One of the things I do when I meditate is…
….. Let Go Of Hope.
That sounds like a bad thing. But all it means in practise is the practise of returning to the small matter of fact reality that…
Now is all I’ve got.
Hope is about the future. If this or that thing was better, well then I would be happier. That’s the theory. And the possibility that it could be better in the future, might make the present reality better, mightn’t it?
Well, I’m starting to doubt that. The thing is, the present reality will be gone in…well, literally a moment. And the hope is, in reality, a mirage (it lures with imaginings that are far away and uncertain) which stops me noticing now.
And to carry on that analogy, my best chance of finding actual water (as opposed to the illusory kind) in the desert, if in fact I am even in a desert, is to become aware of my REAL present surroundings.
So, yeah, I’m finding it helpful to let go of hope. This is fine. And the future, will take care of itself as I walk.
And that’s a weight off my mind.
ps. None of which means I stop planning ahead if that is necessary or something I fancy doing. It’s the outcomes I’m speaking about.