30 May 2008 —
Question
Q61: Bird on twig?
Question 61:
“Amma tells us to be “like a bird on the twig (small branch)”. What is your understanding of this teaching? To what extend do you succeed in applying this into your daily?”
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I always try to remember Amma’s words to be like a bird on the twig. Once the bird comes to know that the twig is going to break it flies off. If the bird holds on to the twig tightly, it will fall badly when the twig breaks. Similarly, if we get too attached to the things of this world, we will feel a lot of pain when these worldly transient things leave us, which they will do one day. So, everyday in the morning when i get up, i pray to Amma to give me the dispassion to not to get too attached to things.
Yes I understand and try to follow AMMA’s teaching of detachment. I try my level best to do all my duties without attachment. I try to keep myself focused on GOD/AMMA and always chant the question within me who I am, I am a peaceful soul and not a body.
Everything is changing in every way, all the time.
As you sit there, or are walking there, and think thoughts about things and are lost in your fantasy, little do you know that a moment from now, you may die.
You will drop everything, Everything, all thoughts, concepts, facts, your home, family, children, money, etc. is gone forever.
In order to not be automatically jump started into yet another life start living in the moment and take Nothing for granted.
And do not react when things change right in front of you. People die all the time. Buildings fall down and trains crash. Nothing lasts in this universe.
i regret not being able to follow this teaching of amma…being an ordinary mortal i easily get attached to what i see and hear..
i easily fall in love with all passing things…..only to get hurt badly later on, when they reveal their true nature……i pray to Her to give me a heart like the bird on the twig….
Before reaching Amma, there will be points of rest that She will provide me with but I should be aware that this support will be withdrawn and I will have to save myself and move on (or Amma will save me). Amma wants us to be alert every moment of our lives. She says, don’t die while living. There are times I am alert but not always. Being alert does not mean to expect something bad to happen always. Maybe, what I should try to do is be alive to every moment – wholly.
A bird, perched on a small branch, knows that the branch may break at any moment; so it is very alert and wide awake, always ready to fly. It knows that if there is a hurricane or a strong breeze, the branch could suddenly break. Amma wants us to be aware that all relationships in the world are temporary and can end at any moment. In the same way, everything (house, objects, etc.) may be lost at any moment. To make a step towards peace and happiness, i try to do my duties with detachment and alertness. I also try to have the conviction that everything that is mine belongs to God.
I try to be selfless towards others. Only to feel like I need to keep detached. I always pray amma AM I SELFISH? I do not know whether I am. I have no habit to keep in touch with my old friends[for example], or anyone else. Only amma knows what is wrong and right..I do not know…
What a beautiful simile Amma uses — be like a bird on a twig. It’s as if Amma is asking us to be in this word but not of it. To perform our many responsibilities (dharma) in our families, workplace, communities etc. with loving kindness, but to not walk around with the weight of those responsibilities on our shoulders and not think of ourselves as the “doer” thereby feeding the ego. It’s as if Amma is saying that we should make ourselves as light as the bird and not get attached to the twig because like the bird, we are meant to spread our wings and fly in eternal freedom of the Self.
It’s mandatory to be dispassionate as any relation falls at any time. We take the support of false relatives which are like the twigs of a tree that are liable to fall at any time.
Naturally, birds like us, if they depend on the false relatives whose love is blind and selfish, they get wounded.
AMMA says, the only true relative is God and Mother i.e. God Himself, teaches us to be strong, good, loving and selfless so that we can fly to any distant and be safe even if all the twigs of all trees fall that we can live even on mountains.
very good question. any moment we can die. so be conscious, be aware, be present, be rooted in amma not in the outside world.
Death could come at any time, so we need to always be ready to take off to the next life. Also, if we have alot of attachment to worldly objects, when they leave us, we will feel alot of pain, like if that bird holds on to the twig too tightly, and crashes into the ground when the twig breaks.
I understand and try to be like that tiny bird. It is not that easy, regular practice is required. It is very helpful to remember this always. Certainly AMMAS this teaching has its strong effect in my life. To what extend i succeded, that, AMMA only knows.
This is such a beautiful image. My understanding of this teaching is that the bird (the wise person) is always alert to the fact that the apparent stability and support of the twig(our status in life, our friends and loved ones etc) may disappear at any moment without warning. Understanding this he comes to no harm when the twig breaks he just flies away – I imagine singing a beautiful song.
I do often manage to think about this very image if I am upset by some sudden change or an unkindness.It really makes me feel so light. I realise it is just the nature of world so why feel unhappy?
To be calmly alert and ever-ready to respond to the inevitable changes that circumstances bring into our lives – not attached to anything to the extent that we can’t let go and move on with only a minimal disturbance to our equanimity. To be able to adjust to new circumstances without clinging to the old unnecessarily. To enjoy the present without worrying about the future or past.To be a free, happy child of mother life!
All the comforts that we are enjoying now may cease to exist anytime and we should be alert and be prepared to face any adversities anytime… Once this feeling is fully developed in our minds, then there will not be any worries whatsoever the situation may be…. As Amma says…”You cannot change the situatiion, but your attitude to the situation will make a big difference for keeping your mind at peace..”
I guess it means to be alert, relaxed singing and ready to fly in case the twig breaks. Well i am not allways singing but i am alert and ready to fly . Thank you.
ha! “Easier said than done” is my humble opinion. Without constant interaction with the Satguru and Her grace, it’s very difficult to achieve this state of detachment and almost continuous adaptation. In due course, however, one does ‘move on’ and ‘surrender’ because progress isn’t possible otherwise. But not without atleast some amount of pain/distress due to attachment and fear of loss.
By continously reading AMMA’s Biography we get the strength to achieve this aim.
I remember Amma’s words that we should practice “shraddha”, be aware of all our actions all the time, while dedicating our actions to God. Our minds tend to be extremely, even in its most subtle form, so by practicing awareness, when the twig breaks or even if the tree falls, we are unaffected.
I guess it just means know what you’re doing all the time.
This advise to all of us about ‘Bird on a twig’ is equally applicable to all.
A bird on a twig is ready to fly as soon as circumstances change. A bird on a twig symbolizes how we should be not attached to anything around us and how we should be ready to adapt to the new situation as soon as it arises.
Amma has such a beautiful simple way of telling us not to be attached to our worldly support systems like money, jobs, status, family, friends because none of this is permanent. We should always be aware that money and jobs can go and death is a certainty for us and dear ones. Sorrows come only to make us realise our true Divine nature and to go beyond our limitations to eternal happiness in the lap of our Divine Mother.
A bird on the twig is always alert. Eventhough it enjoys the outer world and eating its food by stting on the twig it is very very alert and it knows that if a strong wind or strom comes the twig will break and it must be ever ready to fly up.
We came in the universe alone and have to go alone. Till the cremation ground somebody comes with us. Beyond that only our good deeds will be with us.
I always try to remember Amma’s words to be like a bird on the twig. that means alertness, living in the presence. If awareness is there, then we are able to face any problem. so be conscious, be aware, be present, be in amma’s shadow always.