I was once taught that man's hardships are brought about by his attachments, may it be material, physical, personal or emotional. These attachments lead on to amplify ones burden, added up by personal bias and perspective. That is why many consider attachments as a disease, an abnormality if it's way beyond what is expected. Too much of something is really bad enough, and attachments are not an exception.
Curing this may take a lot of effort and time that is why many people prefer preventing these attachments to occur rather than curing it for later. Many spiritual personalities has come to a unified understanding that in order to live happily one has to let go of his or her attachments. Christ has incorporated this in most of his teachings, Buddha most certainly focused on letting go of his earthly needs to achieve the Nirvana, and do not forget Mohammed, together with Gandhi and other countless saints, gurus, prophets and mystics.
All of them agree that in order to achieve this feat you must at least be facilitated by feasible yet extraordinary means, such as the following:
A. Prayer
Prayer is the most common means that everyone has an access to. Through extensive prayer, not the one that you do repeatedly and verbally, one could in any way counter ones attachments. Pray for the things you really need and not for the things that you could consider as luxury. It is always inexplicable that once this is rooted in your mind, The Supreme Being has a way of making your prayers come trough. You are given the strength to go through ways in order reach that goal.
Many unbelievers to the power of prayer would say that it is after all your effort why you accomplish these things and not through the power of The One. But have you ever experienced that guiding force that makes things easier compared when you do it on your own. Sometimes our wishes happen as if it is an oiled machine, like a streamlined contraption of events all leading to your goal. Now, that is not merely coincidence or random event, it is guided by The One through your prayers.
B. Meditation
If you thought that meditation and prayer are two similar things, then think again. Meditation is somewhat a higher form of prayer. Unlike prayer, where you focus your words and mind to certain goal or ideal, meditation is the pursuit of achieving peace by clearing ones mind. You try to abolish any thoughts that come to your mind, so that when real concerns would come you will see it from an objective point of view. This is not an easy thing to do since only when we are unconscious are we able to do this. This requires a lot of training and concentration on our part. In prayer you are the source of the thoughts, in mediation you try to see the thought as a third person rather the first person perspective. This is what many experts call as being part of your inner being without imposing your preferences, desires and opinions.
There are many stages of meditation and it is sometimes a dangerous act if you reached the highest level without self control. At this stage you will get to be lose your consciousness and cannot easily get out from this episode of nothingness if you are not guided and only a beginner.
C. Contemplation
Many believe that contemplation is the hardest thing to do since it is almost impossible or essentially one cannot really achieve it. If meditation is the act only to empty your self, in contemplation you empty your self and let the Supreme Being possess or fill you with its presence and love. Now you become not only your self but with God. For Christians, this is mainly incorporated by the scriptural lines that God is within each of us, we being the temple of the Holy Spirit or Christ. But this is not only applicable to Christians, but to all. This is mainly a huge task for the mind to do, but if achieved it is incomparable.
This means is a way to re-center our life and find focus in every thing we do, along with the peace that could also be achieved from meditation. Many contemplatives claim that this means to find one's self also exhibit the feeling of being loved. This is surely enough to live by and attachments may not be needed. If one is in the fulfilled mode would you still let your attachmetns hamper you? I guess not.
D. Selfless Service
Selfless concern and service for others is the manifestation of your prayers, meditation and contemplation. You are not anymore the old man in Aesop's fable that just watches the child drown and simply comments about it.You already become a pro-generator of generous acts. If you are not attached you easily let go of things and share it with others. There is nothing wrong with sharing , though it would certainly lose its credit and value if you advertise and let the world know about it. Only a few are able to do anonymous generous acts because mankind tends to let the world know that each one of us is indeed selfless, but only when we are seen.
If you receive praises and recognition for your acts in this living world you have already received your reward. A reward which could have been eternal if only you have kept it within you. Is it not enough that you are able to help other people through your selfless motives without having the world see you do it? If not, then maybe you already need to examine your motives and goals.
E. Mortification
Mortification is the hardest thing to do for most of us. It is mainly the act of denying our selves some pleasures, desires and may even be causing our selves some discomfort and pain. But the act of mortification does not necessarily mean doing it in huge packages. It could only even mean not drinking a bottle of cola on this certain day, skipping a dessert or two, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, kneeling when you are told to kneel at the church and many other simple acts. As time goes by, increase the intensity and be creative to think of new ways to mortify. These acts strengthen our will, the very thing we need to counter reliance on our attachments and such.
Time and time again, you will realize that by doing these mortification your decision-making becomes stronger, and your laxity is not evident anymore, and many other beneficial changes. You seem not to rely on anything transient anymore since your mind is not clouded by comfort and temporary joys. To sum it all up, we just really need to strengthen our Will and exercise it. It's also like a muscle: exercise and tone it and it will become stronger; take it for granted and it will be weak and thinner.
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Human as we are, we are always drawn to do what our instincts tell us to do. And the instinct of survival always leads us to comfort, joys, and satisfaction. This is all true to human nature, but what is the use of the power of Will if we are to let our instincts dictate are behavior, actions, and motives? Maybe, it is time for us to reinforce our Will and let go of attachments, so as not to fall for laxity and eventually our bane.
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