Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Holding On and Letting Go With Our Consultant!

"I think attachment is just a holding on to something with the belief that it can make us happy.  Zen Buddhism is about letting go more than holding on."

 These wise words are from our consultant Vicki Goldsmith. When she writes that attachment "is just a holding on," the little word "a" slows me down.

 Even though "a holding on" is the opposite of "a letting go" - there are times that we need to hold the tension of opposites. 

 My stomach gets anxious when gazing at the down escalator in Von Maur. I imagine the unique combination of letting go and holding on, that is required to get on the escalator, is triggering buried issues that need resolution. 

 It is not easy to admit that you are afraid to step on the down escalator. It is humbling. I'm trying to learn from it.

Vicki closes with a helpful question: "What should I do/say/buy/notice this instant, and how can I lessen suffering?"

 Is there an example in your life of letting go and holding on at the same time that is a challenge for you? Have you ever had to hold the tension of a pair of opposites? Please share with us your experiences.

 Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall


Posted by at

6 comments:

  1. NicolaApril 22, 2015 at 8:10 AM

    What a beautiful post about a central yin-yang concept!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NicolaApril 22, 2015 at 8:13 AM

      Thanks Ruth for bringing the yin-yang concept to my mind. I will try to integrate this into my Tai Chi form.

      Delete
  2. VickiApril 22, 2015 at 8:15 AM

    thanks, Nicky--very thoughtful

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NicolaApril 22, 2015 at 8:15 AM

      Thank you Vicki - your words help me find meaning.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousApril 22, 2015 at 8:06 PM

    I guess my example of letting go and hanging on would be I am letting go of the anger towards a certain relative but I'm also hanging onto the fact that I haven't forgotten.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NicolaApril 22, 2015 at 8:08 PM

      Thank you for your comment - very interesting! I do hope that your memory doesn't cause you stress or discomfort. If it begins to do either, please consider letting go of that in addition to your anger.

      I appreciate your input!

      Delete

Please leave your comment - I appreciate hearing from you!
To leave a comment, click on the word comments at the end of the post when you are on the web page. A new screen will pop up and you will see a box to leave your comment. I know it is confusing but I SO love your comments. If this is too much trouble (and I get that), just reply to the email you receive with the post if you are a subscriber. I will paste in your reply and respond to it. Thank you - I learn from how you respond.

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)