Post by roberto on Feb 2, 2013 22:25:08 GMT -8
A bit of a misleading title, but it got your attention so I'm gonna roll with it. ;D
My dude jason brought this forum to my attention and also inspired me to write about what I believe is one of the most important concepts in spirituality.
Why can we not be present in the moment? Because the mechanics of aversion and desire are not understood. PRESENCE IS EFFORTLESS.
One of the strongest pointers I've ever heard was, "Mind stops PRODUCING desire-based thoughts when one stops indulging in desires." <----- This is KEY! If there's anything to take away from this post, this is the ticket. In fact, feel free to stop reading here. Just notice this in your own experience and experiment.
I am emphasizing the term, "PRODUCING". The reason being for that is you don't have to try and free the mind, or try to quiet the mind, or whatever the hell it is that most peeps do to be present. Once again, effortlessness is what I'm talking about here.
Regarding the present moment, the mind may say, "this is boring." or "this sucks" or "I don't like this" or "I would rather such and such." This moment is only not okay in comparison to something else. Going for a walk is boring compared to drinking a beer and eating a cheeseburger while scanning Facebook with the TV on in the background. But when those thoughts do not arise, THIS IS ENOUGH!
What I want to talk about from here on out is the whole process of the arising and cessation of desire. It's absolutely imperative for this whole process to be realized experientially for any of this to make sense.
YOU WANT A QUIET MIND, YOU SAY? YOU WANT PEACE (well, you probably don't)? THE FOLLOWING IS THE KEY...
1) The first thing to notice is that desire yields very little reward
Think sex, for example. Men (and women so I hear) spend their whole lives chasing girls looking for that sexual high. A man's climax lasts just a matter of seconds. Look at how much time most peeps think about sex, and how little the return is. (To tie in the title of this post, the same goes for masturbation)
The same goes for eating, and many more examples. A 30 minute TV show, validation from a peer, a new shirt or pair of pants. Boom! That high is gone instantaneously.
2) The second thing to notice how desire arises
The arising of desire, leads to the chasing of desire, which leads to more desire based thoughts, and so on.
I don't know if anyone here has spent much time going out to bars or clubs. But this is the example that comes to mind. The common behavioral pattern is to go to bars, get intoxicated and seek out sex (more desire). If sex is unsuccessful, then its indulging in shit bar food or fast food after a night of drinking, perhaps a night-cap. Also common, is to hear people say, "I only smoke when I drink." Or, there's the after-sex cigarette and perhaps a late night sandwich.
This is also why peeps spend so much time in front of the TV. It's one show after another, preferably while snacking on or drinking something, and perhaps keeping the laptop on hand in case someone "likes" one of our posts on Facebook.
We could go on an on here.
But if we're paying close attention to what's actually happening, it's not that desire leads to more desire. It's that the high ends, suffering ensues, and more desires arise to distract us from the suffering. Cuz… who would want to suffer, right?
3) The third thing to notice about desire is the suffering that it causes
Eating that burrito with a side of french fries and washing it down with a 32oz coke may sound enticing, but being full to the rim produces so much suffering that it's hardly worth it.
Downing that 12 pack of beer is all fun and games until you have to face the hangover the next morning. The price is a whole day lost in utter misery.
It's important to notice the suffering aspect of desire because once one become aware of the fact that most of their suffering is the result of indulgence, they are less likely to indulge if desires happen to arise.
The interesting thing is that most peeps don't know how badly they're suffering, or that there's an alternative, because they never make it out of this fog. THIS IS THE HUMAN CONDITION.
4) The fourth thing to notice is that non-indulgence (aka working through suffering) results in the cessation of desire
This can take some time to understand depending on how much pleasure has been experienced. Most won't bother to give up their desires long enough to even notice what's on the other side. I am emphasizing here that ONE HAS TO BE WILLING TO WORK THROUGH SUFFERING TO NOTICE WHAT FOLLOWS ONCE THE SUFFERING PASSES.
The mind's common response here is, "Fuck it."
For me, a full weekend out with my friends in a highly stimulating environment takes me about one to two full days of doing chores, going on walks, relaxing, and meditating to recover. I know I'm in the clear when I can sit in my chair in silence for a full hour without getting restless or doing chores without having thoughts like "this sucks". But, that's just my personal gauge.
