Hope and Fear (from ATPII05: A Trackless Path II (retreat) 0:19:39.09 - 0:23:22.20)(download into iTunes)
Joan: I'm motivated. I put a lot of effort into my practice and my question is, when is the end of reactive emotion?
Ken: Line two, verse three, Reactions are endless. It's about hope and fear isn't it? What are hope and fear?
Joan: One is what we grasp for, the other is what we try to avoid.
Ken: Yes. What would your practice be like if you let go of hope and fear?
Joan: Probably blissful.
Ken: Maybe.
Ken: Try again. If I may, I'll just up the ante a little bit. Okay? Nothing is ever going to change in your practice for the next 20 years. Do you still practice?
Joan: Knowing me, yes. It's the only thing that makes sense.
Ken: There you go. You just gave up hope and fear. It's actually a really, really important point. And always come back to that. It's the only thing that makes sense right now. So what happens in the future is actually inconsequential. It's a very, very tough instruction, but you arrived at it yourself, so you're stuck with it! It's not an easy one, but it's a very, very useful one. Okay?
