No More Cows: June 28 - July 4

This cow used to hang in my bedroom but is now in storage.

Not so long ago, I was talking with my mom as she cleaned out the basement. Over 50 years of stuff occupied every available shelf and corner. While not a fun job, she felt freer after letting go of a lifetime's worth of no longer needed items. We all carry physical and emotional stuff way longer than we need. It reminds me of a well-known Buddhist parable.

A distraught farmer approached the Buddha, weeping because his twelve cows have run away. Overwhelmed by the loss, he feared being financially ruined. After the man leaves to search, the Buddha turns to his monks and smiles, saying, "See how very lucky you are. You don’t have any cows to worry about".

There is a time to be grateful for one's cows and there is a time to let them go. Time to shed misplaced expectations, unfulfilled dreams, and boxes of miscellanea. Maybe this is the week.

Practice

Wherever you are right now, is the perfect place and time to sit and meditate. Everything you need is already here: this moment, this space, this version of you. All that is required is that you pause for a little bit. Begin by turning to the body. Feel the breath. Notice the inhale. Allow the exhale to be slow and steady. Repeat this a few times and return to the natural breath.

Let the breath be the teacher. Receive the inbreath as a free gift, generously bestowed. Release the out breath. Empty the lungs and let it all go. Relax into the rhythm of the in and out of the breath. The body keeps breathing even when your mind pays no attention. Let go of the endless trying. Let go of the doing. With each new breath, relax a little more.

The cows will inevitably show up: a bill to pay, a family member to call, something new to worry about. Thank the cows for their concern and send them on their way. In this moment, consider how lucky you already are. No need to add more of anything. Receive all that has already been given with gratitude.

Know the cows will come back. Instead of letting the herd grow and grow, demanding more and more of you, pause and consider: What do I need in this moment? Am I already enough? Be with the breath as it carries you from one moment to the next. There is freedom in the letting go.