Attachments in Life
We all have attachments in life. Letting go is the readiness and
willingness to let go of all attachments in life. The following are some of the
most common attachments:
Attachment to the ego-self
Attachment to the ego-self is the most difficult to let go of, given that
conventional wisdom focuses so much on “self,” such as the emphasis on the
importance of “self-esteem,” that we become not only “self-conscious” but also
“self-centered.”
Attachment to material things
The mind identifies with material possessions to create the ego-self. Many
of us identify ourselves with a certain social status when we belong to a
certain social group or drive a certain luxury car.
Thinking questions
Why am I driving a Mercedes?
Is it really better than a Toyota
Attachment to time
Many of us think that time is precious, and wish that we had more than 24
hours a day. We no longer have the time to appreciate the beauty of nature,
because we have become overwhelmed by our daily problems and the time needed to
solve them. Indeed, many of us are forever time-stressed.
Attachment to time means the reluctance to live in the present moment.
Unfortunately, the present moment is the only reality in life, and the only
moment during which one can objectively validate past thoughts and future
projections that continuously filter through the subconscious mind, enticing it
to form identities—which become the components of the ego-self.
According to the wisdom of Tao, attachments are the sources of human pain
and suffering.
“Fame or self: Which
matters more?
Self or wealth: Which
is more precious?
Gain or loss: Which is
more painful?
He who is attached to
things will suffer much.
He who saves will
suffer heavy loss.
A contented man is
never disappointed.
He who knows when to
stop does not find himself in trouble.
He will stay forever
safe.”
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 44)
Attachments to the material world are the sources of human miseries and
unhappiness, because they seldom become realities and they generate only desire
and control that ultimately create a vicious circle of miseries and
unhappiness.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by
Stephen Lau
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