Have you ever noticed how the harder we try to ‘capture’ a moment—usually by whipping out our phones—the faster the actual magic of that moment seems to evaporate? We want to own the experience, to pin it down like a butterfly in a glass case.
The Isha Upanishad offers a radical, almost paradoxical solution in its very first verse: tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā. This translates to ‘enjoy through renunciation.’
Usually, we think renunciation means giving things up and being miserable. But the Upanishadic sages suggest the opposite. They argue that we can only truly enjoy life when we stop trying to possess it. Think of it as ‘The Art of Visiting.’ When you visit a beautiful garden, you enjoy it precisely because you don’t have to weed it, own it, or protect it.
Here is how to apply this ancient ‘how-to’ for deeper joy in your modern daily life:
Step 1: Unclench the Mental Fist
The next time you’re doing something you love—sipping a perfect latte or watching a storm roll in—notice the ‘grabby’ feeling in your mind. That’s the urge to take a photo, tell someone about it, or worry about when it will end. Just notice it, and then metaphorically open your hand.
Step 2: Resign as the Owner
Remind yourself: ‘I am a guest in this moment.’ By resigning as the ‘owner’ of the experience, you lose the burden of maintenance. You don’t need the sunset to be perfect for your Instagram feed; you just need to be there.
Step 3: The Sensory Plunge
Now that you aren’t busy trying to ‘keep’ the moment, use that freed-up energy to actually inhabit it. What does the air feel like? What are the subtle layers of sound? This is the bhunjitha—the true, deep enjoyment that only happens when you aren’t distracted by the desire to possess.
By letting go of the need to own the experience, you finally give yourself permission to experience it.
True abundance is not found in what we hold, but in what we are free enough to enjoy.