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Friday, December 21, 2007

Attachment and Love

The other day I posted something about our personal environment, such as in the home or workplace. In the post I confessed an attachment for our new kitchen.



Having practiced Buddhism a few years back, I'm well aware of the idea of attachment being a negative quality and the cause of much suffering. I mentioned this in Yoga class earlier this week and a wonderful student, MH, dropped my a note regarding attachment and enjoying life.



"I think you should enjoy and savor your new kitchen in a big way! Those things are fun and part of living this life with joy. I understand Buddhist attachment, but I have my own definition of attachment and it doesn't exclude emotion, or a few things I want to remain 'attached' to for awhile even if those things are not in my best interest."



I loved what she had to say! Sometimes I confuse really loving or enjoying someone or something as being "too" attached. As a mom, that's where I choose to remain attached. Maybe the real negative of attachment is when you believe that your true happiness only comes from these people or things. I know isn't true. So, yes, I will enjoy every moment in my new kitchen; thanks to this lovely lady for reminding me that there are many levels of attachment.

To further bring home the difference between attachment and loving your surroundings -- here's a comment that Laura left on the original post:

"Kris, I LOVE your new kitchen and I personally think it is wonderful that you love it too. Kiss that floor, baby! Detachment doesn't mean not loving and fully enjoying and embracing life and all that it has to offer (including the creature comforts of material things), it just means not to let them BE your happiness. Just let them feed it. Good for you!"


Thanks for ladies for the new viewpoint!
Love Much,

Kris
http://www.totalhealthyoga.com/
http://www.totalhealthyogaclasses.blogspot.com/

Today is the first day of the rest of your life!

1 comment:

@MuseLaura said...

Of course what we are all searching for is the deep, intrinsic happiness that needs “no-thing” besides ourselves. It is so easy to fall into the “buying to find true happiness” trap that is so common in this culture. I can always tell when I have moved into the old consciousness because my joy over a new object is short-lived. How can it be anything but? It falls radically short of the true happiness that comes from deep contentment. When I am in my truly connected place, my joy for whatever I purchased continues. I revel in it. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have whatever I have bought. The difference between this place and the old consciousness is there is happiness beneath the surface of the object. If I were to lose it, I may be momentarily saddened, but the joy will resurface because it wasn’t about the object in the first place.