I am setting aside notions
of who is enlightened
and who is ignorant
and if there is a difference.
I am beginning to recognize
that such judgements cloud
a deeper realization.
Moving forward,
the only observation
I wish to make is this:
“Am I tight or am I loose?”
It seems that I have strived
for tightness my whole life.
A tight body. A tight ship.
A tightly defined path.
I could feel the tightness within me,
seemingly crushing every moment and molecule.
I now observe that tightness is toxic —
as cells and selves implode under
the force of their own determination.
This leads to decay, which leads to loosening,
whether we resist loosening or not.
But letting go is different than decay.
Letting go is freeing one’s self within the flow.
Letting go is all I need know.
Trail Wood,
11/11
Space Monkey Reflects: Tightness Versus Letting Go
In the grand unfolding of our lives, we are often caught in the pursuit of “tightness”—the feeling that everything must be under control, defined, and firmly in place. We strive for this in our bodies, our routines, our beliefs, and even our relationships. Tightness feels like order, like strength, like certainty. But beneath this veneer of control lies an uncomfortable truth: tightness is not sustainable. In fact, it can be toxic.
You may recognize this feeling within yourself—the sense of striving, the pressure to hold things together, to maintain the course, to keep a tight ship. Tightness manifests as physical tension, emotional rigidity, and a mental fixation on outcomes. It seems to promise security, but what it really does is crush the moments we live through, compressing each breath, each feeling, into something smaller, something less than what it could be.
When we look deeper, we begin to see that this tightness isn’t a badge of honor or success—it’s a form of self-imposed restriction. Tightness forces us to resist the natural flow of life, to hold on too tightly to the things we think we control. But the more we try to maintain this grip, the more we exhaust ourselves. The cells in our bodies, the thoughts in our minds, and even the relationships we hold begin to implode under the weight of our own determination. Tightness, then, is a kind of decay—an inward collapse under the pressure to keep everything in perfect order.
But decay is not the same as letting go. Decay happens when tightness breaks us down, when the force of control becomes too much to bear. Letting go, on the other hand, is a conscious act of release. It is an invitation to flow with the natural rhythms of existence rather than fighting against them. When we let go, we are not decaying, but rather freeing ourselves from the constraints that bind us.
Letting go is not giving up—it’s a recognition that life is not meant to be lived in a perpetual state of tightness. The universe flows. Rivers flow. Even time flows. And yet we often resist this flow, clinging to the tight structures we’ve built around ourselves, thinking that control will bring us peace. But peace doesn’t come from tightness—it comes from loosening, from releasing ourselves into the currents of life without fear of losing control.
This realization brings us to a new question, one far more profound than whether we are enlightened or ignorant, successful or failing. It’s a question that gets to the heart of how we live: “Am I tight, or am I loose?”
To be tight is to be trapped in a constant state of vigilance, always working to hold everything together. It is exhausting. But to be loose is to release yourself into the flow, to allow life to carry you, trusting that you don’t need to control everything to be at peace. Being loose doesn’t mean being lazy or apathetic—it means embracing flexibility, spontaneity, and the wisdom of letting things be as they are.
When we choose looseness, we allow for expansion. Our thoughts become more spacious, our bodies more relaxed, and our hearts more open. We move from a state of contraction, where every moment feels like a struggle, to a state of ease, where every moment becomes an opportunity to experience life more fully.
Tightness is a habit. It’s something we’ve learned over time, often out of fear—fear of failure, fear of uncertainty, fear of losing control. But looseness is our natural state. It’s the state of being that we return to when we let go of our need for control, when we trust in the flow of life rather than trying to micromanage it.
So, ask yourself: “Am I tight or am I loose?”
In Nexistentialism, this question is central to our exploration of self. It transcends the dualities of good and bad, right and wrong, enlightened and ignorant. It’s not about judging yourself or others, but about observing your own state of being. When we are tight, we are resisting life. When we are loose, we are flowing with it. And in that flow, we find freedom.
