Re: Quote on Complusive Behavior

[Guest guest]

Thank you for posting this.  I have printed it for myself and will attempt to remember to use this when needed!Sue

 

I am reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and I came across this section that so relates to compusive eating (or any other addictive behavior) and I thought I'd share it with you all.

" If you have a compulsive behavior patter such as smoking, overeating, drinking, TV watching, internet addiction or whatever it may be, this is what you can do: When you notice the compulive need arising in you, stop and take three conscious breaths. This generates awareness. Then for a few minutes be aware of the compusive urge itself as an energe field inside you. Consciously feel that need to physically or mentally ingest or consume a certain substance or the desire to act out some form of compulsive behavior. Then take a few more conscious breaths. After that you may find that the compulsive urge has disappeared-for the time being. Or you may find that it still overpowers you, and you cannot help but indulge or act it out again. don't make it into a problem. Make the addiction part of your awareness practice in the way described above. As awareness grows, addictive patterns will weaken and eventually dissolve. Remember, however to catch any thoughts that justify the addictive behavior, sometimes with clever arguments, as they arise in your mind. Ask yourself, who is taling here? and you will realize the adiction is talking. As long as you know that, as long as you are present as the observer of your mind, it is likely to trick you into doing what it wants. "

Alana

-- Sue on FritzCheck out my blogs at: http://alifeofbooks.blogspot.com/http://suesresearch.blogspot.com

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[Guest guest]

> As long as you know that, as long as you are present as the observer

of your mind, it is likely to trick you into doing what it wants.

That's a great quote.

One small but important thing: the last sentence confused me, until I

realised that it should be, " ... it is *less* likely to trick you... "

Paddy

[Guest guest]

I can vouch for this approach. But I warn you that it's an ever-refining

process that will last your whole life.

Definitely you can begin to feel that where you've pushed against compulsive or

addictive impulses, like a sharp " no " and tried to repress them, everywhere you

do that you actually put MORE energy into the system and it strengthens the

addiction.

The trick is to stop playing the game. It's very subtle stuff. I've been a

Vispassana/Insight meditator for about fifteen years, and I have seen a lot of

progress, but it is slow going. Then, I had a lot of issues, including alcohol,

abusive relationships, smoking, and now I'm finally looking at food.

>

> I am reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and I came across this section that

so relates to compusive eating (or any other addictive behavior) and I thought

I'd share it with you all.

>

> " If you have a compulsive behavior patter such as smoking, overeating,

drinking, TV watching, internet addiction or whatever it may be, this is what

you can do: When you notice the compulive need arising in you, stop and take

three conscious breaths. This generates awareness. Then for a few minutes be

aware of the compusive urge itself as an energe field inside you. Consciously

feel that need to physically or mentally ingest or consume a certain substance

or the desire to act out some form of compulsive behavior. Then take a few more

conscious breaths. After that you may find that the compulsive urge has

disappeared-for the time being. Or you may find that it still overpowers you,

and you cannot help but indulge or act it out again. don't make it into a

problem. Make the addiction part of your awareness practice in the way

described above. As awareness grows, addictive patterns will weaken and

eventually dissolve. Remember, however to catch any thoughts that justify the

addictive behavior, sometimes with clever arguments, as they arise in your

mind. Ask yourself, who is taling here? and you will realize the adiction is

talking. As long as you know that, as long as you are present as the observer

of your mind, it is likely to trick you into doing what it wants. "

>

> Alana

>

[Guest guest]

I can vouch for this approach. But I warn you that it's an ever-refining

process that will last your whole life.

Definitely you can begin to feel that where you've pushed against compulsive or

addictive impulses, like a sharp " no " and tried to repress them, everywhere you

do that you actually put MORE energy into the system and it strengthens the

addiction.

The trick is to stop playing the game. It's very subtle stuff. I've been a

Vispassana/Insight meditator for about fifteen years, and I have seen a lot of

progress, but it is slow going. Then, I had a lot of issues, including alcohol,

abusive relationships, smoking, and now I'm finally looking at food.

>

> I am reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and I came across this section that

so relates to compusive eating (or any other addictive behavior) and I thought

I'd share it with you all.

>

> " If you have a compulsive behavior patter such as smoking, overeating,

drinking, TV watching, internet addiction or whatever it may be, this is what

you can do: When you notice the compulive need arising in you, stop and take

three conscious breaths. This generates awareness. Then for a few minutes be

aware of the compusive urge itself as an energe field inside you. Consciously

feel that need to physically or mentally ingest or consume a certain substance

or the desire to act out some form of compulsive behavior. Then take a few more

conscious breaths. After that you may find that the compulsive urge has

disappeared-for the time being. Or you may find that it still overpowers you,

and you cannot help but indulge or act it out again. don't make it into a

problem. Make the addiction part of your awareness practice in the way

described above. As awareness grows, addictive patterns will weaken and

eventually dissolve. Remember, however to catch any thoughts that justify the

addictive behavior, sometimes with clever arguments, as they arise in your

mind. Ask yourself, who is taling here? and you will realize the adiction is

talking. As long as you know that, as long as you are present as the observer

of your mind, it is likely to trick you into doing what it wants. "

>

> Alana

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thank you for your insight. I had a question come to mind regarding what you

wrote: **How does one " stop playing the game " ? What would do that look

like/entail?**

If you find some time to answer this, thank you - I am very appreciative!

~

> >

> > I am reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and I came across this section

that so relates to compusive eating (or any other addictive behavior) and I

thought I'd share it with you all.

