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Buddhism, Lent and letting go of attachments
karasti
BreathingMinnesota Moderator
I wasn't sure where to put this one.
A lot of people around me are practicing Catholics, and are of course in the midst of Lent. The point of Lent is to sacrifice something for that time period, because of the sacrifice Jesus made, right? (I have never been Catholic so I'm not sure I have that 100% correct). When I was younger and my mom converted to Catholicism, I asked why she gave up meat just to go to a fish fry, when meat was never a sacrifice for her. I asked why she didn't give up makeup, or her morning coffees, or something else. She looked like someone just shot her dog. It was unthinkable that she'd have to sacrifice something that might cause her to suffer even in the least. It's easy to give up meat one day a week when you could care less and just go to community fish fry or McDonald's.
So, in the theme of Lent, I am wondering if any one here does a similar practice? Deciding to give up something you are rather attached to for a set period of time. What did you give up? For how long? How did it go?
I have been considering doing this, but I admit it's a bit scary to think about, lol. That to me is a sign that perhaps I should do exactly that, if I am afraid to give something up for, say a week, or a month, that says a lot about my attachments. How do you practice letting go of yours?
I gave up FB for a week, I didn't log in at all. I had an initial sense of anxiety over it, because it's so much of my daily routine to check in with certain people. But after several hours I settled in and just spent my time doing other things. However, I went right back to it after the week was up without looking back.
A lot of people around me are practicing Catholics, and are of course in the midst of Lent. The point of Lent is to sacrifice something for that time period, because of the sacrifice Jesus made, right? (I have never been Catholic so I'm not sure I have that 100% correct). When I was younger and my mom converted to Catholicism, I asked why she gave up meat just to go to a fish fry, when meat was never a sacrifice for her. I asked why she didn't give up makeup, or her morning coffees, or something else. She looked like someone just shot her dog. It was unthinkable that she'd have to sacrifice something that might cause her to suffer even in the least. It's easy to give up meat one day a week when you could care less and just go to community fish fry or McDonald's.
So, in the theme of Lent, I am wondering if any one here does a similar practice? Deciding to give up something you are rather attached to for a set period of time. What did you give up? For how long? How did it go?
I have been considering doing this, but I admit it's a bit scary to think about, lol. That to me is a sign that perhaps I should do exactly that, if I am afraid to give something up for, say a week, or a month, that says a lot about my attachments. How do you practice letting go of yours?
I gave up FB for a week, I didn't log in at all. I had an initial sense of anxiety over it, because it's so much of my daily routine to check in with certain people. But after several hours I settled in and just spent my time doing other things. However, I went right back to it after the week was up without looking back.
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I believe lent was when Jesus spent 40 days in the desert without food and maybe water idk and the devil tried to tempt him but Jesus resisted all the temptations.
My 'Buddha-lent' sacrifices would be: (1) the laptop, (2) which would consequently mean no music, (2) reading books or ordering them online, (3) no tea (4) no chocolate (5) no pizza. (That may seem to be a short list, but I haven't got much of a life outside work and I am already something of a minimalist - I don't even eat very much, except when indulge in the aforementioned pizza)
I would probably have to at least allow myself to read-- otherwise there would be nothing else to do but zazen all day long!
The first week of Great Lent is called clean week and begins the Monday following Forgiveness Sunday. Only water is consumed, and one small meal taken at mid week, until that Saturday.
Throughout the season the following practices are observed.
*Abstinence from all meat and dairy products.
*Abstinence from alcohol and olive oil. It is only consumed on prescribed days, typically the weekend.
*Fish is permitted on only two specific feast days.
*Abstinence from sexual activity.
*Increase prayer and spiritual reading.
*Increase service to others.
*Money saved from fasting is to be given to the less fortunate.
Not all, due to things such as health, age, or other circumstance are able to keep the entire practice, and there is nothing wrong with that. Their spiritual father will allow accommodations as necessary for each person's condition, but they are held in confidence out of respect of others. In these instances another type of sacrifice is made similar to what @karasti and @riverflow have mentioned. Some even choose to add these other types of sacrifices as a personal choice to enhance their practice.
Anyway, it is ultimately a matter of choice, and is never forced. One chooses to follow in some way or not.
@Silouan interesting, thanks for sharing that. Good things to consider!
Its one in five.
It is severe, but it isn't impossible, and there are those who can keep it and others who can't. Its not meant to be made a big deal either way. That would be missing the point of the practice.
I must admit giving up is the wrong approach for me, I prefer to eat more meals that consist of nothing . . .
There is Buddhist fasting practice
http://freshrawlife.wordpress.com/2010/12/21/buddhist-fasting-practice/
Also, shell fish is permitted for consumption during Great Lent for Orthodox Christians, so you might want to avoid contact with them during this period to be safe, but at least they won't lather you in butter if caught.
Anyone have suggestions? I usually only eat meat a few times a week but I'm having trouble finding ways to fill my menu now especially since it starts tomorrow. I really dislike beans but I'm afraid I'm going to have to choke them down whole to get as much protein as I normally eat. Either that, or a WHOLE lot of yogurt. The other 4 people in my family will still be eating meat, so I have to work around their menu, their cooking and such. I forsee a lot of crock pot.
When my time of abstinence draws to a close I try to keep a close watch on how my mind reacts. Usually the night before I can see it get really restless and the craving starts to go mad in anticipation. The really interesting thing is once I do engage with my particular craving again I can really notice the negative feeling associated with the craving and it feels like quite a bit of suffering mixed in with the pleasure of whatever. Remembering that feeling helps to curb my appetites during the rest of my life.
