The Hook of Self

The way one gets hooked to things all comes from the same inner attachment to self and the only way there will ever be freedom from these hooks is by simply not attaching to self.

When life is seen through the sense of self, everything that appears seems to have a hook attached to it. Whether the hook takes hold and if it does how deeply it locks you in, is dependent on how conscious you are of this. But understand the hook is not on what is being viewed, the hook is on the way the self sees what is viewed. Mostly we go through life unconscious, thinking everything is outside of us and although it is, the hook of the view that is seen as self is what causes you to become entrapped to whatever it is you see.

Simply put, the controlling energy of your life can’t be any different than where your self focus is, and your self determines what is focused on. Focus on pain and the pain will cause unnecessary suffering. Focus on lust and the ensuing action will follow. Until you can see how your own self hooks you and learn to not attach to it, you will have very little control over what holds you in captivity. Truly understanding this makes all the difference in the world as to what hooks you and the suffering that’s experienced because of it. This doesn’t mean you have to go around being perfect, just understand the hooks are there and when you get hooked it’s only because of the attachment to self. In this understanding lies your freedom because although you may get hooked, it won’t be your focus if you don’t attach to self.