Minowani's Writings

on what the Buddha taught

Very often it can be heard one should not attach; one should let go.

I am not to found of this letting-go. Not that we should not let go, but without proper understanding I find it not to helpful. Often a very rigid letting-go is viewed. While there is the case were it can also be seen as ‘no worries’, ‘relax’, ‘just let it go’, which already make things lighter. Perhaps a more beneficial approach is not to take it as an instruction but seeing it as a result from developing understanding. The more wisdom is developed the more letting-go will naturally follow.

But it can work as a reminder. Before engaging or when separation sets in it can be handy to remind yourself it might not be worth the trouble to hang on to things-that-follow-their-own-agenda to such an extend they will cost you your own happiness. Letting your happiness depend on things you don’t have control over might not be the wisest thing to do. Unguarded this can still go the rigid way but perhaps it helps comparing it with enjoying a bird in the wild vs capturing that bird and put it in a cage so you can hold on to it even longer. The free bird flying away doesn’t come at the cost of your enjoyment at all, it does its thing and you can be happy about it even when that bird is already out of sight.

And this letting-go is not seen by others as a form of disinterest or anything negative, quite contrary, by letting go there is more room for kindness, generosity, compassion, etc. So just keep it light (loose) instead of heavy (attached). Be wise about it. Let it go… free.