Mastering the Art of Detachment

Once you master the art of detachment, nothing will ever upset you. On June 5th 1999, after the counselling session was over and I had just retired to lunch, one of our volunteers rushed in with the news that our Neelankarai premises was burning.

I came out unperturbed and told our volunteers, ‘Ensure that everyone moves out of the premises. It is all right even if the whole place burns to ashes; I do not want anyone of you to be hurt’. And I calmly watched the place that I had so carefully architected, burn to ashes in front of my eyes. Everyone around me was crying but I was unruffled.

That is the true state of a Gnani and I have shown by example that it is possible to attain detachment. I have not stopped with preaching, I have practised it so that it is easy for you too to nurture detachment.

Just accept whatever happens, knowing that God does only good for you and whatever God does, is good for you. Flow along with life!