During this talk, the lojong commitment “Don’t Put A Horse’s Load On A Donkey” was reviewed. The emphasis of the commitment is to avoid idealizing expectations of self or others, that is, to avoid perfectionism. One of the benefits of being relieved of the stress and confusion of the five hindrances is the release of energy into the process of awareness. This can manifest as overreaching one’s capabilities, or displacing responsibility on others, thereby expecting too much of their capabilities. This leads to contempt and a feeling of disconnection from self and others. A goal of this practice is to become clearly aware of how self-organization either leads to clarity or to confusion, and eventually understanding how to release the “hardened” expectations that result from craving and clinging.
Here are the notes for the discussion: MANAGING THE BURDEN OF RESPONSIBILITY
Here is the worksheet provided for those attending the meeting: Relationship Responsibility Worksheet