Master and slave

There is something uncomfortable about the notion of permanent slavery in the mind. Like people who believing so deeply in the concepts of who they are. Someone once said to me a sentence that illustrated this. ‘Once an addict (or alcoholic) always an addict’. 

Addiction is not about substances. As many of us are now addicted to technology, fears, our egos… the definition of addiction extends to mind patterns or any habitual behaviour. Most of us are addicted to our beliefs, of being right, comfort zones, a person or fears… the list goes on. Addiction is a strong attachment and the target of attachment is really not quite the point. 

To be free from any addiction is to be the master rather than the slave. It is what Kung fu means in Mandarin. Someone who has mastered a certain skill, behaviour or action. To be a master is freedom and that can only take place if one gains awareness through contemplation and practice. 

We are not stagnant pieces of matter as human beings. We are not boulders (even boulders are not unchanging!) At every moment, we have changed from the last and can change for the next. 

There are slaves who are freed. There are slaves who became masters of themselves. Similarly, there are addicts in slavery of their egos and secretly, their fears. I suspect… they are the ones who say  ‘once a slave (or addict) always a slave’. 

Namaste.