Escapism

ibruce

Hi all - I have a question about escapism and its place (if any) in the life of a Buddhist. If we're all aiming to be as mindful as possible, does that negate the option of immersing oneself in a good novel, movie or even a self-created fantasy for a short time? Watching a movie mindfully and observing the way the mind reacts to what happens on screen is okay, but deliberately allowing yourself to 'get sucked in' still has its good points IMHO. I'd be interested in the opinions of anyone more experienced than I am, which is basically anyone at all

jll

Allowing ourself to escape into the fantasy of a movie, a novel, a romance is the mundane life.
That is what we do all our lives.
You try to be mindful when you realise all those fantasies are not beneficial in the long run.
Can you find something more meaningful to do than watching a movie for 90 minutes?
Monks are not allowed to watch movies.
There are quite a few successful people I know who dont watch TV.

ibruce

Interesting response. But surely you're not saying that a lay Buddhist should renunciate something just because it's part of the 'mundane' life? I mean, I married my wife when I was being mundane...

ddrishi

Being totally mindful while watching a movie, reading a novel or listening to music, if one is deeply interested in any of these activities, can be one of the best forms of meditation. Even creating a fantasy and watching it at every step is meditation.

jll

You will renounce what you are ready to renounce.
As for your wife, I would recommend you not renounce her for now. lol.

Interesting response. But surely you're not saying that a lay Buddhist should renunciate something just because it's part of the 'mundane' life? I mean, I married my wife when I was being mundane...

ibruce

I have to watch movies / read novels / imagine scenarios as part of my work, hence the original question. I think I'll stick with the mindful approach in the short term and view it as a meditation as ddrishi said. And then, one day, I'll be in a position to renounce (the entertainment, not the wife) lol.

SattvaPaul

I think "renunciation" is one of the most misunderstood things in Buddhism.

There are different approaches. Some people have the view of "mundane" vs "supra-mundane". To them, renunciation is abandonment.

However, there are also teachings within Buddhism that don't hold this view. Sacred and profane are one. Renunciation doesn't mean abandonment of activities/relationships/material possessions. It means viewing them for what they are. Unsatisfactory, transient. Renunciation is letting go of attachments. You can still enjoy your life.

But not easy.

I would concur with what @ddrishi said above.

But on the topic of escapism, I think it is also useful to note how we are often using our Buddhist practices to escape.

genkaku

One of the daunting recognitions in a Buddhist practice is that there is no escape. Where ELSE could you be? What ELSE could you do? When ELSE can anything happen? True, we can encourage ourselves to do something else, but at the moment of doing that something else, what else could there be?

This is spooky stuff since the ordinary way is for the mind to be all over something-else like white on rice. Improvements abound. Downsides threaten. And "I gotta get outta here" rings in the mind.

Bit by practicing bit, the dime drops. There is no escape ... and it's not really all that bad.

Theswingisyellow

I am going to mindlessly kill some Zombies, later I will meditate, draw, clean my house, and play with my sons. Middleway.............

ibruce

Lol - at least you're not playing Whac a Mole