To blog, or not to blog, that was the question. Blogging has sparked a great deal of curiosity in me over the past year. Two dear friends blog, as well as numerous acquaintances. Still, I thought that blogging would be time-consuming, technologically involved, and (gasp!) tedious. I wondered if there was anything else to say, and who would want to hear it, anyway. After all, how much more hot air can the world wide web take?
Therein lies the catch, ladies and gentlemen. Who's to say what's hot air and what's vital, mind changing, life altering information? Do stories from my daily life as a yoga teacher, practitioner, wife, friend, neighbor, daughter, sister, etc., etc. serve to help readers travel more lightly on their paths? Does telling the stories serve me as I travel my own path?
As I pondered these questions I realized that my deeper, truer, secret excuse for not starting a blog was this: what if nobody cares? Ah ha! What if I pore over each word, weighing the pros and cons of sharing this or that tidbit of personal information or insight, lessons painfully learned, and so on, and ultimately nobody cares about my posts. Then what?
I know from my eastern philosophy studies that the answer to "then what" is simple: nothing. Then nothing! What if the world goes ga ga over the posts, people can't get enough, they write tons of comments, all clever and caring. Then what? The answer must still be nothing. This is the essence of non-attachment, a principle I respect and struggle with daily.
As a yoga practitioner I strive to cultivate non-attachment. Please understand, this does not mean a lack of caring. Quite the contrary, to live without attachment is to be able to care freely and whole-heartedly. Non-attachment simply means that one does not hold out for the results, or rather, that the results do not impact one's sense of self or self-worth. So, if I am clear in my own heart about my reasons and intentions for (in this case) sharing my day-to-day stories with strangers, then how it is received by my said strangers is irrelevant. I offer what I have, and if it is accepted - good. If it is declined - also good. Either way I have done what I came to do.
And so it is that I set out on my maiden voyage in the wonderful world of blogging. I don't have a plan, just a vague idea of what it is to blog, and what it means for me to blog. Some posts may function as a release valve for hot air, while others may change a reader's perspective in an important way. I have no doubt, however, that all of the writing will have an effect on me. There is a magic to putting words down for others people's perusal, to allowing glimpses into my life without getting bent out of shape while I wait for a reaction. Yes, this blogging endeavor may be one of the best practices yet for learning non-attachment.
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