Desire: now at last stop!

 ABANDON DESIRE,

 

the enemy, along with gain,

 

itself so full of loss, and the good deeds which are the cause of the other two – PRACTICE INDIFFERENCE TO EVERYTHING.

 

Look on such things as friends, land, money, property, wife, and bequests as nothing but a dream or a magician's show lasting three or five days.

 

WHEREVER A DESIRE OCCURS, SEE SAMSARA IN IT.

 

Establishing yourself in firm dispassion, be free of passion and happy.

 

The essential nature of bondage is nothing other than desire, and its elimination is known as liberation. It is simply by not being attached to changing things that the everlasting joy of attainment is reached.

 

You are One,

 

conscious and pure,

 

while all this is inert non-being.

 

Ignorance itself is nothing,

 

so what is the point of wanting to understand?

 

Kingdoms, children, wives, bodies, pleasures

 

– these have all been lost to you life after life, attached to them though you were.

 

Enough of wealth, sensuality, and good deeds.

 

In the forest of samsara the mind has never found satisfaction in these.

 

How many births have you not done hard and painful labour with body, mind, and speech.

 

Now at last, stop!

 

- The teachings of Sage Ashtavakra, ASHTAVAKRA GITA! CHAPTER X.  DESIRE.

 

When it comes to desire, abstinence and stoicism doesn’t get you anywhere. Desires are subconscious, negating them in the name of spirituality just separates you from the life force. You may think you are spiritual but you die inside instead.

 

The path to liberation is insight! We can look through the cycle, the ups and downs of life that are life’s companions. With insight comes equanimity of mind. We are in a relationship, have a good job, may even be wealthy, but they don’t own us.

 

See the attractive woman and realize the work that lies ahead to give her the life she deserves. See the driven young suits and remember the many burnt out colleagues you have known. See Jeff Bezos $500 million yacht and remember JP Morgan owned the titanic.

 

Looking through the cycle doesn’t make us indifferent to life. Instead, we become more sensitive to it while the outside world loses its grip on us. We have Zen eyes, non-duality understanding and the love of Christ in our heart. In love with life, and when death comes, we are ready too.