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wanting... to have, to avoid
Mar. 25th, 2011 09:21 amFrom Rich Hanson's JOT today...
" The frequent discrepancy between the rewards you expected to get from a want, and what it actually feels like to fulfill it. Similarly, notice that the anticipated pain from the things you want to avoid - especially things that would be good for you to open to or go after - is usually worse than the discomfort you actually feel. In effect, your brain is routinely lying to you, promising more pleasure and more pain than you will actually experience. The reason is that the pleasure and pain circuits of the brain are ancient and primitive, and they manipulated our ancestors to do things for their survival by overselling them about apparent opportunities and over-frightening them about apparent risks."
The mix of bringing science into Buddhist (or any other) practice delights me.
And desire is so frigging huge, desire particulary when it's about wanting/avoiding, rather than expressing. As others have been, I've been looking at fear (touch-and-go) a lot lately. It's interesting to add this to the mix.
I like the JOTs (it's a weekly thing); they often have practical application. He also has a Skillful Means wiki, which is pretty interesting.
" The frequent discrepancy between the rewards you expected to get from a want, and what it actually feels like to fulfill it. Similarly, notice that the anticipated pain from the things you want to avoid - especially things that would be good for you to open to or go after - is usually worse than the discomfort you actually feel. In effect, your brain is routinely lying to you, promising more pleasure and more pain than you will actually experience. The reason is that the pleasure and pain circuits of the brain are ancient and primitive, and they manipulated our ancestors to do things for their survival by overselling them about apparent opportunities and over-frightening them about apparent risks."
The mix of bringing science into Buddhist (or any other) practice delights me.
And desire is so frigging huge, desire particulary when it's about wanting/avoiding, rather than expressing. As others have been, I've been looking at fear (touch-and-go) a lot lately. It's interesting to add this to the mix.
I like the JOTs (it's a weekly thing); they often have practical application. He also has a Skillful Means wiki, which is pretty interesting.
