The Tyrannies of Perfection and Low Expectation

Embracing Balance Between Perfection and Potential - By Swami SatyaDaya

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I was recently struck by the fact that one of the challenges in our lives is to live a life where we weave a path between two tyrannies – the tyranny of perfection and the tyranny of low expectations.

There is nothing wrong with being motivated to aspire, to create, to go beyond our current limitations, in fact it’s a blessing. These are expressions of the very life force that explores all opportunities and possibilities.

However, when the joys of life, moment to moment, are diminished by the notion of a yet to be reached perfection there is the potential for us to miss ‘what Is’ in the here and now. Our experience of ourselves and the world around us, can be blighted by this tyranny of perfection.

The other side of the coin is when we shrink from challenge and discomfort, when our conditioning and fear holds us back from living a fulfilling and inspiring life – from becoming the fullest expression of who we might be. We each have extraordinary potential and possibility within us.

“Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion.” Rumi

The practices of Yoga, and all other mystical paths, have a profound effect in transforming the patterns, beliefs and concepts that keep us bound by these two tyrannies. Through our practice these patterns that often lie hidden in the subconscious will be brought to the surface of our awareness and, over time, through our compassion and attention, begin to lose their hold over us.

At times we will be challenged to step out of the boundaries of our ‘normal’ behaviour – this can feel like stepping into a fire, but it gets easier the more we surrender to this process.

This process of transformation is key to the symbolism and meaning of the Easter story. Nature too provides us with many other symbols of transformation at this time of year. In many places butterflies will already be emerging from their chrysalises having undergone one of the most extraordinary transformations in nature.

As humans, a powerful tool of transformation that we can actively engage with is the act of giving. This can be, but doesn’t have to be, materially. It can mean the giving of a few moments of our time to someone who needs to talk, of sharing our enthusiasm for a subject with others – the list is almost endless.

During lockdown, the Ashram was blessed with a surplus of salad and produce from the gardens. We were able to drop boxes of fresh, healthy produce at the doors of a local community centre who then distributed it to families in need. This simple act felt of great value to all at the Ashram and to the place itself – we were able to contribute in a material way to those in need around us.

This inspired me to propose that the Ashram donates, each year, 50% of the income of our Exploring Ashram Life retreat to a local charity that is engaged in providing the material and immediate needs of those in the local area.

This could include local Food Banks, Homelessness Projects, drug and addiction centres. In these times too many live in a crisis of mooladhara chakra (that is, material necessity) so there will be no shortage of deserving causes. Like the ‘man from Del Monte’, the trustees said YES, so this year we will make our first donation.

Through all that you contribute to the Ashram you are a part of this possibility of giving. You will be helping to support people you will probably never meet or know when they need it most.

What we call a butterfly spends most of its life as something very different – an egg, a caterpillar and then a chrysalis. What was the caterpillar will literally liquify within its chrysalis before transforming into a butterfly. What a wonder and a miracle!