Gautama Buddha is attributed as teaching that the root of all suffering is desire. The Tibetan Buddhists refined this and teach that attachment to desire is the root of all suffering. As a result of these teachings we become aware of both our desires, which continually arise, and our attachment to these desires – how invested we are in fulfilling them. In general we are most attached to desires arising from chakras one and two – survival and sex. Our consumer society and its marketing machine is based on creating desires, linked to these chakras, and stimulating attachment to them.
An interesting new-age aspect of “manifesting our own reality”, and the “power of intention”, is that it can lead to greater attachment to our intentions (desires). Knowing these teachings, recognizing the potential for the manipulation of desires and attachment, and working with them can greatly assist us in reducing our personal suffering and moving to freedom.
However, lurking in the background are our aversions. What we don’t like, don’t want, what’s not fair, what is not right, etc. These aversions have great potency, since they are the tips of the icebergs of our fears. Our attachment to them far outshadows our attachment to desires.
They bind us tight, and steer our lives from the back seat.
.
© 2011 Rick Ellis. All rights reserved. ricknotes.com
You may copy and distribute this article if you change nothing, credit the author, and include this copyright notice and web address.