Written by Lee Lott | 09 June 2011

The refugees currently crossing the border into Turkey from Syria are leaving behind perhaps all that is dear to them. They are travelling into an uncertain future dependent upon the goodness and kindness of others, for their well-being and survival.Their predicament serves to remind us of the impermanence of all material forms. Everything has a beginning and ending, yet it is human nature to forget this. People cling to the familiar for the illusion of control and comfort it provides.

 

All life is about change,  therefore it makes no sense to emotionally attach to people, situations or places, to do so invites suffering.   People create dramas or fall into other people's dramas when they become emotionally attached to them, which is disempowering. It is the denial of  the true power which resides within each individual.  Non-attachment is the exercise of true power, however it takes time to change conditioned thinking and behaviour.

 

 Despite being a very practical tool for dealing more effectively with the challenges of life, non-attachment is rarely taught in schools or colleges.  People learn the habits of emotional attachment, as they witness the stressful dramas acted out daily in the media and perhaps from parents and peers.

People give their power away when they allow themselves to be emotionally swept away by events of the moment.  Of course,  it is sad  to lose a loved one or home, to lose a limb or good health. There are a range of  powerful feelings which need to be honoured and expressed constructively, but they also need to flow back into the river of of life through acceptance and finally non-attachment.

However, dire the circumstances you find may yourself in, there is always a gift for learning and growth. It is the opportunity to discover your True Power. The process is not easy, it takes time, commitment, perseverance and practice to develop non-attachment.  It is worthwhile to do so because acceptance and non-attachment are the keys to claiming your true power. As always, the choice to do so, is yours.