We take such pride in what we can exclude. I’ve noticed when a friend of mine came to me with a tale of a great master who did not have to eat. The fact that he did not need food was a proof of his spiritual superiority, my friend seemed to believe, but I wondered…
Why is it exclusion, why is it what we can do without, what we can abstain from, that marks our greatness? No sleep, no food, no sex…
What about inclusion? What about welcoming and enjoying fully and completely every experience of our time on earth? How about feeling our bodies and their delight in good food, in rest, in making love?
How about being present?
No, it is not indulgence I am proposing here, but presence — being present everywhere, with everything. Being present with tragedy, drama, passion and delight. Being present with fear, loss, anger, love, greed, lust, happiness and hatred.
This ability to be present everywhere, with everything, with no exception, is, according to me, a true mark of greatness.
