Nothing Needs To Stay | A Poem On Rāga

What if the greatest beauty of life lies not in holding on... but in allowing it to flow?

Inspired by Rāga, the third of the five Kleshas described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, this contemplative poem reflects on our longing to keep what we love and the quiet freedom that emerges when we loosen our grip.

Through gentle imagery and reflective verse, these words invite you to appreciate the beauty of each passing moment without needing to possess it. They remind us that peace is not found in controlling life's flow, but in learning to move with it.

Whether you listen after the accompanying talk, following the Yoga Nidra practice, or as a quiet reflection on its own, may this poem leave you with a lighter heart and a deeper trust in the unfolding of life.

Transcript

Before we begin, I'd like to invite you to simply listen. There is no need to interpret these words or search for their meaning. Instead, Allow them to move through you gently, Like leaves carried effortlessly by a flowing river. This poem is inspired by the Aga. The Yogic Teaching of Attachment. The quiet tendency of the mind to hold on to what feels pleasant. And to wish that every beautiful moment could last forever. As You Listen. You may recognize your own moments of reaching, Grasping or longing. You may also discover the quiet freedom that arises when we stop trying to possess life and simply begin experiencing it. May these words remind you that the deepest peace is not found in holding on. But in meeting each moment with an open heart. Allowing it to arrive. And allowing it to pass. Take a slow gentle breath. Settle into this moment and simply listen. The poem is titled, I Thought It Would Stay. I thought it would stay. The feeling. The moment. The warmth of it. So I held it. Tighter than it asked to be held. And in that holding. It slipped. Again and again. Until I became tired of trying to keep what was never meant to remain. So I sat. And watched. The same beauty. Still Passing But now? Without needing to be mine. And in that letting go. I did not lose it. I finally felt it. Thank you for listening. Namaste.