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Paradox of craving..

JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
edited April 2010 in Buddhism Basics
Sometimes I have the experience of wanting something to pick me up and put me back to the right state of mind. I think that is like craving. I might decide to check a forum in hopes to learn something or play a game or phone someone. Eat something delicious. Go outside. But the whole motivation is to get some kind of good feeling.

I have experience with this and I've found that its a kind of restlessness. At a certain point eventually the restlessness ends and I feel a relief because that negativity is gone. Ironically at this time all the same things: learning, playing, talking, eating, sightseeing all the sudden become more delightful because I have gotten off the hook of restlessness.

But ironically I don't seem to learn anything from it. The next time I feel restless I just idolize that relief and I am saying "come on relief" "I can't take it".

So the paradox seems to be that I don't learn from the experience of relaxing from the craving. I don't know how to reproduce this. It just occured to me that a good deal of buddhism is about freedom from craving but I have to say that I haven't learned all that much. Which is not to say that I haven't ever had an experience of relief. But it is always temporary.

Just thinking aloud...

Comments

  • RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
    edited April 2010
    Jeffrey wrote: »
    So the paradox seems to be that I don't learn from the experience of relaxing from the craving.
    That repeated failure is very important.
  • PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
    edited April 2010
    when the relief comes, as much as i can say, spend some time with it thoughtfully and considerately and milk it with meditation and let it expand. restlessness is one of the 5 hindrances which is overcome by serenity, so i would say learn what make you serene, and truly serene, and take note of that, guard it. tai-chi is also pretty good to combat restlessness i think. if it's physical, move around and make weird movements like you are on drugs or something. if it's mental, start talking irrationally, maybe that will help. moohoohahahahaha!!
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited April 2010
    I took tai chi for awhile. Forgot most of the movements. I do find walking meditation a bit helpful.
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