15-Oct-2009

Be Specific

Clarify for Contentment

The Buddha's second teaching is that the root of suffering is desire. In other words, it's perfectly natural to want things in life, whether wealth, partnership, children or self-expression. The question then, as you cultivate a meditative mind, is not how to stop desiring, but how to want the best things for yourself.

One great way both to determine when you are on the right track and to facilitate the accomplishments you have in mind is to get clear on the details. This doesn't mean "sweating the small stuff." Instead, gather your mental capacities and see how far you can stretch yourself in envisioning your happiness and contentment. You'll see the details that are concurrent with your vision will stoke your imagination and those things that aren't aligned to your fulfillment will either provoke negative emotions or won't appear at all! Allow clarity and contentment to find a home within you now, and there will be nothing you want to do that you can't.

Recommended: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff--and it's all small stuff by Richard Carlson