Web of multiple Desires

Often when we talk of spirituality it is advised to free one from desires and practice detachment. Many Buddhist texts also preach about practicing detachment. Bhagavad Gita also states to work without desire of fruit.

Now, to start with it is not easy to leave all desires at once, in fact many of us are not even able to identify the desire at various levels. To become spiritual is a desire itself, is it not? Desire work at different levels and to start with we should first start simplifying our desires.

At the highest level of spirituality desires may be completely shunned, where you can enjoy your emptiness. But at a lower level simple desires can keep you motivated and give you a purpose and direction in life.

Let’s talk about simple desires and multiple desires. How simple desires can provide thrust and multiple desires can weigh us down. Our relationships are greatly affected by our desires and are one of major source for sorrow and joy. For example you desire a person is a simple desire. You enjoy the company of that person. Now, you start complicating this desire when you start loving certain actions of that person. You desire that person to behave in a certain way, you desire that person to do certain things for you. This is where multiple desires make it hard for the outside world to fit your narrow view of affairs.  This friction between the outside and inside world causes pain.

It is like a writing a computer code. You write a function to do something, and then you put too many if and else conditions in it to get the desired output. More if and else conditions you put larger, slower and complicated the code becomes. If this code goes wrong it is difficult to correct it.

So simplify desires to simplify life, be light to move more, have less to enjoy more. Desire a thing, a goal, or a person and be open to pain, joy, hard-work, sacrifice, fame, applause it bring. Desires flourish in an open heart.