“To practice daily but without attachment is the pathway to stilling the mind and inner peace”
When you are working towards a goal, the focus is always about the goal or on the goal. You are never happy with where you are and always striving to be closer to the goal, working out your next step, your next point of reference. You may practice towards something something everyday, but instead of this practice taking you towards self exploration and stillness it takes you towards an external goal, your mind becomes busier. And then you achieve your goal, what next? Do you stop practicing? Are you happy? Or do you set another goal? Constantly striving, pushing, aiming... But there is another option, you practice without attachment, without the goal, without attachment to the outcome, without attachment to the feelings, you just practice, knowing that by shedding your expectations you come closer and closer to the present moment and ultimately to the calmness of the mind. When you truly let go you can then truly come back. This Sutra reminds us that constantly reaching and striving towards external ambitions takes us further away from ourselves and only when we commit to practice daily but let go of the destination and enjoy the journey do we truly find ourselves and allow us elves the freedom to live and feel and explore. Imagine going on a journey to a certain city, but refusing to stop on the way to explore the towns and villages on route, your whole focus on the city being your destination, you miss the beauty you pass through. ‘This Sutra is a timely reminder for our practice on our mats but also for our lives, to enjoy the process, the journey and open ourselves up to where we are taken rather than were we must go.