Leave it with the Form

“How do I let my attachment for my children go?” asks a sincere parent as they approach stage 4 of liberation called “Abide in the Self.”

“Leave it with the form…”

What does that look like?

Well, it looks a lot like it already does. If the child needs parental help or guidance the form will be already responding “Wu Wei” or self so. There is no need for a “parental persona” to help. The parental persona, in fact, gets in the way of genuine help. It is rigid and limited. It usually has the goal of “fixing” the child or the “problem” the child is facing, and fixing is not the same as effective action.

The upside to getting out of the way of the form (the body/mind) is that the body/mind has an intelligence that the persona has no access to. The persona is a limited structure and its limits are defined by a perceived need to control the uncontrollable. Whereas the body/mind is connected to this universe and so is capable of more dynamic choices. Its immersion in the now gives it a clear view of the influential factors and offers it choices the persona might never make. For instance, sometimes “true” parenting might look like letting the child figure it out for themselves. The parental “fix it” persona has trouble doing that.

But when we let go – when we let go of the body/mind to fend for itself. Wisdom arises that works “outside the box” of the persona.

It’s unpredictable and unconventional, and if allowed to arise without “pushing and pulling” is usually perfect for the needs of the child and the parent.

Where are “we” in all of this?

We are observing.

We are the awareness.

We are not the body/mind, nor are we interfering with how it operates.

We honor the form by getting out of its way.

In this way the karma that has been accumulated in form continues but “we” – now abiding in the True Self – are not touched by it. We have transcended the realm of karma. This does not mean that the karma is “gone.” The build of up of attachments remain and the body/mind continues to deal with all the karma that results from the years of the accumulated attachments. There is no getting out of it for a relative form.

But we, the REAL us, are not in it.

We watch.

We love it by accepting it.

We are not it.

We leave it with the body/mind.

And let go.