Detachment is an important part of Buddhist practice and is essential to achieving inner peace. It is through detachment that we can lose our fear of death. It is through detachment that we can accept loss and not be overwhelmed by tragedy. It is through detachment that we can attain enlightenment. Detachment is an essential step, but it does not mean that we don't care. The best way I can explain this is through the analogy my TM teacher told me.
Without meditation and detachment the events of life are like they are carved in stone. Every nuance has made a mark that only erodes over decades. Once one starts meditating, events move to being written in the sand. The marks are there, but not permanent. Over time events move from being written in sand to being written in water. The marks disappear as they are made. Those who achieve Enlightenment in the center of the Maze move though life with the marks made in the air. Things happen but do not mark you in any way.
How do I detach?
First you must accept that nothing in permanent. Change is both inevitable and necessary for progress. All life ends. Every connection and affection will in time be broken. Rather than getting depressed by this I now value my every contact with this world. Of course, I also know that there is more beyond death, so for me when someone I love dies I tend to feel bewilderment more than grief. I do not mourn anymore, but I do miss.
Once you accept the impermanence of existence, the rest is simply a matter of scale. Everything you have will have to be left behind. This is what Jesus meant when he said,
"And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye
of a needle,
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." [Matthew 19:24]
I don't think the problem is the physical wealth, but the attachment to it that prevents progress. After all you can't take it with you, but are you willing to leave it behind? I think my great grandmother would not let go of her property and hence she remained haunting the place for some 30 years. Once you realize the finality of life, it gets easier to let go of things.
Often when I meditate I use "be at peace" when I inhale and "let it go" when I exhale. This mantra works well when I am stressed.
Detachment
I still believe and love passionately. I care deeply, but I do not pin my entire being on an outcome. I have to trust that GDW has it covered and no one knows all the permutations. I am aware that I have some power through focusing my will. I am also aware that whenever I have forcefully applied my will to a situation the outcome was generally terrible. I do not use my will in that way anymore. I just have to be patient,
Once you are detached you are in a better mind to consider your actions rather than just reacting. You can understand the "art of the possible" (Otto von Bismarck's description of politics), but in this sense I mean it literally.
The Art Of The Possible
Once you understand that the only thing you control is yourself you can ask "what can I do" to achieve a desired goal.
No matter how offensive or desirable you consider another's actions, the fact is you have no control over what others do. Slavery, racism, prostitution, pedophilia, capital punishment, abortion, homosexuality, misogyny, eating animals, religion -- everyone has an opinion and some are violently passionate about their views.
You can work to change minds and to change public policies, but enforcing your views on an unwilling populace is NOT going to convert them. Look at the racism that still exists despite ending slavery. Prohibition actually increased alcohol consumption. Drug use has expanded despite the fabled War on Drugs.
While you are considering what you can do, be aware that you are but one person and while there may be many who agree with you, there are many if not more who do not. And their views are just as valid as yours. Far better to persuade than to impose.
No comments:
Post a Comment