'Letting Go' Explained With Interesting Examples (cont.)

Another example (we had explained one yesterday) of how dependencies trap
us, is that of the monkey; you can trap a monkey by giving it a jar with
peanuts in it. The monkey puts its hand in the jar to get the peanuts. On
having its hand full of peanuts it can't get it out of the jar, so it has
got trapped. To free itself the only thing it has to do is let go of the
peanuts and that way it will be able to take its hand out. That is how we
are at times, like monkeys; we don't let go and we stay trapped in
situations, in people, in the past.

Along the way, we will find a lot of jars with peanuts in and branches to
settle down on - many scenes that will attract us and please us. The
dependency begins, almost without our realizing, when we begin to feel the
desire to be in these situations. The *pleasure* turns into *desire*, the
desire turns into *need* and the need turns into *habit*, then to *
dependence* and finally into an *addiction*. It is fine to enjoy the
branches, but let us keep awake and alert - conscious of our freedom - in
order not to fall into dependence; enjoying the branch or jar without it
trapping us.

(To be continued tomorrow ...)