Paradox
I recently complimented a young friend who explained that she had reached a point in grappling with certain issues out of her control by saying, "It is what it is." I believe she meant that she was accepting the thing she did not have the power to change in order to be focused on her own abilities to progress in her own life. This is a paradox of my own humanist practice.
Much of what I understand of Zen Buddhism centers on the principle that simplicity and acceptance of the nature of things can bring great inner peace. Working within the context of what is, while keeping a consciousness of what could be, has become a very basic element of my own practice. Meditation has helped me greatly to have the patience to come to terms with the "what is" factor of situations and relationships.
The "It is what it is" moment is often a point of relaxation and compassion. However, rather than a point of passive resignation, it is a point of mustering creativity in approaching whatever it is with a new vision and new behaviors. In other words, relinquishing the illusion of control over the "what is" empowers me to act and think in ways that could potentially change the "what is" eventually. This is the paradox.
One of my favorite sayings is, "And how has that been working for you?" I usually say this to someone (often myself) who is trying to push a huge boulder up a greased incline, metaphorically speaking. This person will painfully recount his litany of frustrated failures with a certain situation with masochistic enthusiasm. By engaging all his energy and determination in tackling the unchangeable, he is unable to move around it deftly to continue his own personal development. In other words, he's wasting his time and energy.
Recovery programs have a saying, "Let go. Let God." My secular humanist version of this is, "Let go. Get going." In other words, when encountering an "It is what it is" situation, it is best to see how to progress, rather than straining to push a boulder uphill needlessly. Sometimes, learning to walk around it can save precious time, a commodity that cannot be borrowed or bought.
Much of what I understand of Zen Buddhism centers on the principle that simplicity and acceptance of the nature of things can bring great inner peace. Working within the context of what is, while keeping a consciousness of what could be, has become a very basic element of my own practice. Meditation has helped me greatly to have the patience to come to terms with the "what is" factor of situations and relationships. The "It is what it is" moment is often a point of relaxation and compassion. However, rather than a point of passive resignation, it is a point of mustering creativity in approaching whatever it is with a new vision and new behaviors. In other words, relinquishing the illusion of control over the "what is" empowers me to act and think in ways that could potentially change the "what is" eventually. This is the paradox.
One of my favorite sayings is, "And how has that been working for you?" I usually say this to someone (often myself) who is trying to push a huge boulder up a greased incline, metaphorically speaking. This person will painfully recount his litany of frustrated failures with a certain situation with masochistic enthusiasm. By engaging all his energy and determination in tackling the unchangeable, he is unable to move around it deftly to continue his own personal development. In other words, he's wasting his time and energy.
Recovery programs have a saying, "Let go. Let God." My secular humanist version of this is, "Let go. Get going." In other words, when encountering an "It is what it is" situation, it is best to see how to progress, rather than straining to push a boulder uphill needlessly. Sometimes, learning to walk around it can save precious time, a commodity that cannot be borrowed or bought.
Ahhhhh, Sysiphus. (or however you spell that). I think there is a good reason that myth endures. I like your take though. Stop fighting to see if there is another way to get where you are going. Good advice.
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