Pleasure and enjoyment do not hold you from making spiritual progress, but the attachment to them does. It is the attachment that has to go. Attachment is a kind of fear, addiction and lack of freedom. It is the fear of loss.

It might seem to you as a paradox, but you can enjoy life, but at the same time stay unattached anything you experience.

It is the inner attitude that is important. Someone, who has progressed on the inner path, can live and enjoy life, like anyone else, but at the same time not be attached to anything. Such a person may not seek pleasure deliberately, but when there is pleasure, he/she can enjoy it while it lasts, without being attached to it. When the source of pleasure is gone, there is no clinging to it or wishing it stayed, neither there is regret and or a feeling of loss.

Here is what Ramesh Balsekar says on this subject in his book “Who Cares?!”:

“The difference between the sage and the ordinary person, in regard to the enjoyment of sensual pleasures, is that while the ordinary person is continually in search of such pleasures, the sage does not hanker after such pleasures, but enjoys them with zest when they happen in the ordinary course of life. The sage does not seek pleasure, nor does he reject it when it happens.”

Ramesh Balsekar also quotes the words the sage Ashtavakra: “Absence of attachment to sense objects is liberation; passion for sense objects is bondage.”

Overcoming attachment and developing detachment lead to peace of mind and happiness.

Copyright © 2008 Remez Sasson Remez Sasson Blog. | Permalink | One comment

True detachment is a state of not getting disturbed or agitated by external events and by yours and other people’s emotions and thoughts. It is a state of staying calm and in control of yourself and your moods in every situation, without feeling being harassed or hurried by people or circumstances.

Detachment shows itself in lack of attachment to the results of your actions, and in accepting the consequences of what you do. Instead of getting nervous, angry, agitated or unhappy, if things go wrong, you stay calm and try again. In this sense, detachment shows itself as inner peace, inner strength and courage.

A truly detached person would act, work study or do everything else with attention and to the best of his ability, without laziness or indifference, but also with full detachment as to the results. There is no waste of time and energy on thinking about the ‘why’ and ‘what if’.

You can make plans, work and live an active life, but yet, maintain an inner state of detachment. You can love, be happy and enjoy life, but be emotionally and mentally unaffected by circumstances, situations and people. It is a matter of attitude.

I know this might seem impossible for some people, but nothing is impossible with some training and inner work. I have written extensively about detachment and how to develop it in my book Peace of mind in Daily life, as this is an important part in the training to get inner peace. My other book, Will Power and Self Discipline also leads to developing inner detachment.

More on what is detachment:

Detachment and Being Detached
Improve Your Life With Inner Detachment

Copyright © 2008 Remez Sasson Remez Sasson Blog. | Permalink | One comment