Solarion

Sit or lie down for a few minutes, relax, drift, and practice not wanting for a little while now and then.

Not wanting to consume, not wanting to have, not wanting to understand, not wanting to know, etc.

Just relax and practice not wanting for a little while.

I think a lot of us go around wanting "something" or feeling some vague lack most of the time. Maybe it's the human condition. Maybe it's ancestral genes. Maybe it's the influence of consumer culture.

Unfortunately it's too easy to address that feeling of lack or want in addictive ways, so I think that in addition to abstinence it's a good idea to practice not wanting.

BTW, a quick Google search of "practice not wanting" shows that author James Frey and others (especially Buddhists) have something to say on this topic, so this idea is by no means original with me.

Hoping this suggestion helps.

FreeOwl

yeah.... that's good stuff.

MLD51

I dabbled in Buddhism when I was in my early 20's, and a very anxious and emotional young lady. Can't say it did me much good then, because I was so wrapped up in my own stuff, and didn't have the maturity to get out of my own head. Thanks for the reminder to give this another try. Not desiring or expecting is a good thing to practice. Cuts down so much on disappointment and resentment.

PhoenixJ

Listening to Robert Miles- Dreamland as I type.

saoutchik

Thank you Solarion, not wanting or needing is a useful life skill

site1Q84

Words of wisdom, Solarion! Something to be practiced, indeed.

BrendaChenowyth

You have to want something, you just have to change what you want. And your wants have to be more long term than immediate.

Solarion

Well, I'm not sure about having to want something, but I would agree that goal-setting can be helpful. It seems we are thinking along complementary lines.

We could say that I want to practice being without wanting for a short time or two each day because I think it would be beneficial.

I was specifically thinking of chronic, habitual, aimless wanting or sense of lack when I wrote the first post. Maybe we could call that "generalized wanting disorder"?

entropy1964

This is a very powerful tool in mindfulness and thank you for bringing it up.

My daughter is young, only 16, but she 'gets' that her thinking is not helping her. Your post reminded me to talk to her about this concept. She says she'll give it a go. I hope she does. If she can figure this out, at least minimally, in the next few years she'll make leaps in achieving emotional peace.

I think this state of want/need/consume is a very human, innate trait. And I believe that our consumer culture just feeds it. And the internet makes it an insatiable beast. I have to check myself daily, sometimes hourly. If I'm constantly wanting and consuming, there is no way for me not to be self obsessed and of zero service to others. And that's kind of the opposite of the goals I have set for myself. Its a daily practice for me for sure

Solarion

Frickaflip, it brightened my day to read your post!

teatreeoil007

The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want

biminiblue

Indeed, coming from a place of lack is a form of self-abuse.

Seeing life as abundant and generous is so freeing.

Anna

Well said!

bexxed

Oh, wow, this is really good stuff.

Thanks.

B