Day 2 - The Spirit of Desire
Write about what your life would look like if you had no desires, no interests, no passions, no hopes or dreams or ambitions. This will help you to see clearly how desires give juice and joy to life.
I grew up around spirituality and meditation. I was fortunate enough to have parents who saw beyond religion and raised my sister and I to believe in universal principles instead. My mother still identifies as a Hindu and to a certain extent I do as well, but I’ve also heard her reference Jesus and Mohammad in various spiritual discussions. However, one thing about eastern philosophy that conflicts with daily life is the idea of relinquishing desire, an idea I continue to struggle with. Desires can be pure, selfless, and as Oprah and Deepak had mentioned, stepping stones towards manifesting the reality we want to live.
To me, a life without desires is a life without dreams, goals, ambitions, purpose. Some would argue all of those feed the ego and do little in connecting you to your higher Self, your true self. But, there’s something spiritual and real about hard work, consistency, diligence, things necessary to transform your desires into reality.
Describe three situations in which your desire created a positive outcome in your life that was even better than what you anticipated. Write down any ways in which the universe provided that you were not necessarily expecting.
Moving to NYC: I hated my job in consulting and was desperate to move out of Maryland, a place I knew so well and where I had spent so many of my formative years. At some point I craved change and newness and that coupled with the fact that I despised traveling for work really put me in a negative space. I started to volunteer on the weekends at For the Love of Children, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. aimed to increase literacy among minority communities in the DMV area. Through this work I discovered my passion for teaching and working with children and this newfound passion prompted me to apply to Teach for America. But I got rejected. In fact I didn’t even make it past the phone interview. I was devastated, but still hopeful. I found the NYC Teaching Fellows Program and from the minute I had applied I knew I would get it, intuitively. Fast-forward six months and I was packing up all of my thing in Maryland to start a new life in NYC.
The universe had a plan for me and it wasn’t Teach for America. In fact if I had managed to secure TFA there was no guarantee I would be placed in NYC. The universe was looking out for me, because living in NYC was the most transformative experience of my 20′s and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The lesson I learned was not getting the thing you want the most sets you up to receive something even better. It wasn’t a novel idea, it’s something that’s repeated over and over in self-help books, inspirational memes, etc - but knowing vs. experiencing are two very different things.
Working in Business Consulting: I used to travel for work on a weekly basis, flying out Monday and returning on Thursday. It was exhausting and more importantly, the work was mundane and uninspiring. Though I loved my co-workers I struggled to fully invest myself in work. It started to take a toll on my mental health and I knew I had to do something to combat the negativity. On a whim I found a youtube yoga video and I was hooked. I just remember the lightness I felt while doing yoga because it was the time when I was free from any expectations. I felt free. It also helped me deal with my chaotic schedule. Looking back I would’ve never turned to yoga if it wasn’t for the sadness I felt at my job! At the time it was a way to combat stress but now I’m certified to teach it! The universe is always watching out for you, nothing is random, there is intention behind everything, even when you can’t see it. As Steve Jobs said, you can only connect the dots looking back, not forward. It will all make sense one day.