Captivity
The mind follows the body into captivity, the disparate comrades-in-arms are usually in harmony.
Have you ever been "captive"? Sure, maybe only seconds or minutes, but trapped you have been.
But also the opposite case occurs, the body follows the spirit into captivity, it just needs both sides of the personality.
There are many people who resign, who voluntarily put themselves in a kind of prison. Then, when life becomes difficult, the mood remains depressed, then anxious characters take refuge in the abandonment of their self-determination, from then on they become externally controlled.
Imprisonment is a burden for body and mind, but the mental component of self-imprisonment, that is clearly more violent.
Whoever is now so insecure that he/she relinquishes sovereignty over his/her own mind and body in order to then, as a herd animal, put the voices in the head to rest, is on a difficult path; perhaps easier at first glance, but in reality incredibly demanding, because "common sense" is no longer allowed to participate here, otherwise voluntary captivity would end immediately.
Sure, "one" can make everything easy for oneself, run after the masses, become and remain a sheep, but such behavior is not in the spirit of Buddhist philosophy, which always encourages reflection on all events that occur, does not give a place to stubborn humility.
What is captivity for you? Can you imagine what it must be like to be imprisoned in a small room? And what it must be like when you place yourself in mental captivity? Try to put yourself in these "cases", what would your life be like if you tried to cushion things differently, if you didn't think, but resigned yourself to imposed decisions?
There are very many kinds of imprisonment, most of the possibilities are self-chosen. But according to the teaching of the great teacher, all this does not have to be so, because at the beginning of all reflection is the question: Who am I?
This is followed by an answer which, in its consequence, will destroy, indeed must destroy, every captivity. No matter what has drawn you into a dependency or attachment, everything falls away when the answer has turned out honestly. If you lie to yourself, you remain in the awkward situation.
Yes, there are constraints in life, no man is an island, some things we have to do, but others we just don't. Which things do you do because you want to? Which ones because you have to? Where is the limit for you?
The way is the goal!
Difficult to fathom, great in arts, the mind revels in thoughts.
Happiness is only for the wise, who keeps him mindfully in bounds.
- Buddha - honorary name of Siddharta Gautama - 560 to 480 before the year zero
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