YK’s 365 Release: Day 18

Upon receiving one of my releases, one recipient said, “Oh! Is that my prize?” At first, I thought, ‘How adorable.’ Then I thought, ‘I wonder what made her use that word, prize?’ Then I thought, ‘Oh wow, there’s a whole receiving experience to my non-attachment practice of this 365 Release.’

I’ve been using the word “release” to describe the objects I am letting go. I have heard recipients use the words, “gift” and in this instance, “prize”.

To this point I’ve been focusing on my non-attachment, primarily because that is the underlying root of this exercise. I hadn’t reflected on the receiving end in depth until now. One person, upon receiving my release, shed tears of being moved. Another person exclaimed excited gratitude. I’m certain as I go along, some will laugh and some may be confused.

The interpretations of this project are multifarious, no doubt. Some people receiving the releases have been following each post on my journey and each progression throughout the days. Some have only heard of it when I have made the presentation to them that they are my recipient of the day.

Some may be receiving objects that are of high monetary value, some are receiving objects to which no value can be assigned, some are unique, while others are receiving objects that are commonplace everyday items.

So then, there are at least two sides to the 365 Release project.

My project is about me releasing objects to investigate the process of non-attachment. I could feasibly let all the objects go to the Salvation Army or Goodwill everyday, but I felt the recipient was part of the intentionality in some way. Today that part is clear. Even so, my giving objects to specific parties is not about generosity at all. It’s about being deliberate and mindful. The gesture just happens to be the same as if I were giving things for generosity. But I am clear, this is my own practice of letting go, not of generosity. That’s an entirely different practice. If I have anything left after 365 Release, maybe I’ll try that.

Each object to me symbolizes a formidable lesson in non-attachment, letting go and change. To the recipient it could just be another book, it could be something they truly wanted, it could be something they needed, or even something they don’t want at all.

I am essentially assigning objects to different people based on my contemplation and interpretation of that person. I’m of course taking into consideration what I know of that person and do factor in whether they might like it, but those are secondary factors. First I select the object then I determine the recipient. The recipients are not choosing what to receive from me.

So, whether the object to you, the recipient, is a prize, gift or random thing, please know what you do with it is entirely up to you, not related to my intentions in giving it to you. I will neither be upset nor disappointed if you decide you do not need the object and want to dispose of it. I will neither be hurt if you decide to use it for something other than I had intended. As I said before, the process is the critical part for me, and that process for me ends once I release the object to you.

I am grateful to you not because you are going to be doing something specific with the object I have or will be giving to you, but because you are facilitating my growth by letting me release it to you.

Thank you “prize” woman, for giving me insight and helping me investigate even deeper into my practice.

For day 18 of my 365 Release practice, I am remembering that there are at least two sides to this equation. And I realize my release from Day 1 to the woman who called it a “prize” in the first place and therefore brought me to this insight, was interestingly enough symbolic of this in more ways than I had imagined because it was a piece of my art that was two-sided as well. So today, I’m going to use as a metaphoric day for realizing this project is at least twice more intricate than I even imagined, and it truly is a gift that gives twice. Thank you for this prize.

UPDATE 2013: The recipient of this gift has let me know she lost the gift. So it is somewhere in the dumpster or someone else has it. If anyone knows, please let me know where it is!