By- Dr. Pran Rangan

 

From the moment we come into this world, we start bonding with each other. The small baby after its birth feels this bond with the mother and then with others like father, brothers, sisters and others who show their love and care for it. Thus begins its journey of dependence on others. When it grows up, it starts depending on more and more persons. He depends on some for emotional needs, on some for physical needs and on some for financial needs. This continues well into his adult life, when the need of dependence becomes stronger and stronger with the passage of time. He starts depending on material needs, the circle of which gets wider and wider.

 

The need of dependence slowly turns into attachments with the persons he depends upon. Similarly, he gets attached to material needs. The degree of attachments depends upon the degree of dependence. He is attached more to close kith and kin and less to many other persons and things.

 

The emotional bond or attachment starts becoming a nuisance. This becomes the source of increasing miseries. Nevertheless, his attachments keep getting stronger and his resultant miseries numerous.

 

‘The verse 34 of chapter 3 of the Bhagwat Gita says that attachment and aversion of the senses for their respective objects are natural; let none come under their domination; they are verily his enemies.’

 

The attachments become our enemies. As we must be wary of our enemies so we must guard ourselves against our attachments. We must keep a constant vigil lest the enemy will overpower us.

 

To defeat our enemies for ever, we will have to get rid of attachments. One sign of emotional detachment is the absence of negativity and positivity in the shape of likes and dislikes and other dualities.

 

The attachments, which are most difficult to break, are those having physiological effects, the most obvious being those related to the most basic instinctual and physical needs like the desire for particular and habitual comforts of different kinds. The acquired needs like tobacco, alcohol or other drugs can make for such strong dependencies that the will power to master them often fails. Even sustained efforts at overcoming them may be ineffective.

 

 

Now there arises an important question of how to break the shackles of attachment.

 

One of important ways is to meditate on the futility of emotional attachments daily for some time. Another useful method is to repeat daily affirmations about the futility of attachments. With consistent practice, one can achieve success to large extent. By summoning the help of some divine power, one can break the shackles of attachments.

 

After attaining the freedom by breaking the shackles of attachments, we will be at peace with ourselves. Our relationships with kith and kin and others will become more meaningful, trustful and loving as we will not expect anything in return. We will improve our performance at our workplace as our thinking clarity will be better due to less stress. The quality of our life will dramatically improve.