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Awareness and Action
I am reading a book called "The Mindful Way Through Depression" which has introduced me to the practice of being aware as an alternative to endless rumination. I find the practice hugely beneficial but I do have a few questions. I believe the idea of mindfulness comes from the Buddhist tradition so I thought I'd ask on here to see if there were any interesting teachings about my questions.
I guess when I was born I was the epitome of awareness (?). I didn't understand anything. I just looked and heard and tasted and felt without words, and my mind and body grew. Then through copying other people I learnt to speak and think and, in short, live. To live with all the customs and goals of society. Would Buddhism teach that these are false goals, that they are delusions? Sometimes if I am particularly stressed about something I take a moment to tell myself that nothing really matters at all. And then I go on to do what it was I was scared to do, paying attention to the moment. It was my becoming obsessed with 'goals' and 'outcomes' that led me to a cycle of self-analytical rumination and the associated depression.
Obviously we could be mindful in any situation, and it is beneficial to be so. We could be mindful whilst starving to death. We could be mindful whilst living a 'normal' life. We could be mindful whilst killing a child. Some of the 'worst' crimes are committed in a state of rage, and not mindfulness. But once we are mindful, what do we let guide us? Do we just do what feels right, which will be the instinctual result of all our experiences in life so far?
One major question I have since being introduced to the idea of mindfulness is: what should I engage in mindfully? Does Buddhism have any teachings on when to take action? Obviously a question like "when should I take action" can't be answered with a mathematical formula, but are there any guidelines? In my life at the moment I find myself doing things I enjoy, doing things because they are the 'done thing' and doing things to increase my chances of being comfortable in the future, based on past experience. It serves me well to be mindful in all these things I do. And through repeated mindful experience of the task and it's outcome, I guess I grow. But Monks, from the little I know, 'shouldn't' be driven by a desire to experience the same worldly pleasures again and again. What is their motivation to eat?
Thanks very much for your time
I guess when I was born I was the epitome of awareness (?). I didn't understand anything. I just looked and heard and tasted and felt without words, and my mind and body grew. Then through copying other people I learnt to speak and think and, in short, live. To live with all the customs and goals of society. Would Buddhism teach that these are false goals, that they are delusions? Sometimes if I am particularly stressed about something I take a moment to tell myself that nothing really matters at all. And then I go on to do what it was I was scared to do, paying attention to the moment. It was my becoming obsessed with 'goals' and 'outcomes' that led me to a cycle of self-analytical rumination and the associated depression.
Obviously we could be mindful in any situation, and it is beneficial to be so. We could be mindful whilst starving to death. We could be mindful whilst living a 'normal' life. We could be mindful whilst killing a child. Some of the 'worst' crimes are committed in a state of rage, and not mindfulness. But once we are mindful, what do we let guide us? Do we just do what feels right, which will be the instinctual result of all our experiences in life so far?
One major question I have since being introduced to the idea of mindfulness is: what should I engage in mindfully? Does Buddhism have any teachings on when to take action? Obviously a question like "when should I take action" can't be answered with a mathematical formula, but are there any guidelines? In my life at the moment I find myself doing things I enjoy, doing things because they are the 'done thing' and doing things to increase my chances of being comfortable in the future, based on past experience. It serves me well to be mindful in all these things I do. And through repeated mindful experience of the task and it's outcome, I guess I grow. But Monks, from the little I know, 'shouldn't' be driven by a desire to experience the same worldly pleasures again and again. What is their motivation to eat?
Thanks very much for your time
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Comments
Thank you for your questions they gave me a lot to think about. In responding to you, I am working out the questions for myself and hopefully my answers help guide you in some way to the answers that you seek.
Peace and blessings.
We remain mindful of thoughts to not allow desires to take effect.
All negative action is committed because of personal wants. If there are no desires then there are also no negative actions.
It's not about wanting what's good and not wanting what's bad. It's about not wanting at all. Just being pure experience.
I can see how being mindful has brought some questions! If you look around you, you're in a social setting that requires you to have money. So, earn some, but don't swim in piles of gold you hoard through greed. Your body needs food, but don't stuff it so full that you burst your stomach. You have desires, and just be mindful of them so they don't cause you to abandon your sense of morality.
One of the things you might need to let go of is the need to be pure. If you're looking for a set of morals that helps mindfulness and compassion, consider looking into the 5 precepts and the 8 fold path. They're a good start.
With warmth,
Matt