Friday Inspiration—The Wisdom of Forgetting Everything You Know

Published: Fri, 10/15/21

“You have to be very careful, to be vigilant, to see what is coming from the mind, and to see the happiness that is coming from the Self.”
~Papaji

Dear ,

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Do you spend your time preparing for every possible outcome and worrying about all the negative consequences that could come your way? Isn’t that exhausting?

Well, here’s a special invitation for you: to stop frantically trying to control, plan, and convince yourself you know what you don’t know.

We’re so afraid to let go, to stop doing and just be, to relax into the unfolding of this precious life without getting in the way. This fear keeps us paralyzed and stuck. We long for the peace that’s possible, while, in fact, it’s right here to be experienced—if only we would put down all our efforts to need to know.

Consider entering the world of not knowing—just as an experiment—with an empty, curious mind open to everything.

Why? If you always think you know, you’re fixed in same old-same old. This is how you close yourself off to fresh perspectives, new possibilities beyond your mind’s ideas, and the unimaginable…endless peace…unspeakable joy…luminous awe and wonder…

If you cling to what is familiar and comfortable, that’s where you will live—in your comfort zone. Until you decide to test out the infinite waters of not knowing.

Here's what not knowing looks like:

You wake up on a weekend morning without any plans, and you let your day unfold;
You sit and breathe rather than propelling yourself forward into the next activity;
You press pause on a habit without knowing what you will do or say next;
You let your routines fall away so you can be guided by the natural flow of things;
You say something different in a familiar, triggering conversation and let yourself not know what will happen next;
You let go of, “I have to…” and let yourself rest for a moment;
You forget who you think you are and show up open, untethered to any ideas about who you actually are.

Just contemplating any of the examples on this list may make you gasp for air. How could you have no plans for a whole day or stop carrying out familiar routines?

Center yourself in the wisdom of not knowing:

Live in reality as it is and not in your mind-constructed version of a false reality;
Be open to exploring what’s real—beyond habits that are limiting and painful;
Experience being here, alive, embodied, open and receptive to life.

Then, from this space of freedom, lose interest in the mind. Find the courage to give up control and let life unfold…

Maybe what’s holding you back is that you’re afraid you won’t get out of bed all day or won’t know what to do. Maybe you worry that your life circumstances will change dramatically.

It is natural to feel fear, but remember that Life is already here to be fully lived through you.

Be willing to forget everything you know—about yourself, others, and the way you think the world should work. Stop…be quiet…don’t know. You just might discover exactly what you’ve been looking for your whole life.

Much love to you,

Gail

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