On Having Desires
How to ignore what you want and find what you need
It’s not that you shouldn’t have any desires, but you should be wary of the ones you choose to pursue.
There are two different types of desires. One is born out of greed, grasping, and ego. The other comes from emptiness.
If you find yourself doing something in order to become someone, it comes from a place of grasping.
“I need to do this to be rich.” “I’m doing this to impress my friends.” “I want this so I can become famous.”
Staying free of self-images, allows us to remain more open to the changing nature of life. When we enter down a certain path filled with matters of how things should be, we set ourselves up for dissatisfaction. Our happiness is dictated not by the present moment, but a narrow, specific image that doesn’t change, even if life does.
Instead, listen to the desires that come from a mind free of self. They are instinctive and innate rather than a craved self-perception. They come from a place of wisdom, kindness, and love. They are congruent to the changing nature of the world around us.
When there’s no desire to be anyone, then you actually can be anyone.
