The Nature of Desires

Aren’t desires bad?

Don’t desires lead to suffering?

Isn’t that what Buddha would say?

If I recall, Buddha would say that cravings and attachments lead to suffering. Desires are a natural part of life.

Properly understood* desires are healthy.

Authentic** desires are healthy.

*  *  *

* To properly understand your desires you must know yourself, both what you value and how your thoughts and emotions interact. When you’re clear on your values, as desires arise – and they will, unceasingly – you will be able to check in with your emotions (which is how your stored memories are communicated through your body) and make wise choices about which desires to prioritize.

** When what you work towards is in keeping with who you truly are, you are expressing yourself in a healthy and sustainable way.

Similar Posts

  • Imagination & Reality

    “Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.” – Albert Einstein Whatever you focus on, with emotional intensity, comes into being. Let’s dissect that a bit: “Whatever you focus on,” the thoughts and images you repeatedly create in your mind; “with emotional intensity,” whether you feel or generate positive or negative emotions around something,…

  • What Are You Hearing?

    When you’re good at something, you’ll tell everyone. When you’re great at something, they’ll tell you. – Walter Payton What are you great at? What have you put the time in to be masterful at? If it’s something great, or even just pretty good, quite likely people are talking to you about it – about your talents,…

  • What Are Your Dreams?

    We all have dreams.  But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort. – Jesse Owens And how clear are they? These “dreams?” If you have goals, then you’ve (actually) clarified your dreams. If not, your dreams are in danger of becoming fantasies. (And…

  • What Do You Assume?

    Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in. –  Alan Alda Assumptions are both helpful and dangerous. Yes, it can be helpful to bring a sense of what something is what you’re doing, but be very…