I was talking with some friends today and the issue of non attachment came up. We had been discussing the usefulness of meditation in the grand scheme of things and I have to admit, it had gotten pretty abstract for a while, but the mention of non attachment sent my friend Tony into a kind of disgusted spiral of rage that looked almost like a Marylin Manson Concert. Ok maybe that’s an exaggeration. . . actually it was probably more like a mild intellectual point of contention, but I’m trying to be dramatic to hold your interest so bear with me!
Anyway, he brought up an interesting point that I’ve often heard expressed regarding the practicality (or lack there of) of meditation and being ‘non-attached’. He asked if it wasn’t reasonable to assume that people who are, ‘non attached’ would actually be less likely to contribute to society in a meaningful way because they are not attached to any particular state of affairs. On the surface this appears to make sense because non attachment is often misunderstood as the practice of not caring.
The truth of the matter is really quite different. Non attachment is the art of being free from fear and desire. When we practice non attachment, we do not judge the situation emotionally and we are free to handle
it with a level head and a clear mind. This is the reason great martial artists are able to act so calmly and with such precision in the heat of battle. To them, there is no heat. When we truly practice non attachment, we do not judge the blow that is aimed at us. We simply see that it is there, observe it’s intent and direction and respond accordingly without fear of failure and without imbalanced aggression.
This is obviously an extreme example, but it is true in much more commonplace situations as well, perhaps even more noticeably! For example, when we encounter someone who we work with who has a different approach to solving a problem than we are accustomed to, we might very easily react with frustration and contempt. However if we were practicing non attachment, we would understand that their way is just different and that it must have some merit if it has gotten them this far in life and you might find some way to work together to create an even better solution than either of you could have imagined on your own. This is a 
clear example of how the practice of non judgment can actually make people more productive and more likely to effect positive change in society.
Understand that non attachment is a practice. They call it a practice because it is not the kind of thing most people just master over night. Just be gentle with yourself and try to recognize when you are judging things. Any time you think something is a problem, or think something is ‘too much’ of some way or ‘not enough’ of some other, you are judging. Any time you decide something is wonderful you are also judging. Judgment is not a ‘bad’ thing, so do not judge yourself for judging things !~.^! When you notice your judgments more and more, begin to question them. Ask yourself if it is really true that such and such is a bad thing, or a good thing. 
As you notice and question your judgments you will begin to suspend them naturally and from that a greater sense of presence in the face of adversity will begin to blossom within you as non attachment grows from non judgement. You will find yourself moving through life’s obstacles with unaccustomed and unusual effectiveness and grace.
Peace and Blessings!
Michael Sunspirit
