The Distraction Addiction

“We who are like senseless children Shrink from suffering, but love its causes.’

-Santideva Bodhicaryavatara

 

Best Selling Author and beloved Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön speaks of them as ‘Dunzies’ – the mindless distractions that we engage and indulge ourselves in on a daily basis.

The concept of going through life as though we were perusing a magazine – never stopping too long to focus on any one thing and being derailed or subsumed by the next shiny object that is put in front of us is certainly one I can relate to – especially in our culture of ADHD/ADD/24/7/365/30 minutes or less/etc…

This can keep even the most well intentioned of us in a ‘standstill on the treadmill’ – constantly moving and giving the impression of ‘doing stuff’ – but making little or no progress.

Perhaps an epiphany is had during a moment of reflection (read: my Higher Self catches its breath during maudlin forensics of past wreckage)

What is it when all your insight is by way of hindsight?

I can tell you from personal experience – it’s exhausting.

Then come the questions…rapid fire…Internal Monologue on overdrive:

How can I be different? Can I be different? Is it even possible? What is possible?

I don’t know!! I can’t speak for anyone else, but I had never been a fan of uncertainty…

Therefore – the answer was always: look/think/be/do something (anything) somewhere else!

I mean, why address a problem head on today when I can take myself and my thoughts anywhere but here – maybe it will fix itself if I deny its existence…

Distractions – like any good addiction, work like a charm. Until they stop working. And they all do eventually.

But now that we’re awakened to the fact – what next? What now?

Good question!

That’s where developing a personal practice of meditation can be of tremendous benefit – especially with a group of fellow practitioners intent on developing mindfulness (i.e. looking at the reality of things).

By becoming still for a while and looking at the ‘reality of uncertainty’ –

You will find the volume level of life’s distractions reducing as you deepen your practice.

You will find that mainstream science will back you up – Science of Mindfulness

You will also find that you are not – and were never – alone.

 “The bad news is you’re falling through the air – nothing to hang on to, no parachute. The good news is there’s no ground.” ~ Chögyam Trungpa

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