In the modern world we have created a new religion called mass consumption, which promises satisfaction through the constant creation and fulfillment of an endless series of desires. But once we have the desired object, we experience a brief satisfaction of the craving. In this fleeting experience we see a glimpse of what it is to be content and at peace with things as they are. But very soon a new desire arises and we are satisfied again.
An endless vicious circle
We are trapped in an endlessly rotating, vicious circle of desire, temporary fulfillment, followed by new desires and unfulfillment. Finally we have that new car we wanted so much and every time we drive it we feel great, but within a few months we have grown accustomed to our new ownership and crave a bigger and better model to get that feeling of satisfaction to have again. We have finally found the lover or mistress of our dreams, but soon we take him or her for granted and want them to be different than they are.
Addict to lust
Desire is addictive, We always need more. Every time we get what we want, the dose we need to remain even relatively satisfied increases slightly. Before we got our new car we were relatively happy with the old one, but we long for something better. Now that we have something better, not only do we long for something even better, but returning to that old car would make us completely unhappy. Fulfilling our desires not only fails to make us happy sustainably, it actually forces us to maintain an ever-increasing supply just to avoid becoming unhappy!
The fuel of life
Yet desire is the impulse that drives us. It is the fuel of life. If we weren’t hungry, we wouldn’t eat. If we weren’t thirsty, we wouldn’t drink. We must try to see desire for what it is. An inner restlessness that wants satisfaction, but actually only disrupts our natural state of peace and balance.
Discover desires
When your desires become compelling, don’t unconsciously let yourself be drawn into the addictive habit of wanting more. Free yourself, turn within and confront that compulsion, knowing that it is desirelessness, and not persistent desire, that is the path to peace and contentment.
- Focus on the desire and notice the feelings and thoughts associated with it.
- Does it make you restless?
- Does it distract your attention from the here and now.
- Ask yourself why you desire and what you desire.
- What do you hope to feel when your desire is fulfilled?
- Is it the fulfillment of your desire that you crave, or the feeling of satisfaction that accompanies the absence of the desire?