“All the events that had unfolded so far in my experiment with surrender had shown me that the more I was willing to let go of the inner noise created by my personal likes and dislikes, the more I could see subtle synchronicities in what was unfolding around me.

These unexpected concurrences of events were like messages from life gently nudging me in the direction she was going. I listened to these subtle nudges instead of listening to the not-so-subtle mental and emotional reactions caused by my personal preferences."

― Micheal Singer, The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life's Perfection

Ajahn Sumedho is the author of "Teachings of a Buddhist Monk,” which shares insights from his own journey and years of practice, offering readers a deeper understanding of Buddhist principles and how they can be applied to everyday life.

One of the core ideas the inspired me to write this article was his own desire to move to an idyllic part of Thailand as a monk and engage in contemplative practice without the complications of the wider world. This is a theme that has come up for myself personally and for many people on the contemplative path.

Over his life, he realized that the greed for a contemplative life can become a form of materialism. To unpack this exploration, he developed a philosophy of “the way of no preferences”.  A benefit of that will be the ability to find more inner peace and stability despite our circumstances. He describes how intelligence without mental and emotional stability can become a destructive wildfire. With training, a mind can use fire for more constructive purposes which can serve everyone.

"We tend to think that we have to get something, attain something, but with the way of mindfulness, it's not a matter of getting or attaining, but of recognizing and letting go. It's a path of no preferences - of being present, being awake, being attentive. It's a journey to understanding the truth of the way things are."
- Ajahn Sumedho

Part of this training is realizing the nature of interdependence and impermanence. When we cultivate non-attachment, we become more accepting of whatever the world presents us. He describes how strong feelings of any kind can be an indicator of attachment, and to observe our relationship with whatever is arising. When we are very attached to ideas of ourselves or others, our expectations become very high, and that leads to a critical mind that creates unnecessary suffering. Exploring moderation and balance was also a central pursuit of greek philosophy. 

Aristotle introduced the concept of the Golden Mean, emphasizing moderation in ethical behavior. He cautioned against the extremes of overindulgence in desires, which leads to reckless behavior, and excessive avoidance of discomfort, resulting in missed opportunities for growth. The Golden Mean advocates for a balanced approach, avoiding the pitfalls of excess and deficiency. It encourages a harmonious interaction with the world, suggesting that virtue lies in finding the middle path between the pursuit of desires and the evasion of discomforts, thereby guiding individuals towards a fulfilling and reasoned life.

Ajahn Sumedho shares an example of how he applies these ideas in his daily life. The bold middle would be the center of the two extremes views that he aspires to.
 

I have a strong opinion - [I have no fixed opinion] - I have no opinion
 

I have a desire - [I have no fixed desire] - I have no desires 

I am very well educated - [I am a curious person] - I am a stupid nobody

There is a nuance to all these positions that has qualities of openness and curiosity. While the cultivation of becoming less attached may seem like a form of nihilism, it is not so. We will simply live from a place that is free of habit and distraction and be able to engage with the world around us with more clarity.  Another example of this is the reflection that the ones we love will someday die. While this is profoundly sad, it also imbues our time with them with a appreciation while they are alive. In an absolute sense, everything is impermanent, but in a relative sense, with wisdom and compassion, we can use attachment skillfully in our lives.

“People often ask me do Lamas have attachments? I don’t know how other Lamas answer this, but I must say yes.  I recognize that my students, my family, my country have no inherent reality... [absolute truth.] Yet, I remain deeply attached to them. [relative truth.] I recognize that my attachment has no inherent reality. [absolute truth]. Yet I cannot deny the experience of it” [relative truth].  And he ends by saying, “Still, knowing the empty nature of attachment, I know my motivation to benefit sentient beings must supersede it.”

- Chagdud Tulku

Thomas Merton, a renowned Christian Trappist monk and contemplative writer, deeply understood the transformative power of surrender and letting go of personal preferences. His body of work emphasizes the importance of inner silence, humility, and recognizing divine guidance in everyday life. Merton believed that true peace comes from aligning one's will with God's, which often requires relinquishing the inner noise created by personal likes and dislikes. This surrender allows individuals to become more attuned to the subtle synchronicities and divine messages present in their lives. In his book Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, he shares: "You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith, and hope."

While in the West yoga is often associated with physical postures, considering a wider context offers a richer tapestry of paths, each with its unique focus and methods aimed at achieving inner peace and a union between the self and the greater whole. Four primary paths are defined: Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga, and Karma Yoga.

Bhakti Yoga is the path of devotion, emphasizing love and devotion towards a personal deity or divine principle. It's characterized by practices like chanting, worship, and prayer, aiming to cultivate a heart filled with unconditional love and devotion.

Jnana Yoga is the path of knowledge or wisdom, suitable for those with a contemplative nature. It involves deep study, reflection, and meditation to discern the real from the unreal, aiming to achieve direct insight into the nature of reality and the self.

Raja Yoga includes the systematic approach of eight limbs, which encompass ethical standards, physical postures, breath control, sensory withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and ultimately, samadhi (a state of intense concentration achieved through meditation).

Karma Yoga stands out because it directly addresses the challenges of everyday living. It offers a practical method for spiritual growth that is accessible to everyone, regardless of their stage in life, occupation, or social status. By transforming ordinary activities into acts of selfless service, Karma Yoga provides a means to live a spiritually centered life amidst the demands and duties of the worldly existence. It supports the idea that true liberation comes not from external renunciation, but from renouncing the ego and selfish desires in the midst of action, making every act an offering to the divine. 


Ajahn Sumedho's Buddhist teachings on “the way of no preferences”, alongside the concept of the Golden Mean from Greek philosophy, align with Karma Yoga's focus on selfless action. These ideas have conceptually subtle and deeply experiential qualities to them, and I hope this article is a humble trailhead on what is an endless exploration towards understanding beyond these imperfect words. 

“He who is unattached, who is not disturbed by the gunas [“tamas”, which is darkness & chaos; “rajas”, which is activity & passion; and “sattva”, which is beingness & harmony], who is firmly rooted and knows that only the gunas are acting, who is equally self-contained in pain or pleasure, in happiness or sorrow, who is content with whatever happens, who sees dirt, rocks, and gold as equal, who is unperturbed amid praise or blame of himself, indifferent to honor and to disgrace, serene in success and failure, impartial to friend and foe, unattached to action – that man has gone beyond the three gunas.”
- Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 14, Verses 22-25