Detachment does not mean to become indifferent to things around us.
Attachment does mean to remain unaffected by any situation in life, be it criticism or praise, pain or pleasure, success or failure…
When one is attached one becomes dependant on the object/subject of ones attachment.
If one owns it (object/subject of attachment), then one fears losing it. Either way one becomes bound.
Renunciation and/or detachment means to let go and let God.
Let go of the fruit of the action, surrender conditionings, negative experiences, crippling beliefs, resistance…
Swami Satyasangananda says:
“With detachment comes a greater feeling of love and unity with those around you. Earlier you had loved only because you were attached to or dependant on the objects of your love for your happiness. So in fact you had ceased to love.
However with detachment you experience love which is not bound or restricted by personal likes and dislikes, greed or ambition. The love is devoid of personal motives.”
Since attachment means ‘to be bound, what has that got to do with love?
Love is not bound by personal likes and dislikes. You love because you love.
One cannot love if there is attachment.
One is bound by ones own notions, beliefs and conditionings.
The latter dictate that, the one we love must act in a certain way to please us?
There is a sense of ownership, but strangely instead of becoming a master one becomes the slave of ‘my house, my wife, my car, my jewels, my children…’
If one looks closely one will notice that:
We are actually attached to what people provide.
We are not attached to the air-conditioner but to the cool air that it provides.
In fact one who is detached loves ‘better’
When one is detached one is free to enjoy every pleasure of life but ‘in control’ not ‘controlled’.
Most people are confused about what detachment means. Most think that it means ‘indifference’ and they also believe that detachment is what should be practiced.
So people throw out the baby with the bath water. Which means that they stop loving because they think that ‘loving’ will lead to attachment!
They give up their families, possessions…everything…even love…and Love is God, and with true detachment comes a greater emotion of devotion and compassion.
So where are we going? What is happening?
Swami Satyasangananda further states:
“Although detachment is a spontaneous inner development, karma sanyasins can implement it in their lives by first developing attachment. It is only after you have developed a universal attachment to everything around you that you will begin to experience inner detachment.”
Excerpts from the pravachan given by Swami Ramsukhdasji on 21.9.1990 at 5 a.m:
Pay more attention to the renunciation of your flaws than in the doing of good.
Good is naturally there. Remove the flaw and the good appears. Doing good, you get conceit. Not doing wrong there is no question of conceit. Renounce the NOT and the IS remains…This is a very important fact. Remove the attraction to the world and love for God will naturally appear…identify flaws in yourself and good qualities will naturally appear… I will not do wrong is better than I will do good…
Ram Ram
Shakun Kimatrai 