UNATTACHMENT VS APATHY

“Nothing I see means anything”. So begins A Course In Miracles. There comes a time in every spiritual journey when the aspirant confronts this lesson, which is…nothing has any inherent meaning. All meaning is assigned by the ego and is significant only to that ego. Oh, some meanings are agreed upon in the collective consciousness, but the depth of the meaning is an individual decision.

The lesson is meant to lead the aspirant to a place of detachment from “things” and “ideas”. It is also meant to help the student take responsibility for his/her thoughts, words and deeds. But, sometimes, when the “truth” of the lesson, at its fullest, is realized by the spiritual sojourner it can be devastating and throw him/her into apathy. After all, if nothing means anything, why bother assigning meaning to anything just to have to “undo” it later. More often than not every person along the spiritual path will spend some time in a meaningless apathetic limbo. How long is spent there depends upon the individual. Although not necessarily depressed, the spiritual traveler finds it difficult to “do” anything, since it is meaningless anyway.

The way out of this limbo is by searching for the difference between detachment and apathy. Apathy means to not care at all. Detachment means that one is not identified by a thing/event/person. It is what it is…neither greater nor lesser than any other thing/event/person. Its significance is that it is at all. It is a manifestation of All That Is, perfect in either its beauty or ugliness (which of course, still is an assignment of meaning).

One then realizes that the reason to “do” a thing was best taught by Mother about the age of three when she answered, “Because.” Do whatever you do “because” it is there to be done. It will give you an opportunity to be present in the moment, to practice the 4th Agreement – always do your best – to give thanks and praise to God, and mostly to just Be.

Go. Do. Be. Because……

LIFE SAVORS

I was listening to the news the other day and it occurred to me that it was getting harder and harder to focus on the "good" rather than the "bad" that seems to be permeating the air waves. I then recalled an incident from my past.

Several years ago a colleague came into my office and snuggled up in the corner of the couch and began writing in a book. I asked her if she kept a diary. She said it was a journal and that she was writing her Life Savors. "Life Savers?", I asked, "are you writing about mints?" "No", she answered. "Not savers -- savors -- you know, those things that happen during the day that you want to savor -- to remember -- because they make life worth living."

Not long after that, Oprah introduced America to the concept of keeping a gratitude journal. Well, I did that for a while and then noticed I was writing down the same things all the time -- my family, my pets, my home, etc. etc. -- and so I gradually quit the practice.

As I listened to the news that evening, I pondered the difference between "life savors" and "gratitude". What I decided is that the things we are most grateful for seem to be more or less constant and easily taken for granted; but, those things one "savors" are the things that just happen and make life wonderful and sweet -- the unexpected hug from a young child, a compliment from out of nowhere, the kindness of a stranger who holds open a door in the wind. I also decided that one has to "look for" those things to savor or they are easily missed. It then occurred to me that if I was busy looking for my "life savors" I probably wouldn't spend so much time worrying about things I can't do anything about anyway.

So, my new resolution is to find at least 5 things a day to write down in my journal of "Life Savors". Want to join me? I think we'll begin to find the sweetness in life again. May your life be filled with so much goodness your list is endless!