Stephen's recent comment on my blog entry "MS at 65" makes me think of the Zen image of "letting go" shown in photos of Linda being a hand model. Grasping is a state of mind, a way in which I think and feel about things, relationships, memories, whatever. When I begin to feel bad, be it anger, frustration, fear, or anxiety, it is a signal that I am grasping. If I become calm, I permit myself to discover what it is that I am grasping so tightly -- be it a self-image, a childhood trauma, a fear of being confined to a bed and a wheelchair, a belief about what our politics should be, an expectation about a child's future, a treasured piece of stuff.....
Placing whatever it is that triggers my anxiety, anger, or suffering in the the open palm of my hand, is the beginning of my letting go. Like peeling an onion, letting go reveals successive deeper layers of grasping. Each peeling brings a breath of fresh air, possiblities. Can I make this practice an integral part of daily life? hmmmm....
2 comments:
Joel,
letting go is at the crux and staying present is certainly where we need to be but how to stay there I've yet to discover. Your blog is inspiring, I remember early morning Tai Chi and all your help and advice. Be here now.
Barbara
what a wonderful image, putting things in the palm rather than grasping, allowing the possibilty of letting go. continuing thanks.
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