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January 26, 2006
Hope Is Not Enough
Have you ever read something that somehow forced you to think otherwise? I read something the other night, on hope. To me, the meaning/idea of the word itself is so... trenscending, so positive, and full of vigor. But after I read the snippet below by Thich Nhat Hanh, it struck a chord in me. My own meaning of the word had somehow altered, but in return - and as a reminder - it makes me appreciate more of what we have, what we all have, right now...
...and the joy is already here.
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"Hope is important, because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today. But that is the most that hope can do for us -- to make some hardship lighter. When I think deeply about the nature of hope, I see something tragic. Since we cling to our hope in the future, we do not focus our energies and capabilities on the present moment. We use hope to believe something better will happen in the future, that we will arrive at peace, or the Kingdom of God. Hope becomes a kind of obstacle. If you can refrain from hoping, you can bring yourself entirely into the present moment and discover the joy that is already here.
Enlightenment, peace, and joy will not be granted by someone else. The well is within us, and if we dig deeply in the present moment, the water will spring forth. We must go back to the present moment in order to be really alive.
Many religions are based on the notion of hope, and this teaching about refraining from hope may create a strong reaction. But the shock can bring about something important. I do not mean that you should not have hope, but that hope is not enough. Hope can create an obstacle for you, and if you dwell in the energy of hope, you will not bring yourself back entirely into the present moment. If you re-channel those energies into being aware of what is going on in the present moment, you will be able to make a breakthrough and discover joy and peace right in the present moment, inside of yourself and all around you."
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Current Music: Libera - When a Knight Won His Spurs
Posted by Robert at January 26, 2006 11:42 AM
Comments
Wow... I never thought of it that way. Which also got me thinking that if you say, "This is the greatest day of my life", that means that everything goes downhill after that.
Posted by: Mr. Secret at January 27, 2006 11:29 AM
Hmmm, opened me up to a new way of thinking. The author said that he didn't mean one should not have hope, but that it isn't enough. Maybe it all depends, but it was enough to keep me going when I was a child with hope being the only thing I held onto.
Anywho, have the song lyrics that would go along with your post. You might have heard of the duo, Lighthouse Family. Just looove 'em!
You Always Want What You Haven't Got
It's like I just woke up one morning
Looked at the way that we live
Thought things could be so much better
There must be better than this
And if I relocated
To where the grass is greener
Maybe I'd be happy again
But I'm a little bit disappointed
Cos now I've got my freedom
But I'm still looking over the fence
It's always the same
At the end of the day
You always want what you haven't got
It's like the hands on the clock stopped turning
Right at the moment you left
You went looking for something better
You stopped me dead in my tracks
It's a bittersweet emotion
That I'm feeling baby, now you're happy again
But I'm a little bit disappointed
Cos now you've got your freedom
But you're still looking over the fence
It's always the same
At the end of the day
You always want what you haven't got
It's always the same
It won't ever change
You always want what you haven't got
Thought if I relocated
To where the grass is greener
Maybe I'd be happy again
But I'm a little bit disappointed
'Cos now I've got my freedom
But I'm still looking over the fence
It's always the same
At the end of the day
You always want what you haven't got
It's always the same
It won't ever change
You always want what you haven't got
You always want what you haven't got
You always want what you haven't got
You always want what you haven't got
Posted by: Kris at January 27, 2006 02:21 PM
While Hope does lighten burdens, I believe it does more than that. It's the dream of something good... and you don't need to be suffering to have it. Cartainly all the actors hoping to win the Oscar this year aren't exactly suffering.
But what the snippets says is very true... it can help those in pain today, but can also rob people of the moment. It has the same effect as clinging to the past. It's missing the power of Now.
Posted by: Gurustu at January 28, 2006 06:43 AM
hey beautiful thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a little note! I was on yours the other day being enchanted by the beautiful pic of lady under water... trying to get my head around how I could translate her into a painting... i'll keep you posted if i mange to figure anything out!!! *kisses*
Posted by: sarrah at January 28, 2006 11:23 AM