I get asked this question a lot when I am teaching: does not being attached to things mean that we are not supposed to feel emotions?
Absolutely not!
We can have possessions and enjoy them. There is a big difference between having things in our lives and being attached to them.
When we become imprisoned by our possessions, that is attachment. When we have what we need but we can't stop seeking what is bigger and better, that is attachment. When we become workaholics, taking away valuable time with our families so we can "move up" in status with bigger homes and fancier cars, that is attachment.
Not being attached means that you can own things but they don't own you. By having contentment with our lives at each moment, we free ourselves from the trap of always seeking what is better. Being content does not prevent growth; it allows it. If we become attached to our things, we enslave ourselves. We worry about how to get more things and how to protect the things we already have. Non-attachment allows us to enjoy what we have without worrying about what happens if we lose it. By having this orientation, we become free in each moment to experience and enjoy just being where we are.
Absolutely not!
We can have possessions and enjoy them. There is a big difference between having things in our lives and being attached to them.
When we become imprisoned by our possessions, that is attachment. When we have what we need but we can't stop seeking what is bigger and better, that is attachment. When we become workaholics, taking away valuable time with our families so we can "move up" in status with bigger homes and fancier cars, that is attachment.
Not being attached means that you can own things but they don't own you. By having contentment with our lives at each moment, we free ourselves from the trap of always seeking what is better. Being content does not prevent growth; it allows it. If we become attached to our things, we enslave ourselves. We worry about how to get more things and how to protect the things we already have. Non-attachment allows us to enjoy what we have without worrying about what happens if we lose it. By having this orientation, we become free in each moment to experience and enjoy just being where we are.