The world we live in today is a mad race to gather more. True to the name of our ancestors’ “gatherers”, we still continue that way of life. But instead of foraging for survival, we gather to enter a vicious cycle of owning more and losing ourselves. The only difference is that the rush to own everything has caught such impetus that very few among us are reminded to slow down and take each moment as it comes. In this whirlpool of life, we strongly react to every little action. An unfavourable outcome, any minor inconvenience or when things do not go as we anticipated them, has us in shambles- giving knee-jerk reactions or diving into victim mode thinking everything bad has to happen to just us. If this scenario is relatable to you, this blog is for you.

Now, if there is a way, in fact, a mindset that can be developed with patience and practice, that can change the way we perceive inconvenience or changes in life, it would help us gain such forceful positivity and the edge to be prepared for and face life.  That is the art of Detachment. The dictionary meaning of detachment is the state of being objective or being aloof. Being objective is mainly about understanding that there can be more than one way of perception. It is about being non-judgemental. In a society where each individual feeds off the judgement of the other, it is a tough decision to be objective and detached. But the beauty of true detachment is that you do not need to become emotionally vacant or unavailable. It is truly an art of loving indifferently, without expectations, where you have the discretion to utilize your energy where deemed fit.

The art of detachment is letting go of the excessive need to control. Deepak Chopra, a celebrated life coach and spiritual guide once stated, “In detachment, lies the wisdom of uncertainty”. In that uncertainty, you choose to let the best happen without an extreme attachment to a known way of life. Detachment is a subtle way of life. It also translates into having a strong value that nothing should own you- your possessions, your skills, your experiences. You have a proprietorship on each but without them too, you as an individual can break free and live. This mindset for life promotes fulfillment, freedom, and inner peace. It is exactly when Master Oogway conversed with Shifu, in the animated movie Kung Fu Panda: The panda will never fulfill his destiny, nor you yours, until you let go of the illusion of control. You may try, but the seed of the peach tree will grow into a peach tree, and it will bear fruit when it is ready, never before.

To understand the art of detachment, you will also wander on the path of spirituality. The entire concept of detachment and objectivity comes from the spiritual texts. The proof is seen 5000 years ago when Gautam Buddha said, “The root of all suffering is attachment”. There is bound to be sadness and suffering when there is an extremely close affinity and association with the events revolving around life. The goal of detachment is to rise above the naivety of life, learn to let go and walk the path of life through spiritual values.

All said and done, detachment is not a very heavy way of life. Nor is the way to reach detachment a road full of suffering. It is the art of self-preservation. A method of choosing to be silent and introspecting before jumping into the valley of control and expectations.