Let Go of Desires, Enjoy Freedom
Once upon a time, there was a man who lived alone. He kept his money in a special jar so that no one could steal it. One day, while the man was out farming on his land, a thief broke into his house. Looking for something to steal, he came across a heavy stone jar. He could barely jiggle it to hear the coins inside. He could not lift the jar. So the man stuck his hand in the jar to take out the money. His hand fit perfectly into the jar.
The man grabbed as much money as he could in his fist. But when he tried to pull out his hand, he could not while he held the money. He let go of the money and his hand came out of the jar. But he was intent on taking the money, he tried again and again. Each time he enclosed the coins in his fist, his hand was too wide to fit through the neck of the jar.
Suddenly, the owner came home. But he was so intent upon trying to get the money out that he would not give up and got caught.
We too are like the thief. Desires cause us to be caught with our hand in the jar. They keep us bound to this world. Only by letting go of the things of this world can we be free. We need to stop clutching on to whatever binds us so we can enjoy true freedom.
What kind of joy did the thief find in his pursuit of the money? He ended up a prisoner in the jail. We too are like prisoners in the jail of this physical world. We spend all our time going after things that will not give us happiness. Our material gains can lead us to more bondage if we are attached to them. For example, if we want a big house, we have to work longer hours to make enough money to pay for its mortgage. Then we need to fill it up with more and more furniture. That will take more time to work to pay for it, to buy it, and then to clean and repair everything. Before we know it, the house that was supposed to bring us pleasure has made us a slave to it. We no longer have time for our family, our children, or more fulfilling pursuits. We spend all our time going after things that may not give us true and lasting happiness.
We need to let go and be free. Then, our soul can experience the love and beauty of God.
True happiness comes when we connect with the source of joy within us -- our soul and God. To do so, we must turn our attention from worldly enticements and listen to our soul. Beautiful melodies of God are playing within us all the time. Light and love are shining within us. By turning our attention from the world, we are releasing our hold on the coins that keep our hand stuck in the jar. By letting go, we are gaining eternal freedom. By sitting in meditation, free from all worldly desires and attachments, we can let go and soar back to God.