August 4, 2026
In contemplation
Who am I?
This is one of the great existential questions. Mystics and philosophers have struggled with it for centuries. Let us contemplate some of their teachings.
Day 39
Be innocent of desire. You need nothing.
Desire prompts a busy mind to build expectations. The quiet mind observes and does nothing. Expectations fall away.
Desire produced the universe. Desire set manifestation in motion. In the beginning was emptiness and void. Darkness reigned across the deep. Then the God of Genesis created a world of separation. Desire was born in the eating of forbidden fruit.
Desire is the child of creation. It nurses on separation. You are in the world for the sake of your desires. Be careful what you wish for.
Desire creates a world of suffering. You experience pleasure and pain, happiness and sorrow as you perceive this and that with expectation.
The me of the body is limited and transitory. It feels lack, and desire arises. It seeks sustenance, identity, meaning, and fulfillment. It succeeds and fails at meeting its expectations.
Things happen. You cannot change what happens, but you can change your attitude toward them. The attitude you choose sets the stage for the world in which you live.
To change your attitude, enter the room-within. Sit in the still silence. Observe your thoughts without desire. Hold no expectations. Where is fear without expectation?
The stories you build around fear can be changed from within. You can live anew with peace of heart in all situations.
