and feeling “bad” is wrong. From my experience, I have learned and grown so much more when minds interpretation of what it wants is challenged. Life will be better when…feels like an infinite amount of traps until we recognize that a thought does not mean reality. An x girlfriend of mine recently posted something of her father who had passed in recent years. She remembered her fathers response to her wanting something as “How does it feel to want?”
Betty on June 23, 2021 at 3:04 PM
Welcome, Sarah! It sounds like you just needed a reminder. That’s what we do for each other.
Sarah Whitney on June 23, 2021 at 10:45 AM
Betty I really appreciate your quote. Exactly what I needed to hear. We’re meant to have experiences that we can learn from, not simply play it safe. Sometimes we find that in retrospect, what we didn’t want at the time was actually redirecting us in a better direction.
Betty on June 21, 2021 at 10:49 AM
Yes, Carol. My experience as well.
There are two opposite experiences that are related. One, when I get what I want I don’t want it anymore, often in short order it is not as important as I thought. Two, similarly, I get what I want and it is soon replaced by another thing I want, to complete me. Or my life circumstances change and now I have to choose to take what I wanted or wait for a different opportunity.
The best things seem to come out of thin air. They can’t be owned. They are there in the moment and gone.
Right now I am forced to choose between what I thought I needed or pursue some other opportunities. Both require change. Were I more fluid, and more trusting, the decision would be easy. I have given up what I wanted, security, for a big fat unknown. I am terrified. Nothing in life comes with a guarantee.
Note to self: “A Ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
ceejaypea on June 21, 2021 at 7:19 AM
Getting what I wanted can feel like things being as they should be. I’m likely to expect it and may not even notice very much. Not ‘getting what I wanted’ certainly gets my attention. When I’m able to avoid being a pouty child about that it can be an opportunity to look at something from a fresh perspective. Or to evaluate whether what I wanted was really what I needed, or what I really wanted. Which can lead to what do I really need/want? So it could be a step towards letting go of grasping, a step towards emptiness. What an experience! (Sorry). Namaste.
Think of how boring and pointless life would be if we always got what we want.
In the world of form nothing exists or has meaning without it’s opposite. This lesson can be found in the simple and profound book of the Tao Te Ching.
Disappointment and anger come up for me when I don’t get what I want at first. The experience then becomes one of looking inward as to what is underneath the disappointment and anger. Often it is me throwing a tantrum and feelings of unworthiness! Then I look to the bigger picture that bald Eagle sees and often the silver lining under the not getting what I want. Without going into story, this just happened with regard to an audition that didn’t work out but something different opened up to replace it.
I, too felt the love and support from our community last night. Keshav, thanks for the words “swept away.” Perfect description.Still feeling it today. Thank you every one (One.)
I am getting a lot of experience lately. And it is a learning experience.
A company hired to pack out my house then remove asbestos started demo and asbestos abatement first. Not protecting my things. Anger and fear came up. Then sadness from loss. Asbestos can’t be cleaned from soft items like clothing or curtains.
Then came realization and experience.
1. Things are only things. (Maybe they will be replaced, maybe it was time to let go)
2. Look at the bigger picture. (Asbestos was removed from my house. New flooring and ceiling will be installed)
3.People are less willing to help if when you complain. (Be grateful. If you must fight, choose your battles carefully.)
4. Not everyone does things the same way. (Open to new ways of doing things. Let go of control. Let things flow.)
Side note, I am a less fussy eater now as we received meals that I might not have chosen. (Gratitude, graciousness and being open to gifts from the heart, opens the heart) Namaste
When I don’t get what I think I want, there is an opportunity for me dive into the discomfort that arises when mind is agitated. There is an illusion that feeling “good” is right and feeling “bad” is wrong. From my experience, I have learned and grown so much more when minds interpretation of what it wants is challenged. Life will be better when…feels like an infinite amount of traps until we recognize that a thought does not mean reality. An x girlfriend of mine recently posted something of her father who had passed in recent years. She remembered her fathers response to her wanting something as “How does it feel to want?”
Welcome, Sarah! It sounds like you just needed a reminder. That’s what we do for each other.
Betty I really appreciate your quote. Exactly what I needed to hear. We’re meant to have experiences that we can learn from, not simply play it safe.
Sometimes we find that in retrospect, what we didn’t want at the time was actually redirecting us in a better direction.
Yes, Carol. My experience as well.
There are two opposite experiences that are related. One, when I get what I want I don’t want it anymore, often in short order it is not as important as I thought. Two, similarly, I get what I want and it is soon replaced by another thing I want, to complete me. Or my life circumstances change and now I have to choose to take what I wanted or wait for a different opportunity.
The best things seem to come out of thin air. They can’t be owned. They are there in the moment and gone.
Right now I am forced to choose between what I thought I needed or pursue some other opportunities. Both require change. Were I more fluid, and more trusting, the decision would be easy. I have given up what I wanted, security, for a big fat unknown. I am terrified. Nothing in life comes with a guarantee.
Note to self: “A Ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
Getting what I wanted can feel like things being as they should be. I’m likely to expect it and may not even notice very much. Not ‘getting what I wanted’ certainly gets my attention. When I’m able to avoid being a pouty child about that it can be an opportunity to look at something from a fresh perspective. Or to evaluate whether what I wanted was really what I needed, or what I really wanted. Which can lead to what do I really need/want? So it could be a step towards letting go of grasping, a step towards emptiness. What an experience! (Sorry). Namaste.