So today we're going to explore the idea of control.
It's funny because ultimately I believe that the reason,
I can only speak for myself,
The reason that I want to feel like I have control in my life is to create safety and a sense of security for myself.
If I know what's going to happen then I can feel safe.
If I have a sense of predictability,
Of consistency,
Then I feel safe.
And ultimately I want to feel safe because it's a pleasant sensation,
It's a pleasant experience and when I don't feel safe it's quite unpleasant.
So on a very root level,
I ultimately want to have control so that I can continue to be in a pleasant state,
That I'm avoiding an unpleasant experience.
Now it's ironic because what I find is that control is just an idea,
It's an illusion and this shows itself to me all the time.
I try to plan or I try to control and something changes and the ironic part is that every time I'm shown that this control illusion is present,
I get disappointed.
The more I try to control,
The more disappointment I feel when it doesn't work out the way I wanted to and this disappointment is a very unpleasant state.
So I try to control more.
And guess what happens when I do that?
Ah,
More disappointment,
More unpleasantness.
It's like I'm grasping for something that isn't there and every time I can't quite get it,
It causes a lot more unpleasantness.
So I want to propose a different idea,
A different approach that instead of trying to control more,
What if we just awoke to the realization that we don't have control,
That we aren't certain what's going to happen.
We really aren't.
I don't know what I'm going to think next,
I don't know what my next words are going to be.
It's a surprise,
It's this amazing unfolding experience.
And rather than trying to control everything,
Maybe I can just rest in the uncertainty of what is always occurring and dazzle in the amazingness of what appears in front of me at any given moment.
So that's what we'll explore today.
So we can find a comfortable seated position if we're not already there.
So I'm going to try to find a comfortable seated position.
And start noticing that ultimately whatever thought comes up,
Whatever experience comes up,
We really have no control.
Thoughts come up out of nowhere and disappear when they want to.
Now wherever you are in your experience,
Wherever you're sitting,
Sensations just happen to arise out of nowhere.
You're not just sitting in your own space,
You're sitting in your own space.
You are in your experience wherever you're sitting.
Sensations just happen to arise out of nowhere,
They just appear.
And without even trying to scratch the itch or change what's happening,
They also disappear.
Perhaps a sound from outside the house or the space we're in,
Sounds start appearing,
Traffic,
Honking,
Birds,
The wind.
Just arises on its own without us knowing that it would have been there.
And just as whatever sound came,
It also has already passed without our control.
The experience arising from outside of our body comes and goes as it pleases.
And the same within the body,
That these sensations arise,
Itches arise,
Discomfort just seems to arise out of nowhere without our planning for it.
Thoughts just seem to arise,
Agitation,
Frustration,
Excitement,
Inspiration,
All of these experiences just appear.
That on a foundational level,
We are ultimately nothing but a witness of this beautiful experience that occurs within and without.
The more we cling to this idea that we have control,
The more disappointment it brings when it hits us that we don't.
So with that,
Let's take a deep inhale and exhale.
My hands come to heart center.
Together,
Let's take a moment to rest in the not knowing.
To rest in the surrendering of having no idea what's really going to happen next.
What a beautiful experience.
The enlightened in me sees and honors the enlightened in each and every one of you.
Thank you for being a part of this experience today and thank you for witnessing,
For just really being present.
Namaste.
