Detachment is the Essence of Neutrality
Detachment is the essence of neutrality towards everything
We are the universe, and the universe is within us. The individual self (Jiva) and the Divine (Ishwara) reside within our body. Since the Jiva is inherently a manifestation of the Divine, whether it realizes it or not, every effort it makes is ultimately a movement toward God. However, the Divine remains entirely detached. Therefore, for the Jiva to realize the Divine, it too must cultivate detachment.
It is essential to understand the correct meaning of the word “detached.” Its present participle form means “to act with neutrality, like a guest, without attachment or ownership.” This refers to maintaining the state of witnessing, seeing things as they are, without overreacting, or judging; and remaining unaffected by the outcomes. Neutrality is the state of equanimity, where highs and lows are observed with equal clarity. As Essence refers to the “core, fundamental nature” of anything, detachment is that foundational quality that allows neutrality to exist.
In spiritual terms, detachment means observing life without identifying with it, just as a guest observes without personal involvement. This witnessing attitude (sakshi-bhava) allows the seeker to align with the Divine’s nature and progress toward self-realisation – letting go of personal attachments, desires, biases, and emotional entanglements.
Why Detachment Becomes Difficult
We can remain detached in matters concerning others, but when challenges arise in our own lives, this sense of detachment fades. The reason detachment vanishes during personal crises is that we can observe others with greater clarity than we can observe ourselves. This is because we identify with our body, considering it to be who we are.
The root of this identification lies in the fact that the individual soul (Jiva) exists between the Divine (Ishwara) and the body. Facing toward the Divine, the soul looks at the body. However, forgetting “I belong to the Divine,” it starts believing “I belong to the body.” Eventually, this belief becomes so ingrained that the soul firmly identifies with the notion, “I am the body.” When the soul aligns itself with the Divine, it naturally manifests divine qualities – self-luminous, all-powerful, free from sorrow, immersed in self-play, and content within itself. But when the soul identifies with the body, the qualities of the body begin to dominate. The soul becomes powerless, lowly, dimmed in light, filled with ego, fear, and anxiety, indulging in bodily pleasures and becoming engrossed in physical attachments.
In summary, when the soul (Jiva) turns toward the Divine, it perceives nothing but Godliness in the entire world. In every event, it sees the hand of the Divine at work. Even within itself, it experiences the presence and power of the Divine. As a result, the soul sees, hears, speaks, and knows only through the awareness of the Divine. Filled with profound love for the Divine, it remains immersed in the bliss of God.
In contrast, when the soul (Jiva) turns toward the body, it sees nothing beyond the body as important. In every event, it acts with the thought of how the body can derive pleasure. Out of deep attachment to the body, it becomes engrossed in caring for it. As a result, the soul sees, hears, speaks, and understands everything only through the lens of the body. This is the soul’s degraded state, trapped in bodily identification.
The point is that currently, our soul is in bondage. Attachment to anything other than the Divine becomes the cause of this bondage.
Practising detachment is essential to break free from this state and turn toward the Divine. Detachment is a state of mind that can be cultivated in any circumstance.
Detachment to meet Desires
One of the seven spiritual laws of success is the law of detachment. It means to achieve our goals, we must be detached from the outcome of our desires. Only then can one achieve success in what one desires. This means allowing things to unfold naturally without forcing them. The key lies in practising letting go of the need to control outcomes and trusting the process.
Having some desires while engaging in worldly activities is natural, but there is a significant difference between holding temporary desires and living solely for desires. In the latter, there is no detachment. For example, a person may desire to visit a shrine. This desire is appropriate. However, if for some reason, the person is unable to make the journey, his inner contentment should not be disturbed. One who remains unaffected, finding neither joy when desires are fulfilled nor sorrow when they are not, can truly conquer desires. Mastery over desires lies in maintaining equanimity, regardless of whether worldly matters unfold as hoped or not.
Detachment and Tapas
The practice of contemplating the Divine by controlling the senses and the mind is known as ‘tapas’ (austerity). Practising tapas requires great patience. It is natural for worldly circumstances to obstruct efforts to control the senses and mind. However, the greatest challenge comes from within – we become our own obstacles. When we say, “What can I do? My mind doesn’t listen to me!” we acknowledge the distinction between “I” and the disobedient mind. Yet, when the mind chases desires, indulges in the unwanted or the distractions, the sense of “I” merges with the mind, experiencing the pleasure of fulfilling those desires. True tapas lies in remaining vigilant at such moments, observing bodily pleasures from a state of detachment as a witness (sakshi-bhava). Practising this detachment becomes more effective, which helps maintain focus and steadiness towards the target.
