Nothing is yours
Filed under Notes on 2. April 2007 »
When we say that something is ours, be it an object, an opinion, a social role, we are speaking as a person, a separate entity among other separate entities. My opinion is only mine if there is a me, and the me in this instance is the mind made sense of self.
Of course, this is all very useful and practical when participating in the world of form. If I purchase a car, it is registered in my name and I can refer to it as my car. The structures of the world require these distinctions, and it’s easy to see how things would get bent out of shape without the systems of ownership and individuality.
What we are addressing here, however, is not really the outer manifestation of these concepts, but rather the psychological attachment to them. And how the thought of my this and my that fuels and perpetuates the egoic sense of self. There’s nothing wrong with saying “my name is David and this is my house” — the issues arise when these concepts are identified with, and the house becomes part of a pile of thoughts in a form identity labeled ‘David.’ When you feel that ‘David the homeowner’ is who you are, the inherently harmless concepts of me and mine have become part of the illusion of ego.
A good indicator of when you are identifying with something you own, a car for example, is a feeling of either pride or shame. If you are extremely proud of your car and want to be seen in it, or if you are ashamed of it and don’t want to be seen in it, then the car has become part of your sense of self. It is no longer just ‘my car’ in the practical sense, on paper, but a part of what you see as yourself.
In a world where our relationship with objects is so heavily based on ownership, simply going about your daily life can provide the ego with plenty to keep it going. It’s built into our social conditioning to have this subtle sense of identification with the things we own, and just becoming aware of it can be a great opportunity for spiritual growth.
It can seem a little strange and esoteric at first, but try reminding yourself, when you are looking at or using something you own, that this thing is not yours. This computer isn’t mine, this bed isn’t mine, this tea cup isn’t mine, and not even this body is mine. Nothing is mine, because ‘me’ the owner is an illusion.
The next step is then to see that what you think of as ‘your life’ isn’t yours at all, after which all concepts of ownership are recognized as mere surface phenomena. Practical, but ultimately nothing more than a thought in the mind.
Tags: non-attachment , the world
Everyday Wonderland is a weblog on the subject of spiritual awakening, creativity, enthusiasm, inspiration, and generally everything having to do with the higher levels of human consciousness. The author is Helgi Páll Einarsson, 24 years old and currently living in Iceland. He likes books in the morning, making things, and taking long walks.
#1 » Robert Apr 10, 23:06
One can’t help but think of all the reinforcements for possession embedded in using a computer (certainly a PC): My Computer, My Documents, My Music, My Pictures, My Videos, etc. What would be lost by removing the possessive “My” from these labels? A user would still know what they referred to (and wouldn’t need to change them all to “Our” if sharing a user account!).
This reinforcement of the mind-made self’s possessiveness is very subtle, but perhaps also very intentional on the part of software manufacturers: The reflex to possess, which is not our basic nature, when bolstered this way, tends to fuel dissatisfaction and desire. That, in turn, encourages striving to keep up with one’s peers on the material plane, whether or not that actually brings lasting contentment.
And soon the by-products of needless resource consumption begin to cause our planet to warm….