I am looking for freedom in my life. And I know the only way I can find it is through detachment.

Every morning as I am preparing to begin my day I ask for a direction which will ultimately shape my life. During my day little signs will come to me that give me guidance toward my lesson. These come to me in a very profound manner and truly deepen my spiritual connection to all things. It has taken me a long time to learn how to hear this guidance. What I have come to know is that natures messages do not come in form of a bolt of lightening as much as they come as a subtle breeze or light fragrance. And I find that unless I listen very carefully they go overlooked.

The other day I had asked for guidance and wisdom for this New Year. As I journeyed on my daily hike I passed my neighbors house. He had borrowed my ladder a few weeks ago and failed to return it. I saw it in his front yard. I was more amused than I was irritated. But, it lead me to think about him. He has not worked in nearly 3 years. He took a second out on his home some time ago and has been living off of his equity in the hopes that work will come to him. He has almost depleted his equity and has become very over leveraged. If the real estate market ever pulls back he will be in financial ruin.

An old sage had once told me how they use small wooden boxes to capture monkeys in Southeast Asia. There is a small whole cut in the top just big enough for the monkeys hand. Peanuts are left in the bottom of the box. The monkeys descend upon the boxes and reach inside for the peanuts. However, with a fist full of peanuts the monkey is unable to get his fist free from the box. His attachment to the peanuts has lead to his capture.

The world is my mirror and my neighbors dilemma was a mirror of my dilemma, thus my lesson for the day. How am I the monkey? What are my attachments? How do my attachments keep me captive and impugn my freedom? How can I transcend my attachments and dependency that I hold so dearly and transform them into love and admiration? I know if I listen very carefully the answers will come to me. All I have to do is ask.

These were all great questions for me and maybe for you as well. It has started me on my journey for this New Year. And the Journey is where the answers are as opposed to the destination.