Quite frankly, it doesn't matter what you do, as long as it is non indulgence. I mention chores, meditation, relaxation, and walking because those are excellent tools for working through the storm of desire-based thoughts.
You hear the old adage, "freedom is through suffering." Well, this is where it applies. When desire-based thoughts are arising, mundane reality sucks balls. But those are only thoughts, not the truth, and those thoughts can be let go of. The suffering I'm talking about here is boredom and restlessness. "This is boring" thoughts are typically accommodated by discomfort, unease and utter suckiness. It's important to notice the suffering because that's the clue that it's time to rest.
To be content or be at peace, there is no way around this. Suffering is the pre-requisite. But suffering does pass, so.
5) The fifth thing to notice is that suffering passes
There is some overlap here with the previous point, but I want to emphasize it because what happens when this is REALLY understood, there's no longer any resistance to suffering. Impermanence is one of the core teachings in Buddhism, and it's some important shit to understand.
When it's understood that suffering will indeed pass, and rather quickly, then there will be less resistance when it comes so we can work through it and enjoy the fruits on the other side.
6) The sixth thing to notice is the peace and contentedness that results when desire-based thoughts no longer arise (mostly)
It's important to notice this aspect of the process because once one truly tastes peace, pleasure pales in comparison.
I recall being at a meditation retreat, and while I didn't have to work through too many desires, I did have to work through some. By the end of the retreat I was so fascinated and in love with what we consider mundane experience that I couldn't contain myself. In the morning of the the last day of retreat the teacher did a little bowing ceremony in the dark (it was before sunrise) with only a candle lit. The candle was flickering too and fro, the teacher's shadow was dancing on the wall, and I was so mesmerized by the beauty that I cried uncontrollably for the entire first sitting. To this day, I can't think of anything more profound that than experience.
I do, however, want to make one clarification. And that is that even though this process may have be understood fully, desires may still arise. It's just that the strength of those desires don't have much pull because there no longer any belief in them (see points 1, 3, and 6).
Welcome to peace my friends.
/end
My dude jason brought this forum to my attention and also inspired me to write about what I believe is one of the most important concepts in spirituality.
Why can we not be present in the moment? Because the mechanics of aversion and desire are not understood. PRESENCE IS EFFORTLESS.
One of the strongest pointers I've ever heard was, "Mind stops PRODUCING desire-based thoughts when one stops indulging in desires." <----- This is KEY! If there's anything to take away from this post, this is the ticket. In fact, feel free to stop reading here. Just notice this in your own experience and experiment.
I am emphasizing the term, "PRODUCING". The reason being for that is you don't have to try and free the mind, or try to quiet the mind, or whatever the hell it is that most peeps do to be present. Once again, effortlessness is what I'm talking about here.
Regarding the present moment, the mind may say, "this is boring." or "this sucks" or "I don't like this" or "I would rather such and such." This moment is only not okay in comparison to something else. Going for a walk is boring compared to drinking a beer and eating a cheeseburger while scanning Facebook with the TV on in the background. But when those thoughts do not arise, THIS IS ENOUGH!
What I want to talk about from here on out is the whole process of the arising and cessation of desire. It's absolutely imperative for this whole process to be realized experientially for any of this to make sense.
YOU WANT A QUIET MIND, YOU SAY? YOU WANT PEACE (well, you probably don't)? THE FOLLOWING IS THE KEY...
1) The first thing to notice is that desire yields very little reward
Think sex, for example. Men (and women so I hear) spend their whole lives chasing girls looking for that sexual high. A man's climax lasts just a matter of seconds. Look at how much time most peeps think about sex, and how little the return is. (To tie in the title of this post, the same goes for masturbation)
The same goes for eating, and many more examples. A 30 minute TV show, validation from a peer, a new shirt or pair of pants. Boom! That high is gone instantaneously.
2) The second thing to notice how desire arises
The arising of desire, leads to the chasing of desire, which leads to more desire based thoughts, and so on.
