Expectations

“Nothing creates more unhappiness than failed expectations…. Expectations are an attempt to control the future,” Deepak Chopra. Boy, is that true for me and Obama! Man, did I have expectations! And so far, boy, are they failing and boy, am I unhappy! Chopra’s talking about positive expectations. But there are negative expectations, too; the things we don’t want to happen but fear they will. Those are the kind of expectations I have about the T Party and its impact on us.

Leta Miller writing in this month’s SOM says that, “action is the key to breaking the pattern” of expectation/disappointment and worry. She recommends asking, “What am I willing to do right now?” focusing on the present where I can do something constructive, rather than the future, where action is impossible.

Clearly, focusing on the present instead of the future is a good idea. But what I’m willing to do right now, about Obama and the T Party, is not so clear. I’m not into demonstrating, tho I would do that if I thought it would work. Writing letters, signing petitions and making phone calls to elected officials seems equally useless to me. Been there, done that, and here we are, things seemingly worse. The only thing I can do right now that I think can make a positive difference is stay centered in spirit, keep my mind clear of negativity, and have zero expectations, either positive or negative.

This is what Suzuki and most metaphysicians call mindfulness. What I can do right now and in all the right nows to come, is to stay mindful; be aware of my thoughts and feelings and, when I find myself getting involved with expectations, say to myself, without blame or judgment, “oh, there I go again,” and give the thoughts and feeling over to spirit.

I need to understand that doing this, being mindful, is a constant, never ending process; a spiritual practice. It is a way out of the ego’s world of hateful illusions and into spirit’s world of love and peace. The more mindful I am and the more a give my expectations over to spirit, the more in-touch with mySelf I am and the better I am able to act in the world, charge neutral, and make a contribution to a world that works for everyone and everything, including the T Party.