I took a course on the Ennegaram and the Tao Te Ching through Wisdom Ways. The ennegram is an ancient symbol of that can be traced back at least as far as the works of Pythagoras. Originating from the Greek words ennea meaning nine and the grammos a written symbol, the nine-pointed Enneagram symbol represents ways we relate to our self, others and the world. Each Enneagram type has a different pattern of thinking, feeling and acting that arises from a deeper inner motivation or worldview. Tao Te Ching translates very roughly as “the way of integrity”. It discusses how to live in the world with goodness and integrity. The Tao Te Ching presented a way of life intended to restore harmony and tranquility to a kingdom that at the time was racked by widespread disorders.

One of our assignments was to look at what we are overly attached to. I realized I was overly attached to the exact way I wanted my new house to look before I moved in. I was definitely over attached to vinyl plank flooring. I spend weeks deciding and chose one available in a week. Then every week they told me it would be shipped soon. I waited five weeks. It was one of the last things to be done before I could most the rest of my big furniture in. So I decided on a different flooring. I then got an email the shipment of the original floor was to be delivered. (I also then had to move 900 lbs of flooring as they delivered it on the wrong day. The garage people were coming to pour a new floor and I had no time to get help. It was over 50 lbs per box.) As happens so often, when we let go of an obsessive attachment to something we finally get it. Being overly attached to something takes a lot of energy. I was wearing myself out calling about the flooring almost everyday and fretting about the extra money I was paying for furniture storage.

I also saw one of the issues many issues I have with pandemic is my attachment to the way thing were. I still really miss social activities. I have decided to not go out and hear dance bands as it makes be too sad to hear this wonderful music and for my and everyone’s safety can’t dance. I felt like the dog pictured spending so much energy on how I wanted things to be it was exhausted. I’m working in a hospital clinic I was getting tired from all the extra cleaning. Teaching takes a lot of energy and just talking louder through a mask is tiring. I have enough with the unpacking now to let of as much attachment as I can and focus on new things.

I had to decide what to take to my temporary residence. It was good to live for almost five months with just a subset of my stuff. I took only essentials then I chose the plant I’ve for at least 20 years with it’s wooden humming bird. I also took my Quan Yin the godesss of compassion, mercy, great pity, salvation from misery, salvation from woe as I think we need this right now. Finally I chose St Rita the patron Saint of impossible causes, the blue bird of happiness and a fairy house. Rather than attachment, these things I brought are the things I choose to focus on for the rest of our crazy 2020. I will focus on nature, compassion, believing the impossible will happen, happiness and magic.

Can you thing of anything you are overly attached to? What do you want to focus on for the rest of the year?