On today’s auspicious Buddha Poonami, that is, the full moon attributed to Gautama the Buddha’s Enlightenment day let’s talk about transcending boundaries.

There is a quote from Sadhguru that I love. It is also happens to be the quote I hate the most. It inspires me and it threatens me completely and constantly. It makes me profoundly uncomfortable. Yet I keep coming back to it again and again.

“It takes a completely different kind of consciousness and awareness to stretch yourself to your ultimate limit without anyone’s expectations. That takes something else within you. Right now you are not like that. You are only driven by people’s expectations. So let them expect bigger and bigger things from you. You manage the situations to the extent you can manage them. Some things will always be out of control, and the more things you get into, the more things will be going wrong in your life. But many more things will be going right also. The quality of your life, or the success of your life need not be measured in terms of fulfilling something. It needs to be measured in terms of whether you are giving yourself totally or not. What has to happen will happen according to your capability, the situations, and how everything falls together – many things are included in this. But are you giving yourself hundred percent to whatever you care for in your life? That’s the question.” – Sadhguru

I look at a tree, a bird, a bee. They are all doing their best every day. They get up at sunrise and do their best.

But me? Well… you know… so many excuses… so much comfort… so much…

I hate this quote because it tickles the exact point I don’t want to be tickled because I know that I’m bound to be uncomfortable if I indulge in this.

The best living examples I’ve seen of this are David Goggins and Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev. They are just fully on every day. I’ve also seen a several Isha Volunteers with this quality.

I love this because it challenges me to be my best in every moment of my life. To give everything I have. I hate this because I see how self evidently it is not at all the case for me. I rarely go to bed thinking today I have given everything I could. Yet I know from experience that when I do those are the most fulfilling days. I can clearly see I have not given my best every moment.

I hate this because I makes me realise how much I delude myself.

There is a tendency to self-flagelate. To self-punish because you aren’t where you want to be. Because you aren’t doing whatever standard you are striving for. Yes, you don’t have to do that shit. But if you do, let it become fertiliser for your growth.

I hate this because it shows me how much I rely on others in order to act. Your friends, lover, coworkers, people in society aren’t holding themselves to such a standard of excellence. Why the hell would you? Why put yourself through such a demanding standard every moment of your life?

That is the fundemental question.

• Why pick up that piece of plastic on the ground to put it in the trash?
• Why make your bed in the morning?
• Why take care of your hygiene?
• Why fold your clothes neatly?
• Why be pleasant to others?
• Why make that piece of art?
• Why call that person and say sorry?
• Why start that business?
• Why get in shape?
• Why be truthful?
• The list goes on.

That single question will come up and challenge the slightest discomfort in your life. “WHY.” Three letters that can unravel most minds and make you quit.

Why indeed?

Because you’re gonna die. Yet another truth most conveniently set aside by most. Yes, you are going to die. No question about it. It is the only guarantee in our little life, on this little planet, somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

Why not see what the hell you’re capable of before that inevitable fate happens? Why not see what you’re capable of giving before you die? Oh, wait, but you want something in return? Some form of compensation? Some insurance? A reward perhaps? No such thing. Only death. And perhaps the knowledge of whether you gave it all or not.

You want people to see all that you have done? You want praise? Appreciation for your actions? How many more things are you expecting before you give?

What if you are given absolutely nothing? Or just enough to survive? Would you still give your best? Will you still give your best?

And also that list of conveniently never-ending excuses:

• I’ll do it tomorrow.
• The bed is warm.
• I want to spend time with wifey, the children.
• It’s raining outside.
• Those people aren’t doing it.
• It’s not that important after all.
• I’m feeling sick.
• I’m unwell.

Yes, all that may be true. But can you still give yourself and be your best? Squeeze every drop of life out of your system before you die?
Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps. Let me think about that. I’ll let you know. Maybe tomorrow…

Comfort or Excellence?

Can you strive for excellence without imposing it onto others? Can you be an example rather than an empty preacher?

Remember, you become what you give. You do not become what you keep. It is also 100% guaranteed you will die.

Why not go out burning bright? Or do you want to die stifled, crippled, depressed, full of unexpressed life?
To Burn and go out like a Fireball. Or to wither away… life unexpressed.

This morning I woke up and wanted to continue sleeping. I was awake. My body had had enough sleep. But my mind wanted to stay in bed and sleep.

I wondered: Am I trying to be a Sleeping Beauty?

I recently watched Sleeping Beauty for the 3rd time in my life. This time it was different. The first time I watched it as a kid. The second time I watched it out of curiosity to see if I still enjoyed the classic. This time I watched it conscious of the archetypal story and the underlying symbolism.

It’s a classic representation of parents trying to overprotect a child from the forces of evil in the world. The king and queen decide to celebrate the birth of their daughter Aurora, and invite the whole kingdom conveniently excluding Maleficent – the personification of Evil.

Maleficent, uninvited, nevertheless shows up and casts a deadly spell on the child. Sleep and unconsciousness is chosen over facing the realities of life. The parents choose to shroud their daughter in ignorance so that nothing ever happens to her. She is consequently isolated from the world.

Aurora eventually fall in love with the first man she sees. Inevitably the maleficent forces happen as you cannot suppress them. The princess falls asleep and drifts into unconsciousness that can only be reversed by true love’s first kiss.

The prince gets trapped and wants to see his love. He needs to face his fears. He needs to go though the hero arch and face the dragon with the sword of truth and the shield of virtue.

Once the forces of good triumph over the forces of evil, the veil of unconsciousness is lifted. Now the prince and princess can marry. The story ends with them dancing at their wedding, Aurora wearing an alternating pink and blue dress.

All of this unfolds in a couple minutes on the screen. There are many ways to look at this story. Fundamentally, as all good archetypical stories do, it depicts our human experience, and how the mind functions.

The masculine and feminine principles are respectively incarnated by Phillip, the prince, and Aurora, the princess. The protector aspect is incarnated by the parents of Aurora. The magic of life is incarnated by the 3 fairies, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather. And of course the destructive aspect of life is incarnated by Maleficent.

How many times do we avoid situations with sleep? With unconsciousness? How many times do we avoid life?

Logic favors overprotection and avoidance. But you can’t avoid life. You can’t avoid death either. You must face reality. Many times this will take courage. There will be many challenges. In the end, truth and virtue always prevail. The masculine and feminine principles can only dance and unify if you have the courage to wake up and face the world.

And so there I am, in my bed, pondering if I’m acting like a sleeping beauty. I know what I need. I know I want to get up. But I’m still drawn to stay here in my bed and sleep.

That’s the whole point of the story. Simply get up and face the world. No need to plant more seeds of unconsciousness. The birds and bees are already going about their day.

Get up sleeping beauty…