My attention was caught today by the image of a small girl sent from Austria to escape war arriving in England with one small suitcase, a good coat and a pair of good boots. That case contained all she had. I wondered what I would have in my suitcase if I had to leave everything behind. It made me think about not just the physical things but the attachments, the ideas and emotions which seem to be what I am. These ideas aren't outside, they are ideas which have taken such strong root that it is hard to see without them. We assume we are that person with those needs and it is like an addiction, it consumes all the energy. The suitcase is then firmly bonded to my person and putting it down is the last thing I want to do.
Have you ever been totally consumed by an idea, say of being in love with a particular person? Have you ever been consumed by jealousy? by anger? by curiosity or even by the feeling of having to do something, have something, eat something, drink something, or be something to make you complete. Have you ever felt that you needed to be busy or the be with another person? Especially now I am a Granny I am aware of the times when there isn't so much happening, no family piling in to the kitchen for tea, no job to go to, and just the Grandpa and me wondering what is on telly tonight! But then there is meditation where all the ideas which form the suitcase of belongings get put down for half an hour. Meditation helps dissolve the burdens we carry. Meditation is the best practice for the moment when we do have to leave everything and put the suitcase down whether we want to or not and it allows us to stop worrying if the suitcase is lost in transit. After all, who would really want to go anywhere with a suitcase to carry, it would just cramp our style. So why not put down your suitcase of stuff, find a place to meditate and a person who can teach you how and take the time to sort out and discard the thoughts you don't need.
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