Resist and Cling. Perhaps suggestive of a laundry product. Or an apt description of interacting magnets.
But it is far more powerful and poignant as a commentary on the human condition.
Resist. And Cling.
Think about anything that leads to an emotion. A mere glance beyond the chemical concoction accompanying all feelings and we’ll find some form of resistance and/or desire.
If the sentiment be tinged with any color of “bad” then we stand in opposition to what is. Conversely, all shades of “good” depict a will toward attachment.
It seems we’re incapable of perceiving without judgment. Each experience elicits the mostly unconscious thought, “Is this good for me ... or not?”
If not, how can I diminish its impact? Resist.
If so, how can I keep and get more of this? Cling.
Resist. And cling.
The poets, seers, and sages say it best. Buddha’s second noble truth: the root of all suffering is desire. A Course in Miracles likewise posits: desires are perceptual temper tantrums, in which you literally scream, “I want it thus!”
Of course, the ultimate cling is the dualistic sense of self. The denial of which we very actively resist. Thereby establishing yet another form of desire.
I want it so. I want it not so. Less of the unpleasant. More of the agreeable.
Resist. And cling.
Might there be another way of living in the world beyond the restricting confines of this resist-and-cling suffering? That’s the awakening journey upon which we inevitably and eventually embark. It’s the path leading beyond sorrowful perception into the serene realm of perfect peace.
Join me in Thursday’s class where we’ll explore the nature of resist and cling, and how we can transcend its callous grip on everyday experience. I look forward to seeing you then.