1/27/21

Notes by Saadhvi Mamidi

How do we act without attachment?

What is action with attachment?

• Actions are done half haphazardly
• Actions are done without full attention
• Multitasking — both actions suffer
• When we act with attachment, we build vasanas which leads to avidya, kama, and kroda

Nature of Attachment

• Attachment begins with constant thinking (a thought)
• One thought grows → we feed a particular thought with attention (which wolf will you feed?)
• We form attachment to that specific thought
• This thought leads to a desire
• When we have more desires, our mind is distracted/fragmented
• As our desires grow in number and density — our mind is agitated
• We feel at peace when we fulfill that desire but only temporarily

Fulfillment of a desire only leads to more desires

• Our ability to think goes out the window when we are agitated, and it makes us forget who we are (what we know makes up who we are!)
• When delusion causes us to forget, we are lost

Attachment is the culprit, it revolves around the idea that happiness is outside of us

Ladder of Fall (Chapter 2 — Bhagavad Gita)

• One thought → attention to that thought → attachment to thought → desires → agitation → fulfillment of desire causes only temporary happiness → delusion → feeling lost

How do we avoid this ladder of fall?

• Be in satsang
• Be around like-minded people
• Consume media that is inspiring
• Practice vedanta!
• Redirect your mind before harnessing it and using it

Acting without Attachment

• Takes patience, vigilance, and awareness of ourselves
• Leads to a calm, collected mind and a dexterous mind (maximum output in minimum time)

Activity: Watching a Steven Universe Episode

• In this episode, Amethyst (a member of the gem community) finds a bunch of jobs for the gems based on what they were good at previously. Steven thinks that the gems should be pushed out of their comfort zone and creates a completely different plan for the gems. At first, these new job placements work, but then they fail. Steven apologizes to Amethyst for not considering her ideas and realizes she was right all along.

What can we learn?

• Steven was attached to his plan for the gems — he couldn’t even consider Amethyst’s plan
• In order to get rid of attachment, we need awareness
• Steven was able to let go of his attachment

RAW: Bake cookies/a sweet treat, but don’t eat any. Leave them for everyone else in your house. What sort of thoughts do you observe in yourself?