Sensitivity and detached attachement

When you do something, you can be very engrossed into what you are doing. You become - in some way - what you are doing. Another way, is to be aware of what you are doing - you are doing it and you are also kind of watching yourself doing it... and somehow... you maybe laughing and thinking... Hey I am doing my best. So if it does not work out as planned and expected, you are thinking: "Hey I am doing my best". Maybe you will also be thinking: "Hey, can I do something differently?".

Now if I am so engaged into what I am doing, if I am so passionate about doing it, ... isn't it good? My commitment will be strong and I will deploy all my strength, my will and courage... That's a good thing and a sure recipe for success. But now, what if things do not go as planned? My expectations are not met? I am un-able to achieve my goal... Will I get crossed? Will I get frustrated?  Won't I start to react - more and more angrily and growing impatient? Probably. But not necessarily, provided I am able to do what I am describing in the first paragraph: I am watching myself, I am aware of what I am doing and telling myself: Am i doing my best? Yes - Can I do it differently?

By giving myself the chance to follow detached attitude, I am not allowing myself to get too angry or frustrated. I can chose to back out such dreadful and destructive feelings. It's my choice and I am giving myself the chance to make decision because I am NOT just what I am doing, I am ALSO watching myself doing it - This attitude is called detachment.

If I were only detached, would I even start doing what I am doing? Would I be passionate about it? Would I commit all the time and energy into it? Maybe yes, maybe not - And in all likelihood - as soon as I would be facing difficulty and obstacles, my drive would dampen and I may just move on to some other thing - without ill-feeling - true - but without any success, without being able to create the change I needed to as I was starting to do the needful.

Being detached is not the solution - it is only part of the solution. To sustain my effort, I need commitment, passion and engagement. This is some form of attachment to achieving the goal. Now, how do you combine detachment and attachment? This attitude is called detached attachment. Let's bring in the passion, drive and engagement but not at the cost of peace, cool-mindedness and clear decision taking. Let's bring in detachment and a relax attitude, but not at the cost of  nonchalance, negligence or lack of interest.

Now my initial intention while starting this post was to think and share about sensitivity. I enjoy tremendously this moment when I can decide - internally - to suspend all judgment - getting out of fear, out of stress (out of any emotional state, positive or negative) - This create an attitude of observation - like the hunter pausing (see previous blog on pausing). This will call SENSITIVIY. As we develop sensitivity, we build the muscle of detached attachment.

Talk soon ;-)