Living on the Edge

What comes to your mind when you hear the phrase “living on the edge?” Maybe intentionally taking extreme decisions that can place your life at risk? Or perhaps pushing yourself out of your comfort zone by exploring new ideas and new knowledge? While life on the edge may seem like a natural way to expand our horizons, if not approached wisely, it could also pose safety concerns. For example, going out of our comfort zone can, in extreme cases, essentially rearrange our entire understanding of the world. But if we are too concerned with our safety, will we ever attempt to enhance who we are? When Sadhguru is asked about how a person whose entire life is built on creating safety and security can learn to live on the edge, he shares his wisdom on these seemingly conflicting ideas in relation to enhancing one’s inner capabilities. 

Using the metaphor of a border as a kind of edge between stagnancy and growth, Sadhguru says, “If you intend to cross the border, you must be close to the Border. Isn’t it? If you are deep inside, you may not cross. That’s all I said. I said be on the edge if you want to cross over. Living on the edge, in many ways, essentially, that is a fundamental thing that you are not stuck where you are. Where you are is a reality. You can’t deny that. But, you try to be on the edge so that when the opportunity comes, you jump. Easy, isn’t it? Yes? If you are stuck deep inside, you cannot jump even if you wish to.”

“So, living on the edge essentially, in normal parlance, it would mean to live dangerously. What is danger is just a question of what you’re capable of and what you’re not capable of. Isn’t it so? If you want to enhance your capability, particularly with the inner nature, if you are not on the edge, would you push your capability? No, you would remain stagnant. So, that’s why I’m saying that you must always live on the edge when it comes to within you. You don’t have to risk your physical body on the road – that’s another point. On the highway 8 you don’t have to take a risk. A truck is coming, you want to run in between and see to live on the edge. That’s a foolish way of living on the edge. But, in the inner nature, you live on the edge because there is really no danger. Danger is a misconception.”

“If you fall in the street, you will die, which is a danger. If, whatever you believe in right now, let’s say you believe in something, let us say an ideology or a belief system or something. So, if you live on the edge with this belief system constantly, trying to cross the border within yourself, whatever happens what is going to happen to you? I’m asking, is your life at risk? Now, what is at risk is, everything that you thought that you are may collapse. That’s the whole idea that your notion should go if reality has to shine. Isn’t it? You don’t have to invent reality. If you invent it, it’s not reality. Isn’t it?”

Learn to be just still, all your ills will go away

“See, this is not hard work. It’s not hard work because you don’t have to create anything. It’s there. You are inventing lot of notions. If you stop inventing your notions, if you simply learn to sit here quietly, all your notions are gone. Isn’t it? So, you don’t have to create anything. You just have to stop creating. I’m just saying – just rest. That’s all spirituality is. If you just rest, if you really rest, you’re there. But you won’t rest. You’re chugging along all the time as if you’re going somewhere. I am telling you – you’re not going anywhere,  you’re jogging on the spot. Jogging on the spot may be good for the physical body because it gives exercise. But, internal jogging on the spot is not doing anything. It’s just waste of time and waste of life. I’m saying just rest, learn to be just still, all your ills will go away.”