I was listening to a conversation the other day that got quite heated. Two people were arguing over some political point that neither of them had any direct connection or experience to. Each was trying to convince the other of the right and wrong of their argument. One of them finally turned to me and asked; “What do you think?” I replied, “It’s none of my business.” They both dismissed my ‘ignorance‘ and kept arguing with one another.

It’s reported that Gautama the Buddha said that “The root of suffering is attachment.” I’ve pondered this wisdom for a very long time and have finally come into agreement and alignment with this observation. It refers to an attachment to people, places, situations, things, attitudes, ideas, beliefs and even to the idea of non-attachment. After all, beliefs are simply thoughts you’ve heard repeated over and over again by others and yourself that you’ve bought into.

Choose a belief that you’ve become fervently attached to. Where did it come from? How many times and over what period of time has it been repeated to you, for you and by you? Now take the opposite belief and try as you may to see how someone else might be able to hold that thought long enough to make it a belief they would defend and argue for. How difficult is this exercise for you and how difficult would it also be for the other person? Notice the attachment.

When we begin to recognize that every belief we have is a program we’ve learned we can begin to loosen our grip on those thoughts and begin to grow and expand beyond what we cling to. As Lao Tzu and other spiritually enlightened persons have said: When you realize that everything changes there’s nothing you will try to hold on to. The follow up is that when you’re not afraid of dying, there’s nothing you can’t achieve. Hmmm. . .

The secret here is in giving attention to what brings life to life for you and not arguing with anyone or anything that puts you in a non-receptive mode toward life. How often do you allow yourself to get sucked into a low vibration, low frequency energy field talking about how bad things are? How much time have you spent complaining about things rather than praising the goodness of the moment  and embracing it? Which brings you the most happiness?

What are the variety of threads that have woven your life together? What does the fabric of your life look like, feel like and connect with? To what heights, breadths and depths have you traveled to gather these threads that have woven the tapestry of your life? How can you embrace all of them as doorways to the deep mystery of Life? I invite you to relax into the possibilities greater than what you know and cling to. It’s none of my business but how available are you to hearing anything new . . . . . . . .and the root cause of suffering is what?

• Center yourself and let your breathing gently unravel the ties that bind you to your own suffering. Feel the gentle loosening of your muscles as you sooth and relax them.
• Move to your Heart and feel the silent pulse of Life flowing through you. Relax and release the tension of what you’re holding on to. Realign with your Heart’s song. Listen for the harmony.
• Practice non resistance with each breath. Lean into each feeling and allow them one by one to pass through you. Welcome them. Let them come. Let them flow. Let them go . . .