Though the Divine is extremely subtle and beyond the mind, the mind is the only available means to reach Him. For an ordinary person, the practice of forcibly habituating the mind to chant the Divine name is their form of ‘tapas’ (austerity). The Divine name (like Omkar) is complete, self-luminous, and inherently perfect. Because of this, it has the power to lead the soul toward the Divine. However, if the medium – our mind – is impure, filled with flaws, or dull, the radiance of the name may be temporarily obscured.
Detachment and purity of mind
If a soul entangled in materialism maintains a connection with the Divine name, the material entanglement will either fall away or become purified and subtle. The tendencies of the senses to turn outward toward the world, the mind’s interest in worldly objects, and the body’s craving for pleasure are the coverings of material attachment.
In some cases, material possessions disappear, leading to the end of attachment, while in others, the desire for objects fades, naturally dissolving attachment.
Even people who have achieved great fame and recognition often act with weakness when influenced by desire or envy. This illustrates how much determination a seeker must show to completely eradicate such flaws. The potential to develop this competence lies dormant within every individual. Learning to control one’s flaws and use them appropriately when needed is an essential quality of a seeker.
Without purity of mind (chitta-shuddhi), self-realisation cannot be attained. In spiritual parlance, purifying the mind means making it subtle. According to the wise, the world is a combination of the material and the subtle. The subtle is superior to the material—it is more expansive, complete, and eternal, and sustains the material. However, as long as the seeker’s power of perception remains entangled in the material, they cannot experience this subtle reality. Therefore, instead of getting caught up in sensory indulgence, physical austerities, or mere rituals, the seeker must cultivate discernment (vivek) to refine and subtle the mind. This subtle mind enables the seeker to transcend the material and experience higher truths of life.
Constant contemplation of the material makes the mind materialistic, while continuous focus on the subtle makes the mind refined and subtle. This subtlety enables detachment in the real sense.
Detachment is NOT the same as Apathy
While Apathy is about “I don’t care.”, Detachment is about “I care, but I’m not owned by it.”
It’s not indifference or apathy but rather a calm, centred state not ruled by cravings or aversions.
Detachment in Practice
When detached, one can make decisions without being clouded by emotions or personal agendas. You don’t avoid life; rather, you stop letting every experience pull you into suffering or elation. You can see clearly because you’re not projecting your desires or fears onto what’s in front of you.
A person living by the Ganga can see their reflection in its waters. Although the reflection shifts with the flowing water, the person remains unaffected by it.
Similarly, a doctor in a hospital examines patients and prescribes appropriate medication, but whether the patients recover or not does not affect the doctor emotionally, as there is no personal attachment to them.
In a heated argument, detachment allows one to listen calmly rather than react defensively.
In success or failure, detachment means you stay balanced — you learn, but don’t let your identity rise or fall with outcomes.
These are a few examples of living with detachment – acting with involvement, and without emotional ownership or personal concern. This is the essence of neutrality, where one performs actions as a witness, unaffected by outcomes.
At its core, detachment emphasizes that true understanding, peace, or mastery in life often comes not from clinging or control, but from “letting go”.
Few perspectives on Detachment
In eastern philosophies like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism, detachment is seen as essential for liberation. While Attachment causes suffering, as it has control over the outcome, Detachment brings freedom. When you’re not bound by desires, identities, or outcomes, you experience clarity and peace.
In modern psychology (especially mindfulness-based therapies), detachment can be healthy emotional regulation, for it doesn’t mean indifference, but non-reactivity. Essentially, you observe thoughts, feelings, and events without becoming consumed by them. This helps reduce anxiety, over-identification with pain, and impulsive behaviour.
In creative and intellectual domains like art, science, and philosophy, Detachment allows perspective. A great artist often detaches from ego; a great scientist detaches from bias. Objectivity requires a kind of mental detachment — seeing things as they are, not how we want them to be.
From an existential perspective, it hints at the impermanence of all things: Everything arises and passes. Nothing lasts. If that’s true, the essence of everything is change — and to live well, we must NOT cling to any of it.
Does it mean “nothing matters”? Not necessarily. Detachment doesn’t mean you don’t care — it means you care without clinging. It’s about engaging fully, but with awareness that outcomes, people, and even self-concepts are ultimately fluid.
Source: Mundaka Upanishad
