Our Attachment To Stuff

Money was my mentor and my measurement growing up.

My dad worked hard to provide for the family. He gave all he had, which included money, time, talent, and energy.

After all he had given, his retirement was not what he hoped. He did not have enough money to retire the way he wanted.

I took it all in at the mental and emotional level as I saw him struggle.

That would not be my path, I said to myself.

Accomplishment, status, and stuff I owned became the driving force in my personal and business life.

However, when I lost my wealth and my marriage all at the same time, looking at the shame I felt inside was not an option.

My self-worth was buried in the attachment I had to the house I owned, the career I had, and the car I drove. The only option was to get to work harder than ever before.

My focus on the outer trappings was what I thought was where I would find happiness and fulfillment.

The need for position, acknowledgment and stuff is deeply rooted in our society.

I see this with people I work with all the time. No matter how much money, status, or stuff they have, there is a feeling of not enough.

The journey of turning inward to re-connect with our true nature is foreign to us.

Our true nature, I call the essential self, has been put away for a long time. We have not heard its voice for a long time.

On the other hand, the ego voice, one we know well, is loud, controlling, and dominant in decision-making, attitudes, and beliefs. It takes credit for our accomplishments, work, and play.

But, as I have turned to listen inward, the ego voice is no longer dominant  and I have found a way to re-connect with my essential self and listen to its voice.

Strive becomes thrive and the need to pursue old, outdated ways falls away.

Namaste!