Liberation from Extremes

From the Middle Way Arcana, Temperance; from the Vertical Oracle, Monkey Mind:

The Buddha's message was simple but profound. Neither a life of self-indulgence nor one of self-mortification can bring happiness. Only a middle path, avoiding these two extremes, leads to peace of mind, wisdom, & complete liberation from the dissatisfactions of life.

~Henepola Gunaratana

Buddha lived many years as an indulged prince, but when he acknowledged the inevitability of sickness, aging and death, he decided to try ascetism to find meaning. Neither approach showed him how to live a content and purposeful life until he sat down under a tree with a fed belly and meditated without expectation. He realized a path that accepts the pain inherent in life yet also offers a way to avoid dumping more suffering on top of it. He taught a Way that didn't involve extremes. Monkey Mind is a reminder that these extremes can be mental as well as physical. Ever found yourself making pointless lists of things or traveled down a rabbit hole searching the internet? It's all forms of intoxication, and Buddha would encourage us to seek mental clarity and peace instead.