I don't know if anyone here has spent much time going out to bars or clubs. But this is the example that comes to mind. The common behavioral pattern is to go to bars, get intoxicated and seek out sex (more desire). If sex is unsuccessful, then its indulging in shit bar food or fast food after a night of drinking, perhaps a night-cap. Also common, is to hear people say, "I only smoke when I drink." Or, there's the after-sex cigarette and perhaps a late night sandwich.
This is also why peeps spend so much time in front of the TV. It's one show after another, preferably while snacking on or drinking something, and perhaps keeping the laptop on hand in case someone "likes" one of our posts on Facebook.
We could go on an on here.
But if we're paying close attention to what's actually happening, it's not that desire leads to more desire. It's that the high ends, suffering ensues, and more desires arise to distract us from the suffering. Cuz… who would want to suffer, right?
3) The third thing to notice about desire is the suffering that it causes
Eating that burrito with a side of french fries and washing it down with a 32oz coke may sound enticing, but being full to the rim produces so much suffering that it's hardly worth it.
Downing that 12 pack of beer is all fun and games until you have to face the hangover the next morning. The price is a whole day lost in utter misery.
It's important to notice the suffering aspect of desire because once one become aware of the fact that most of their suffering is the result of indulgence, they are less likely to indulge if desires happen to arise.
The interesting thing is that most peeps don't know how badly they're suffering, or that there's an alternative, because they never make it out of this fog. THIS IS THE HUMAN CONDITION.
4) The fourth thing to notice is that non-indulgence (aka working through suffering) results in the cessation of desire
This can take some time to understand depending on how much pleasure has been experienced. Most won't bother to give up their desires long enough to even notice what's on the other side. I am emphasizing here that ONE HAS TO BE WILLING TO WORK THROUGH SUFFERING TO NOTICE WHAT FOLLOWS ONCE THE SUFFERING PASSES.
The mind's common response here is, "Fuck it."
For me, a full weekend out with my friends in a highly stimulating environment takes me about one to two full days of doing chores, going on walks, relaxing, and meditating to recover. I know I'm in the clear when I can sit in my chair in silence for a full hour without getting restless or doing chores without having thoughts like "this sucks". But, that's just my personal gauge.
Quite frankly, it doesn't matter what you do, as long as it is non indulgence. I mention chores, meditation, relaxation, and walking because those are excellent tools for working through the storm of desire-based thoughts.
You hear the old adage, "freedom is through suffering." Well, this is where it applies. When desire-based thoughts are arising, mundane reality sucks balls. But those are only thoughts, not the truth, and those thoughts can be let go of. The suffering I'm talking about here is boredom and restlessness. "This is boring" thoughts are typically accommodated by discomfort, unease and utter suckiness. It's important to notice the suffering because that's the clue that it's time to rest.
To be content or be at peace, there is no way around this. Suffering is the pre-requisite. But suffering does pass, so.
5) The fifth thing to notice is that suffering passes
There is some overlap here with the previous point, but I want to emphasize it because what happens when this is REALLY understood, there's no longer any resistance to suffering. Impermanence is one of the core teachings in Buddhism, and it's some important shit to understand.
When it's understood that suffering will indeed pass, and rather quickly, then there will be less resistance when it comes so we can work through it and enjoy the fruits on the other side.
6) The sixth thing to notice is the peace and contentedness that results when desire-based thoughts no longer arise (mostly)
It's important to notice this aspect of the process because once one truly tastes peace, pleasure pales in comparison.
I recall being at a meditation retreat, and while I didn't have to work through too many desires, I did have to work through some. By the end of the retreat I was so fascinated and in love with what we consider mundane experience that I couldn't contain myself. In the morning of the the last day of retreat the teacher did a little bowing ceremony in the dark (it was before sunrise) with only a candle lit. The candle was flickering too and fro, the teacher's shadow was dancing on the wall, and I was so mesmerized by the beauty that I cried uncontrollably for the entire first sitting. To this day, I can't think of anything more profound that than experience.
I do, however, want to make one clarification. And that is that even though this process may have be understood fully, desires may still arise. It's just that the strength of those desires don't have much pull because there no longer any belief in them (see points 1, 3, and 6).
Welcome to peace my friends.
/end
