“When we hear the word poverty, poor people and poor living conditions leap to mind, maybe Mother Theresa ministering to the aged and infirm in Calcutta. But monastic poverty is not about that at all. At the root of the vow is surrendering ownership.” ~ Joseph Dispenza, “Take It or Leave It,” Spirituality & Health, November/December 2013

I was sitting at Einstein Bros. Bagels, having my usual coffee, bagel and cinnamon twist when I read this quote. Immediately, I thought about how I entered the bagel shop that morning (and, to truly self-reveal, how I enter it every Sunday, as I am a creature of habit): greedy and covetous.

I enter my local Einstein Bros. Bagels with fists of rage, ready for a fight to the death for my morning cinnamon twist. The store only makes so many each day – ok, again, another reveal, I KNOW HOW MANY THEY MAKE A DAY – I’M FEIGNING IGNORANCE AND ACTING LIKE I DON’T KNOW THEY MAKE EXACTLY SIX CINNAMON TWISTS EVERY DAY – ahem – and once they are gone, they are gone. My Sunday is not complete without my cinnamon twist. I would probably body-check an octogenarian if she took that last twist. I am not exaggerating. The chances of carnage are high.

I’m sure you can see where I am going with this – I don’t need to patronize you with further explanation. I mean, really, I’m ready to bludgeon the elderly for sub-par cinnamon twist – what more needs to be said?

Well, I guess this needs to be said: we can surrender ownership at any point. It is possible to surrender our attachment to our thoughts, opinions, beliefs, fears, loves, hates, etc. and we can start anywhere.

So, I’m starting with a cinnamon twist. Where might you begin?

Next post: how surrendering ownership is not the same as surrendering responsibility.