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Grrr
Ren_in_black
Georgia Explorer
in Mindfulness
Anybody else here ever seduced into using mindfulness as a sword and/or shield? As in thinking about troublesome emotions or people and saying, "I'll show you! I'm about the mindful the hell out of this place!" 
3
Comments
Kind of yes. During some troublesome semi-hallucinatory experiences on the edge of sleep I remember thinking, my Zen will protect me!
Not a bad time to consider why the 8FP didn't say to develop concentration, it says to develop "right" or "appropriate" concentration.
Oh and the reason I say "grrr" is because, for me, this habit tends to arise from moments of anger.
I think I hear you saying you're pushing back against or highlighting a sort of weaponized or aggressive attitude involving mindfulness. That in some sense you're not actually being mindful. I think I'm largely in agreement with this.
The thought does arise though, isn't this sort of the purpose of mindfulness? To allow us to remain calm and be less reactive in difficult circumstances?
I think in the best-case scenario, that would be the natural progression.
But in the initial spark, for me, the energy is at least somewhat vengeful. That's where the dichotomy arises. Because of the adrenaline or whatever hormone it might be, there is that little rush that a person could mistake for feeling "good" and then erroneously equate that to being skillful.
Kill The Buddha! No exceptions!
… oh wait too much Zenith grrr …
Stroke the Kitten Buddha! Pah … failed again …
I haz it
The Middle way hey ho!
Everyone a Buddha. Kindly protect and nurture wolves, trees and the growlers …
Be kind. Be good.