There has to be a better way . . .

[Richard]

I pretty much agree with a lot of Siren's post. As things or methods to strive for....except # 2

2. Learn to detach, learn to let go.

Attachments and entanglements, of any kind whatsoever, will directly or indirectly create a relationship of emotional dependency which will in one way or another affect you adversely (i.e. you will have trouble letting go, resisting change, or "losing" that object or that person, and this will invariably cause you a certain degree of emotional pain). To put it bluntly: learn to be free from everything and everyone; be prepared and willing to abandon everything at any moment and joyfully embark on a new journey. Adopting this "carefree" attitude will serve you well.
This also applies to cleaning up the slates and starting all over again from scratch, so to speak.
Knowing that the phoenix can be reborn from its own ashes, what is there to be lost, really?

I wholeheartedly disagree with the mindset of freedom at the cost of love of your fellow humans. Thats what this statement seems to imply. At least to me. And its fairly rampant in a lot of new age thinking that puts forward the ideas and cares of the individual ahead of the group..or family.

" To put it bluntly: learn to be free from everything and everyone....?"

No man is an island someone once said. How can you ever love that which you are striving to be free of? I think the challenge is to come to terms with ups and downs of life amongst the crowd and the world. To choose how to react to the catalyst of the day. Thats where your "Free Will" and "Choice" reside.

There is nothing wrong with relationships. Its how we handle them that is the challenge.

Richard