Devotional Poetry

Outside Myself

Outside Myself:
Meditation on Detachment

Speak! My silent companion. Speak!
The words you overheard,
that phrase that takes me out of self,
and lets me fly like a bird.

What! You say there is no such phrase!
How do I free myself,
become detached from matter's chain?
You must forget yourself!

You must step outside yourself,
become separated -
separated from the problem and the results -
or remain incarcerated.

If you're emotionally attached,
to either messenger
or the message you aren't unbiased.
become the questioner!

Detachment is unprejudiced
it's also impartial;
during its investigation
it remains impartial.

Detachment's neight uninvolved
nor unconcerned,
but it must be dispassionate
in showing it's concern.

To be detached doesn't mean that
you are disinterested;
nor does it mean that you must act
as if uninterested.

To be detached means not attached
emotionally to things;
the practice of detachment
brings freedom to your soul.

Poet's Note: ▼

I wrote this sometime in 148 B.E. The original title was Outside Yourself.