The Patriarchate for my church is in Damascus Syria, so it has Arabic roots, and my family has been introduced to a lot of tasty vegan dishes during fasting seasons. We have learned how to prepare some of our favorites, well, not me, but my wife has. I prefer her humus and tabbouleh over any store bought brands. When a prolonged fast is coming she will stock up on supplies purchased from an Arabic market.
However, despite the church's Arabic roots we are very culturally diverse. A Theravada monk once visited our temple during Liturgy to investigate the architecture for ideas, as he was planning to build a Buddhist temple. He later commented to our priest how beautiful it was to see so many different people together, so there are many other foods we have been blessed to enjoy, but my personal favorite is Eritrean dishes prepared by my wife's godmother.
There is more than one way to cook and prepare a bean.
I reached out to some of my friends who are vegetarian and vegan for ideas, they know me well so have offered recipes they know I will be able to eat with my various limitations (grains and dairy). A lovely woman in our Sangha came forward with a webpage she runs that is based not only on vegetarian diet, but mindful eating, so I appreciate her efforts and will use them, I am sure.
We don't live in a very (ok, not at all, really) ethnically diverse area. We're about 2 hours from any sort of ethnic grocery stores. Though we are planning a trip to visit family and will be able to check out several. They are, unfortunately, 300 miles away so it's not something we'd be able to do often, but it'll be a nice treat.
Thankfully, deciding to not eat meat for the month makes it much easier to decline my grandmother's invitation for Lutefisk, LOL. *shudder*
The 8 precepts are what Buddhists traditionally try to follow on such practices. Those are the usual five, and:
- The one about sex being total refraining from sex.
- Refrain from entertainment (music/tv/non work computer things) and make up/jewelry
- No food after midday
- No over sleeping
I did them once for 6 weeks (length of lent basically) on a retreat and it was very nice actually. I got another kind of energy out of it that I never experienced before. My mind was also much clearer and so meditation also became deeper. I did not have too much trouble keeping the 8 precepts because of that.
I am considering to follow these precepts minus the one of eating after midday for 3 months in my home life,starting soon (so if I'm not on this site anymore, you know why
To physically abstain from things is a practice in its own right that is often overlooked, I think. Go for it! In the suttas the Buddha praised it a lot. No need to do the 8 precepts, but whatever you think is healthy for you to abstain from. In modern society I think a lot of people will benefit from giving up internet connection and the telephone at some times. Perhaps on sunday or something.
But whatever you decide, don't base your decisions on fear. You are right, what you are in fear of losing is in fact what you need to let go.
However, I got an iron deficit-- some people need ferric iron, not ferrous iron in order to get enough iron in blood. I got concerned when my blood seemed more orange than red when I scratched myself, for instance.
Note, we have had had a set of discussions on what is needed for weight loss on Icrontic's forum. And losing weight from fasting was thumbs-downed by quite a few people from their hard experience, over a week fast resulted in significant muscle loss. You are starving the body, it will use up muscle and fat with no incoming food-- simple fact. No liquid either, it will clog up and die.
People have survived with little to nothing for weeks, but they come out much weakened, and that story is seldom told. I have not survived with nothing in, but once survived on a pot of rice for three days, with a hamburger patty broken up and boiled in it, and did that three times in a row. I was very weak afterward, and soon put back on the weight I had lost because I was working a 40 hour week during that time and the work was physical work.
The without side effects is without long term side effects for many, but not for all. My prostate slowed my metabolism drastically sometime during this time in my life, and I am now on a permanent (tested once every six months for hormone levels of metabolic hormones now) high dose of prostate gland stimulating hormone called levothyroxine (do not self-admin this without a prescription and blood hormone level monitoring, can be quickly fatal to do so). My prostate almost shut down on me, and I have a chronic iron shortfall in diet of food that is fixed by ferric iron tablets now. I am 59.
It is hard to increase the dose to too much iron, but if you get thirsty all the time you have more than you need. Ditto if some people feel very warm, one symptom of having more than needed is very warm feeling and thirst with it to normal thirst can mean it is your metabolism and iron in balance pretty much. That is how doctor knew to do iron workup along with T metabolites testing, I was feeling real cool at 76 Farenheit with short sleeve shirt on and long pants on. It took 80 degrees ambient temp for me to feel warmish when my iron or my metabolism was underdone.
So, rough gauge if money is tight, temp at which you feel cool and warm versus what you feel eating meat and eggs, with metabolism normal, its iron if you feel unusually cold a lot. Iron thickens blood, helps it dissipate more heat to outer parts of body by helping it hold inner heat (gotten from travel though muscles which gen heat when exercising) until it travels to surface areas of body, and you feel warmer-- that is true on average. there are some exceptions for folks, but they are not average.
So, as and when you meat and milk fast or abstain, emphasize dark green veggies more and consider a supplement tab. do you have access to a walmart or health food store, or walgreens/drugstore that stocks natural vitamins? Think about that to yourself, please. I get my ferrics in bulk at either Walmart or Walgtreens, they keep reasonably well. They are also CHEAP, though not as cheap as ferrous iron tabs.
Yesterday was no problem not eating meat. Today I am going out to eat with my mom for Mother's Day so hopefully I can find something I can eat, lol.