Detachment vs Indifference

[Anton Rogachevski]

How would you guys describe the feeling of detachment? Does indifference come to mind or are they two seperate things?

[vladorion]

Detachment is simply a lack of belief that an object is going to make you happy.

Indifference is more of a defense mechanism.

[Anton Rogachevski]

21 minutes ago, vladorion said:

Detachment is simply a lack of belief that an object is going to make you happy.

Indifference is more of a defense mechanism.

But surely Detachment is much more than that. Isn't it about not expecting and not having an emotional attachment to the outcome?

[Batman]

Detachment is the realization that the attachment nature is the mind, and that all mind activities are abstractions, so any value assigned by mind to some object or circumstance is a self illusion.

[vladorion]

43 minutes ago, Anton Rogachevski said:

But surely Detachment is much more than that. Isn't it about not expecting and not having an emotional attachment to the outcome?

You have no emotional attachment to the outcome when you don't expect it to make you happy.

[WelcometoReality]

1 hour ago, Anton Rogachevski said:

How would you guys describe the feeling of detachment? Does indifference come to mind or are they two seperate things?

I would describe Attachment as a fundemental part of ego. Attachment to thought, feeling, your family, friends, other egos, spiritual teacher. Could be anything. When there is no attachment there is detachment.

Indifference is more of a closing of the heart. Shielding oneself from feeling.  Often from feeling hurt by others.

[VeganAwake]

Detachment feels like a forced action.

It's a word that implies there is a separate individual which can attach or detach from something.

Awakening is recognizing the individual that seems to attach to certain things or outcomes never actually existed.

Apparent happenings become impersonal sort of speak.

[Tim R]

Detachment is not a kind of unfeeling or isolated distance to what is going on in the world or to reality, People wonder how it is possible to cultivate virtues like compassion and empathy while at the same time being detached. 

But the truth is that detachment is not some kind of dualistic form of detachment, in other words, you don't "distance" yourself from the world, as if you would isolate yourself. You don't say "I don't care". You don't say "no" to the world. Actually, detachment is saying "yes" to the world. Why? Because detachment goes hand in hand with intimacy. The duality between detachment and intimacy is an illusion and will eventually collapse, when you inquire long enough. 

Detachment (i.e. also intimacy) is somewhat like the relationship of a mirror to the reflection it contains. On the one hand, the mirror is completely detached and not influenced from and by its reflected content, on the other hand, the intimacy between the mirror and the contained reflection is total. In fact, it is so close and so intimate, that there isn't really any difference between the two. You are aware of the mirror in terms of it's reflection and vice versa, you see the reflection as the result of there being a mirror.

You can never truly attach yourself to anything. In fact, attachment is a great illusion. It can seem that you're attached to people, things and ideas, but in reality, you're like the mirror. The mirror is not attached to its reflection. The point is therefore not to let go of attachments, but to realize that the attachment itself was an illusion the entire time?

And I'll go so far and say that "Indifference" is actually a form of negative attachment. Because it's avoidance. And avoiding something is not being detached. So, if you were truly detached, you wouldn't have to avoid anything. Notice, how this is also the attitude of Love. 

[WelcometoReality]

4 minutes ago, Tim R said:

Detachment (i.e. also intimacy) is somewhat like the relationship of a mirror to the reflection it contains. On the one hand, the mirror is completely detached and not influenced from and by its reflected content, on the other hand, the intimacy between the mirror and the contained reflection is total. In fact, it is so close and so intimate, that there isn't really any difference between the two. You are aware of the mirror in terms of it's reflection and vice versa, you see the reflection as the result of there being a mirror.

Yes detachment gives intimacy. Which is not something one might think before experiencing it.

The example that comes to mind is if you're attached to someone you are at the same time afraid of losing that person so you might pretend to be something your not in order to keep that person in your life. But then there is a wall of falseness between you and that person.

The same thing can be said about giving demands to that person. That person might pretend to be something its not to keep you in his/her life.

[Anton Rogachevski]

Thank you! You've really shed some light on the topic.

I'm guessing it's that old depression knocking on my door again, but I don't remember that feeling of almost complete indifference in the old episodes. But I did distance myself from almost everyone. (Not that I was close to that many people either way.) 

[VeganAwake]

Liberation is recognizing attachment detachment indifference or any of it, does not matter in any way at all.

It's simply a play of life, no need to figure it out. But attempting to figure it out is also that being what it does.

❤

[mandyjw]

Either of those words can be used in a positive light or negative light. It's all in how it feels to you in the moment. 

[gettoefl]

couple of pointers:

indifference is the opposite of love ... indifference is absence of feeling

detachment is the opposite of compassion ... detachment is absence of caring

[Anton Rogachevski]

9 hours ago, gettoefl said:

couple of pointers:

indifference is the opposite of love ... indifference is absence of feeling

detachment is the opposite of compassion ... detachment is absence of caring

There can't be comapssion without detachment, because being attached is keeping you seperated.

[Gianna]

13 hours ago, Tim R said:

detachment goes hand in hand with intimacy

 

13 hours ago, Tim R said:

. The point is therefore not to let go of attachments, but to realize that the attachment itself was an illusion the entire time

 

13 hours ago, Tim R said:

avoiding something is not being detached... if you were truly detached, you wouldn't have to avoid anything

@Tim R Your entire post is incredibly beautiful. Amazing. TY! 

[The0Self]

1 hour ago, Anton Rogachevski said:

There can't be comapssion without detachment, because being attached is keeping you seperated.

Nah, he’s correct. But so are you. Connection is just separation with a cherry on top. There doesn’t need to be “someone who is detached” helping others as there isn’t anyone to help and it’s all love anyway. Kindness just happens, for no reason.

[Zigzag Idiot]

Would non-attachment be a better descriptor?

[VeganAwake]

Its so close its already the case.

The finding of something JUST doesn't happen.

The seeker is realized to be completely unreal.

So its not a gain in any way...... its a loss of an unreal YOU.

&

It has to been SEEN directly and clearly first-hand for the energetic shift to occur.

Otherwise it's just a surface intellectual understanding.

❤

 

 

 

[Natasha]

@Anton Rogachevski Detachment is non-identification. Indifference is not caring. You can still care while not being attached.