Desires & Cravings

ByMatthew

There’s a difference between desire and craving. The former is a healthy attraction to something not yet present, that through intention and practice can be created. The latter is an unsatisfiable – and unhealthy –  impulse that, even when sated, reappears quickly, again and again.

This distinction came up for me while watching a video featuring Susan Piver from Jonathan Fields’ Good Life Project.

This idea, or at least the words I am using to describe it, is new for me and perhaps not well-formed, but I want to invite to consider the difference for yourself.

Are you being pulled/drawn from where (and who… ) you are to some place in the future by a calling that allows you to experience yourself, the world, and grow and develop facility with the World (and yourself)? That seems like a good thing. Desire, understood as such, is positive.

But if you are being drawn to things, activities – or people – that drain you, or diminish you in some way, or don’t serve your health and development then perhaps you are subject to cravings. Sometimes things feel good when we have/get them, but don’t feel good after – these are cravings.

Welcome your desires and notice your cravings, consider them lessons; feedback that appears to teach where your work lies.

Similar Posts

  • What Keeps You Small?

    ByMatthew

    Nothing ever goes away until it teaches us what we need to know. – Pema Chodron That which we resist, persists. What keeps coming up for you? “Causing you*” persistent, or recurring, or even occasional, angst, frustration, upset, overwhelm, anger or sadness? What in you must evolve to solve, or better yet make irrelevant, this…

  • Deadlines Produce Bad Work

    ByMatthew

    Is that a provocative enough title? Well, it’s true. So many people say they work best under deadline. They say that deadlines make them more focused, etc.. Unfortunately, they’re mistaken. Yes, deadlines often result in work activity, and usually completion, it is however, not the best one can do. If the measure is (for example):…

  • Get It Out of Your Head

    ByMatthew

    “Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.” – David Allen So much of the stress of modern life is worrying about what we think we need to do and worrying about forgetting what we think we need to do. Putting aside whether or not many of the things we worry about (and do,…

  • Emotions Beat Intentions Every Time

    ByMatthew

    Are intentions important? Absolutely. Is there something more important though? Something that will thwart your intention? Uh-huh. It’s how you feel. You can intend all you want, but if you don’t feel like doing something it won’t happen. Without the emotional energy, in the moment, intentions are useless, worthless. Like a fire place with no wood….

  • Our True Nature

    ByMatthew

    For 99% of us, 99% of the time (and these percentages might be low… ), our true nature is wellness and wholeness. Whenever we are not feeling that, we have “distracted” or “diverted” ourselves from this place of calm, wise knowing and perfect health.* One of the master skills of living is to notice any…