To understand our attachments, we need to notice where our thoughts go when they have nowhere else to go.

Our minds are always full of thoughts, often moving in various random directions. However, when we are attached to something, our thoughts go very forcefully and frequently toward that object. Attachments can range from healthy to harmful, even to the point of being destructive. Knowing our attachments is essential so we can evaluate their impact on us. But since we can’t easily monitor our thoughts constantly, is there a simpler way to discover them?

One simple test for uncovering our attachments is to observe where our thoughts naturally drift when they aren’t occupied with a specific task. Usually, when we’re engaged in purposeful activities, whether urgent and important or simply requiring attention, these activities consume a significant portion of our thoughts, or we consciously direct our thoughts toward them. For instance, if we’re driving on a crowded road, we must stay alert to avoid accidents, which engages much of our mental energy. However, if we’re on a clear expressway without immediate concerns, driving may no longer demand our thoughts. At such moments, if our minds don’t have a specific direction, we can observe where our thoughts tend to wander.

Do our thoughts frequently go to our finances, romantic interests, political news, social gossip, the latest trends, family members, or our appearance? If our thoughts consistently go in a particular direction when unoccupied, this habit reveals our attachments.

The Bhagavad Gita (14.12) describes the characteristics of passion, including greed and insatiable craving, which arise with strong attachments. When we are attached, our thoughts don’t just meander towards an object like a gentle stream; they rush toward it with the force of a river flowing downhill. The stronger the attachment, the more frequently and forcefully our thoughts go in that direction, even when they have somewhere else to be.

For example, an alcoholic may think about drinking even during an important board meeting, or a college student may be drawn to thoughts of friendship or social activities when they should be preparing for an upcoming test. By observing ourselves, we can recognize our attachments by noting where our thoughts tend to go when they have nowhere else to go, as well as where our thoughts veer, almost compulsively, even when focused elsewhere.

Summary:

Our thoughts may drift in various directions, but when unoccupied, they reveal our attachments by habitually moving toward certain objects or interests. The frequency and force of these thoughts indicate the strength of these attachments, especially when they intrude during times when our focus should be elsewhere.

Think it over:

Take some quiet time to observe your thoughts and consider the possible sources they originate from.

Reflect on occasions when you had no specific task at hand, and analyze the directions your thoughts tended to take.

Recall a recent occasion when you needed to be attentive, but your thoughts forcefully drifted in another direction, and consider what this reveals about your attachments.

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14.12 O chief of the Bhāratas, when there is an increase in the mode of passion the symptoms of great attachment, fruitive activity, intense endeavor, and uncontrollable desire and hankering develop.