Drop Expectations – In Gita Verse 1.42 By the evil deeds of those who destroy the family tradition and thus give rise to unwanted children, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated.
Living in the Now: Arjuna’s Lesson on Dropping Expectations
Arjuna stands in his chariot, his gaze stretched not to the immediate call of duty but to the horizons of the uncertain future. He thirsts to see what lies beyond, yet forgets the here and now – the only truth where life unfolds.
Venture not ahead of yourself into the mist of what’s to come. The future is the canvas of the unknown; its allure lies in its unwritten stories and surprises. If we were to know our every tomorrow today, would life not lose its sense of wonder?
Cast away the shackles of expectations. They are corruptors of futures with their fulfilled prophecies that breed not joy but a dreary monotony. Joy is the child of the unexpected – the serendipities that catch you off guard and ignite your spirit.
Imagine a life where every expectation is met. Your homecoming is met with rehearsed greetings, familial affections performed by rote. This is not living; it is a loop of stale recurrences, a rewatching of life’s scenes devoid of freshness. Such a life breeds boredom, an ache for the new, the original, the untasted.
On the other hand, unmet expectations carve out a space of frustration. You feel the universe as an antagonist, a ceaseless tide of dismissal against your desires. Each unfulfilled wish feels like a personal affront, a sign that perhaps the cosmos conspires against you.
Consider the dichotomy of your expectations: fulfilled, you’re left yearning for novelty; unfulfilled, you’re drowning in disenchantment. The secret? Abandon these expectations.
Freedom comes when we release the future from our mental constructs. Without expectations, life becomes an odyssey of acceptance. Disappointment loses meaning when there’s no standard set for disillusionment. You cannot be disappointed if the dawn never promised a sun.
Every occurrence becomes a gift – good, or on some occasions, very good! Without expectations, you wade into the realms of the unknown with open arms, welcoming the winds, the storms, and the calm alike. Gratitude becomes your companion, and no shadow of complaint darkens your doorstep.
Reading Arjuna’s words, we see the shift from a conscious warrior to one laden with expectations, his vitality trapped in the web of his own making. His words lose their vigour, the universe’s whispers no longer resonate within him. From a giver, he descends into a demander.
Observe our prayers, lined with demands, echoing our expectations, breeding further boredom. The universe, in its silent wisdom, nudges us through ennui to ask less and give more.
Shift your focus from receiving to contributing, and witness the metamorphosis of your prayers. They will no longer be clamours for personal desires, but chants of action, generosity, of what more can be given. This shift births enthusiasm and dissolves boredom – transforming you into a walking temple of gratitude and service.
Arjuna, once conscious and aware, chose Krishna over an army. Greed held no power over him. It is only when he lost his self-awareness that shadows like fear and sorrow took hold. The line between a life of fulfilment and a life of longing is drawn with the ink of consciousness.
Let us learn from Arjuna and embrace the art of presence. For in the NOW, without the chains of expectation, we find the freedom to live fully – to dance in the rain, to bask in the sun, to be one with the universe without asking what comes next.
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