This Too Shall Pass: Can You Be Unattached to Joy?

by | Mar 11, 2014 | 8 comments

This too shall pass.

Sound familiar?

This was the topic on the blog last week. If you missed it you can catch, ‘Are You Kicking Yourself for Holding On?’ by clicking here.

Today’s events have led me to a really interesting space: this too shall pass.

Whenever I hear that phrase I don’t know about you, but I think about hardship. Difficult events. Maybe even a traumatic experience. Life and death, really. The phrase conjures up a bleak state of affairs that must be let go of, dealt with or stood up to.

Really quickly, back to my day today.

I was just in my bedroom, folding laundry, feeling high. Why? So many great things have gone on today, I’m just feeling totally blessed, grateful and overjoyed.

  • I received another email invitation to do a speaking event;
  • I taught an exceptional Reiki I class at the hospital and was given verbal praise about my methods;
  • I felt really, really productive, energized and proud of myself today;
  • I jammed out to some really great Live moe. in the car riding home;
  • A colleague of mine whom I look up to and respect (Annette Tersigni) said and I quote: “Your writing is getting better all the time”;
  • I just noticed the night sky and the colors are gorgeous!

You can imagine how the above events have made me feel: happy, proud, energized, uplifted, positive, even giddy.

Now back to ‘This too shall pass’. 

As I was folding my laundry those four little words came to mind. And very quickly after I had that thought I received an image of a roller coaster. You know those really large ones at the major amusement parks that roll up and down, leaving the stomach in the throat at every drop!

Immediately after I pictured the roller coaster I saw another graphic flash before my mind’s eye:

The white knuckles of a closed fist.

Holding on. Attachment. Gripping and grasping at keeping whatever control we have over some outcome we desire.

While walking to the bus, riding the shuttle, driving my car home, walking my dogs and folding laundry I felt high. Literally.

Yet I had that creeping sensation that I could very well wake up tomorrow feeling lower. Down. Maybe even blue?

This too shall pass.

The emotions come and go. Even the great ones. Even the ones we want to keep. Even the feelings we enjoy, we desire, we do all of the ‘self-improvement’ work to get to.

Even the good will pass and that’s that.

We often strive to remain at such a high vibration for a continuous length of time. But guess what? This in and of itself is one of the underlying causes of our own stress.

Emotions are not meant to be stationary. They come and go. Ebb and flow. Rise and fall. Feeling move through us. Allowing them to flow gives us room to enjoy every moment of our lives.

As my meditation book reminded me today:

“Life is a journey, not a destination.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thoughts? Reactions? Please leave a comment, question or reflection below. We all learn, grow, change and heal through each others’ stories and experiences. Thank you for reading. Enjoy your health today!

 

8 Comments

  1. Mary Elaine Kiener

    Great post, Elizabeth! I also love that you’re noticing and “listening to” the images that come……

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Scala

      Thank you, Mary Elaine. In gratitude. Enjoy the day, Elizabeth

      Reply
  2. Lisa

    Feeling that ‘low’ today. Rejected, alone, tired of trying, and beat down. Crawled under my blankets and hibernated. Got out only to eat some chocolate ice cream. That’s right. Comfort food. Surrendering to being human. Can’t be perfect and on top all the time….right? Sigh…….

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Scala

      Lisa, I know exactly how you feel and have felt what you experience. If you ever want to chat about it, let me know. Ice cream rocks! So glad you gave yourself some love today. When we feel the ‘tired of trying’ maybe the course is to be reconsidered. That or let go. Only speaking from experience. Enjoy the day. Elizabeth

      Reply
  3. Myles Suer

    Og Mandino wrote in “The Greatest Salesman in the World” that you should remember the good moments when times are especially tough and you should remember the tough moments when times are especially good. I know this is hard in nursing, but maybe a way to create a better balance is to reach up for strength to something higher every time the especially good or especially tough happens.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Scala

      Oh, Myles. Great addition to the blog. First, thank you for the insights from Mandino. Very interesting. And what I love even more, reach up for strength to something even higher- no matter what is happening. What a great suggestion for nursing. Thank you! Enjoy the day, Elizabeth

      Reply
  4. Marti

    I grew up hearing those four words, “This too shall pass,” many times always in relation to a negative situation or occurrence. It’s a phrase to give one hope things will get better. I never thought of it being associated with positive events, also. Those too shall pass! In nursing we experience both the positive and negative and know that both won’t last and it is ever-changing. There are good days and not so good days and both do pass. Keeping our wits about us and knowing that a not so good day can be a good day tomorrow can help us maintain and live a more balanced, fulfilled and happy career and life.

    Reply
    • Elizabeth Scala

      Change is one of the only things that remains constant, right? Great thoughts on flowing through and with the current of emotions. Thanks for your insights, Marti! Enjoy the day, Elizabeth

      Reply

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