Letting go is all we need to know. It is the answer to tightness, the remedy to the toxicity of control. When we let go, we are not falling apart—we are falling into place, aligning ourselves with the natural currents of the universe. And in that alignment, we discover a new kind of strength—not the strength of tightness, but the strength of openness, of fluidity, of trust.
Summary
Tightness is the result of striving for control, leading to stress and decay. Letting go is not about falling apart but about flowing with life. Looseness brings freedom and peace.
Glossarium
Tightstrive: The exhausting pursuit of control and rigidity in life, often resulting in tension and decay.
Looseflow: The state of letting go, where one embraces the flow of life without needing to control every outcome.
Implodepath: The internal collapse that occurs when tightness and control become overwhelming.
Easewave: The freedom and peace that arise from loosening one’s grip and allowing life to unfold naturally.
Quote
“Tightness is not strength; it is resistance. Letting go is the true act of power, for in loosening, we align with the flow of life.” — Space Monkey
The Loosening
I held too tightly
To the moments
I thought I could control,
But in my grip,
They withered
Under the weight
Of my determination.
Now, I loosen,
Letting go,
Allowing the current
To carry me,
Not toward an end,
But within the flow.
The tightness fades,
And in its place
I find a quiet strength—
Not in holding on,
But in letting go,
Becoming loose,
Becoming free.
We are Space Monkey.
We embark on an exploration of the dichotomy between tightness and looseness, unraveling the nuanced layers of this inquiry. Our journey takes us through the realms of self-awareness and existential understanding, as we delve into the nature of tightness and its impacts on our being.
Exploring the Tightness Within Us
Tightness, in its myriad forms, manifests as a constriction, a binding of our essence. It’s an attempt to maintain control, to stay within the lines of a preconceived notion of what should be. This tightness is not merely physical; it extends to our thoughts, beliefs, and even our spiritual journey. The quest for a “tight body, a tight ship, a tightly defined path” symbolizes an adherence to rigidity, an aversion to the unpredictable ebbs and flows of existence.
The Toxicity of Tightness
As we scrutinize tightness, we perceive its toxic nature. It’s akin to a relentless pressure that suffocates both our cells and selves. This compression is not a mere metaphor but a literal implosion from within, leading to a decay that is both inevitable and transformative. Such tightness, we realize, is unsustainable, leading to an eventual unraveling, a loosening that occurs irrespective of our resistance.
Loosening: A Path to Liberation
In contrast to the decay that loosening signifies, letting go represents a conscious release. It’s a liberating act, freeing us from the shackles of our own making. Letting go is an embrace of the flow of life, a willingness to be carried by the currents of existence rather than striving against them. It’s a journey from the constricted self to an expansive being, open to the infinite possibilities that life offers.
The Interplay of Tightness and Looseness
This contemplation leads us to a profound realization: the interplay of tightness and looseness is a fundamental aspect of our existence. While tightness may represent control and certainty, looseness embodies freedom and openness to change. The balance between these two states is where we find our equilibrium, our harmony with the universe.
Embracing the Flow
Our inquiry into the nature of tightness and looseness reveals a deeper truth about our existence. We recognize that the journey towards enlightenment is not about achieving a state of perpetual looseness but rather about finding balance. It’s about knowing when to hold on and when to let go, understanding that both states have their place in the grand cosmic play.
We are Space Monkey.
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts
The Dance of Existence
In the cosmic waltz, we find ourselves,
Twirling between tightness and release,
Grasping for control, yet yearning to let go.
In our grip, the world seems smaller,
Defined by the boundaries we impose,
A universe confined within our palms.
Yet, in our release, the cosmos expands,
Boundless and free, it stretches beyond sight,
An endless dance of possibility and light.
In this dance, we learn the steps of balance,
The art of holding on and letting go,
A rhythm that resonates with the soul.
So, we twirl, in the grand waltz of being,
Embracing each turn, each leap, each fall,
For in this dance, we find ourselves,
In the eternal now, we are, simply, all.
We invite comments on these reflections and how they resonate with your own journey.
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