Oval

Aversion to the addiction. feeds the addiction. The aversion to it feeds it. Negative press on a politician you don’t like is still press No attention to it, giving up me trying to control it, letting it come and go is what gets rid of it. To be averse to it being there is giving it attention which gives it power which makes it be there more. It’s like a slanderous conversation. You can decide to be a part of it or just walk away.

Found this insightful today: “ You will slip up, of course, now and again. These are hard habits to break. But think carefully about just how often you are engaging in these behaviors, and see them for what they are—a temporary fix that can cause a lasting problem. And remember the lesson of the hungry ghosts. The unsettled self can never be sated with food.”

There might always be wanting in my life It just is never special. It never was. There’s nothing to fight or run from. Addiction is as special as any other thought or emotion Fleeting, although seemingly not Until it changes into something else And I am still here I haven’t died I’ve observed And did my best not to react

Recently, I have been practicing mindfulness meditation after watching some basic instructions on You Tube. I have had experience with concentration and deep meditation before, but never took the simple observation and noting approach to the body, thoughts, actions, and emotions. In my short experience, mindfulness is freedom, at the very least. It is almost as if by simple observation, without judgment or controlling, but simply seeing the body, mind, and emotions as they act of themselves they appear to be not a part of “you”. You are the one that is watching all of this take place, as it arises, stays for awhile, and then falls away. Even physical pain is like this; quite literally the pain i get in my hips that, when disassociated, becomes just another sensation and not something that is coupled with aversion. I’ve also applied this to the cold showers i take in the morning. It drastically reduces the somewhat dramatic reaction involved either in a obtuse or subtle way. The cold water i am mindful of is just “cold”. I just take note of it, not reacting to it to much or trying to control it, run away or fight it from it internally. I hope this makes sense. In the same light, addictions, waves of emotion, and thoughts, and the literally rise and fall of the breath can be seen in such a way. You can then carry this observation and awareness throughout your daily life which, honestly, i think is quite a challenge (mainly because it means i have to sacrifice those things which function as distractions for me) but the result is a serene, collected attitude which i think is essential to any massage therapist or therapist in general.   In my opinion and experience, you establish yourself as not your emotions, thoughts, and body but as the awareness of these.  I’m totally a novice. However, so far, this has been helping me a lot though and i hope other people will investigate this practice as well. Thank you Gautama Buddha and other sages who have perfected and taught this. Here is a playlist i have been watching to get the basics of this practice:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL603BD0B03E12F5A1 Have an excellent, productive, and peaceful day

Who benefits from your self-pity. Where does that get you? Get back on your horse.