Attachments and Detachments: Holding on and Letting go

As rightly stated by Buddha, "Attachment leads to suffering". If I were to describe 'attachment', in a word, I'd say, it's perilous. Overwhelming too, at times. For, your whole life can be centered around that one particular aspect. And that, is the worst kind of misery. In this article, "Attachments and detachments: Holding on and Letting go", the thing that we're going to explore is the same.

Newyork Times best selling author, and teacher of Buddhist meditation practices, Sharon Salzberg, defined detachment as, "Detachment is not about refusing to feel, or not caring, or turning away from those you love. It is, being grounded firmly in the truth of what is".

Life's mysterious. Filled with uncertainty. What's certain is that no one stays forever. 'Forever', is a flawed concept that has been romanticized by poets, writers, thinkers, etc. People come. People leave. While some leave good memories for us to cherish some others leave bruises that take a really long time to heal.

When you get attached to someone or something, letting go is not easy. To say it can be excruciating, is just an understatement. What's worse is when you don't know whether to hold on or to let go. It can rip your whole existence apart. But one must start accepting the fact that nothing is permanent. Ever. Everything fades when it's time.

In this journey of life, we cannot take everyone along with us. For, we are all meant to go our own ways. But if the bond is so strong, these paths can cross. But that's a totally different topic so lets not go offshore.

( Related: Gut-brain connection )

One cannot hold on to the past forever. Nostalgia is both a good thing and a bad one too. It's good because it lets you reminisce those memories in your head and it's bad because it lets you reminisce those memories in your head. The way our brain functions, it associates the past with bittersweet reminiscence and longing, the present with uncertainty and the future with anxiety. Perhaps, that's the main reason why we hold on to the past because we are not certain about the present and are afraid of what the future holds for us. But there's beauty in this uncertainty of life. What if the future is much better than the past? It's only after the sunset that the moon shows up. And both are frabjous in their own way.

We might not realize it, but sometimes letting go is the best thing that one can do to oneself or to someone else. You might love birds but that doesn't mean you put them in a cage for the rest of their lives. If you truly love them, you'd set them free.

Attachments and detachments are a part and parcel of life. We get attached to people. We lose people. We suffer. But then, somehow, things will be fine. It might take a while but in the end, you will be fine with or without someone. Time heals everyone and everything. Everybody goes through certain traumatic experiences in life. While some of us use these as catalysts to our growth some others use it to destroy themselves. And how you choose to act upon it is totally on you.

All that you can do is be grateful for the past and stay optimistic about the future. Miracles happen unto he who believes in them. When you believe in miracles, you attract miracles.

We have different chapters in life, each with its own theme. And every chapter is beautiful in itself. Uncertainty can be beautiful too. Why is it that we love the uncertainty in movies but not in our lives? The reason- you are the protagonist in your story.

Thanks for reading, "Attachments and detachments: Holding on and Letting go".

As always, the best is yet to come!