Desires and Fears

We are all familiar with desires, whether they are desires like having another job or being healthier.  Or more yoga related desires like being more flexible or becoming the new blogger for yoga journal

Buddha teaches us that there are only two movements that motivate us.  The movement away from pain and the other movement towards pleasure. Take a look at the reasons why you do certain things.  You will see  you are either running away from something painful, undesirable, or trying to achieve something you want, desirable.

When you look further into it you see how the two movements are connected, how running away from one thing, means moving towards another thing.  When you move towards flexibility, you move away from being stiff.  It is your fears that are motivating your desires.

So trying to achieve  the desire for “fame”  is trying to run from the fear of being unnoticed, “a nobody” .  Fears and desires are two sides of the same coin.

My inquiry into the desire to become the next “yoga journal blogger”  goes like this.

What would being the next YJ blogger give me?

The answer is : “more exposure”

Question: What would more exposure give me?

Answer: “more security in creating a living”.  Basically I would feel safer in my existence.

Next question: What is now?

Answer: “existence”

The main fear behind all desires is the fear for survival.  Subconscious we believe that fulfilling the desire will secure our survival.  Seeing that in this moment our survival needs are taken care of brings freedom.

Question:  Do I need to become the next YJ blogger?

Answer:  No I don’t, But if so, it would be “just for fun”  :)

Esther