Are You Too Attached (addicted) to Anything??

Most people (if not all) are attached to habits (smoking, cursing, jealousy, etc,) objects (food, sugar, coffee, tea, alcohol..) or people (certain friends, etc.). If this attachment is too much, we call it Addiction (Etiad).

An important step in anyone's growth and self-awareness in life is to assess whether she/he is TOO attached or addicted to anything or anyone, and can NOT quit even temporarily. Now there are few habits (like giving away your money to the poor) which may be good, but even then, it's important to be able to "Control" one's urge as there could be a need to temporarily spend money at home or on one's self.

Some of the best stories of addiction to the material world come from Sufi traditions. My favorite story is ......

that of Attar, which shows us that the highest level of freedom is not being too attached even to "Life. " In case you haven't heard this, the following is an English adaptation of the story (copied from Sufi News Blogs):

Legend says that Attar was once sitting in his perfume and spice shop and a dervish entered and asked him to help. Attar refused. Dervish asked him, if you can't let go of materials, Then How Will you Die (and let go of your life?) Attar answered: "As you will." Then the dervish lay down and mentioned the holy name of Allah and died on the spot. This event produced in Attar an indescribable state whereupon he relinquished all worldly matters and joined the circle of the dervishes.

Well, now I know this level of enlightenment may be too far fetched for most of us, but the next time you worry, argue or lose your temper about a couch, a car, a TV, a house, or anything or anyone else that you like too much, remember this dervish. Let Go! before you can be freed of Attachment chains.