Sunday, May 17, 2009

attachment

earlier i discussed the base function of human mind - learning to give certain output on certain input. every thought we repeat forms certain output on certain input, i.e. forms a habit.

is it possible to have no thought thus no habit? likely. however, to have existing habits fade one has to have no thoughts for months at least. plus it would efficiently deny most of the communication and analytic functions. to cease thought is an exercise, not a goal. thus, forsaking habits is not the goal. while we think, we have habits and we have to think to communicate with other humans.

is it possible to have habits and still be at peace? certainly. what is attachment then? evidently, a habit that brings discomfort. from most trivial like feel depressed or angry if someone insults us and feel anxious if we don't get something to which we are used to; to those more tricky to notice like "he wrote a good thing", "i did well", "i won't be like that".

in a nutshell habit is simple, yet, as complex our mind is, habits aggregate: base habits dictate directions, those of a higher level dictate trends, higher level dictate flows and top level are most evident and easiest to fade, though many find them not easy at all. :) aggregate habits stand together, otherwise they would not have aggregate. and they dictate limitations, to which we adhere. those limitations bring discomfort.

so, how do we break free of attachment? it is to imagine for one moment that there are no limitations. literally. then repeat that thought. then again. and again. and again. and again. then figure most base of attachments and have them fade, i.e. not repeat them. quite simple. quite difficult. :)

and remember: do not believe anything i say. use critical approach and test things out on your own. it is only known way for a human to learn.

good luck.
mickael

2 comments:

Barry said...

These are very interesting posts, Mickael. Thank you for them.

I do think that habits can fade away over time.

But the key point, in my own study of habits (and their close friends, addictions), is that a habit has control over us whenever it hasn't been deeply examined.

When we look into the conditions and tendencies that produce habits and addictions, we have taken the first step toward gaining freedom over these repetitive behaviors.

mickael said...

well, non linear thinking or being happy are habits either. ;)

habits are the way human mind is represented. forming habits is human mind base function. when we control and examine habits, it's habits working with other habits and forming new. :)

indeed, studying habits is important. yet, not less it is important to comprehend what drives the study, thus critically approach any discoveries.

good luck.
mickael