> >

> > " If you have a compulsive behavior patter such as smoking, overeating,

drinking, TV watching, internet addiction or whatever it may be, this is what

you can do: When you notice the compulive need arising in you, stop and take

three conscious breaths. This generates awareness. Then for a few minutes be

aware of the compusive urge itself as an energe field inside you. Consciously

feel that need to physically or mentally ingest or consume a certain substance

or the desire to act out some form of compulsive behavior. Then take a few more

conscious breaths. After that you may find that the compulsive urge has

disappeared-for the time being. Or you may find that it still overpowers you,

and you cannot help but indulge or act it out again. don't make it into a

problem. Make the addiction part of your awareness practice in the way

described above. As awareness grows, addictive patterns will weaken and

eventually dissolve. Remember, however to catch any thoughts that justify the

addictive behavior, sometimes with clever arguments, as they arise in your

mind. Ask yourself, who is taling here? and you will realize the adiction is

talking. As long as you know that, as long as you are present as the observer

of your mind, it is likely to trick you into doing what it wants. "

> >

> > Alana

> >

>

[Guest guest]

**How does one " stop playing the game " ?

by honoring your body, eating food that you like, doing therapy so that you can

be more assetive, looking at your body and appreciate it, letting go,

forgiving,etc,etc

What would do that look like/entail?**

A lot of painful but reqarding work

connecting and speaking up so that you find your true voice

good luck

A

> > >

> > > I am reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and I came across this section

that so relates to compusive eating (or any other addictive behavior) and I

thought I'd share it with you all.

> > >

> > > " If you have a compulsive behavior patter such as smoking, overeating,

drinking, TV watching, internet addiction or whatever it may be, this is what

you can do: When you notice the compulive need arising in you, stop and take

three conscious breaths. This generates awareness. Then for a few minutes be

aware of the compusive urge itself as an energe field inside you. Consciously

feel that need to physically or mentally ingest or consume a certain substance

or the desire to act out some form of compulsive behavior. Then take a few more

conscious breaths. After that you may find that the compulsive urge has

disappeared-for the time being. Or you may find that it still overpowers you,

and you cannot help but indulge or act it out again. don't make it into a

problem. Make the addiction part of your awareness practice in the way

described above. As awareness grows, addictive patterns will weaken and

eventually dissolve. Remember, however to catch any thoughts that justify the

addictive behavior, sometimes with clever arguments, as they arise in your

mind. Ask yourself, who is taling here? and you will realize the adiction is

talking. As long as you know that, as long as you are present as the observer

of your mind, it is likely to trick you into doing what it wants. "

> > >

> > > Alana

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

**How does one " stop playing the game " ?

by honoring your body, eating food that you like, doing therapy so that you can

be more assetive, looking at your body and appreciate it, letting go,

forgiving,etc,etc

What would do that look like/entail?**

A lot of painful but reqarding work

connecting and speaking up so that you find your true voice

good luck

A

> > >

> > > I am reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and I came across this section

that so relates to compusive eating (or any other addictive behavior) and I

thought I'd share it with you all.

> > >

> > > " If you have a compulsive behavior patter such as smoking, overeating,

drinking, TV watching, internet addiction or whatever it may be, this is what

you can do: When you notice the compulive need arising in you, stop and take

three conscious breaths. This generates awareness. Then for a few minutes be

aware of the compusive urge itself as an energe field inside you. Consciously

feel that need to physically or mentally ingest or consume a certain substance

or the desire to act out some form of compulsive behavior. Then take a few more

conscious breaths. After that you may find that the compulsive urge has

disappeared-for the time being. Or you may find that it still overpowers you,

and you cannot help but indulge or act it out again. don't make it into a

problem. Make the addiction part of your awareness practice in the way

described above. As awareness grows, addictive patterns will weaken and

eventually dissolve. Remember, however to catch any thoughts that justify the

addictive behavior, sometimes with clever arguments, as they arise in your

mind. Ask yourself, who is taling here? and you will realize the adiction is

talking. As long as you know that, as long as you are present as the observer

of your mind, it is likely to trick you into doing what it wants. "

> > >

> > > Alana

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

easier said than done. I lost a lot of weight when I stopped overeating and I am

still getting rod of big clothes.Part of me does not rrust me and I am holding

on to large clothes just in case.

It has been over 2 years since I stopped my night binges and my body is at its

natural weight or set point.

It has been a long process with a lot of journal writing, tears, therapy,etc

good luck

A

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing this, A.I'm finding that my jeans are getting mighty large, but I'm not worrying about it. Yes, the obsession with food is gone. Of course, I have to be sure not to infuse my excitement about weight reduction (if it is so since I threw out my scales in June) into my path, which is focused on a sane relationship with food. I find at parties and such that I don't obsess about the food, which is actually pretty huge for me. In the past, the food "haunts" me...forbidden stuff or not. That obsession is going away! Doesn't mean I don't overeat, I do, but it's not a biggie. And, yesterday is an example. Instead of eating dinner, which I didn't feel like doing, I had an ounce of almonds. Then I went to a party where I had a few cookies, some gouda flavored popcorn, a piece of rhubarb pie, and a small glass of juice. Not super-balanced, but it wasn't like before where I would have told myself I *should* eat dinner, then on top of that stuff my face. So...progress!!! :)I'll get the book discussion going again shortly, folks. My work has been insane and I've been in and out of town...stay tuned!!! easier said than done. I lost a lot of weight when I stopped overeating and I am still getting rod of big clothes.Part of me does not rrust me and I am holding on to large clothes just in case. It has been over 2 years since I stopped my night binges and my body is at its natural weight or set point. It has been a long process with a lot of journal writing, tears, therapy,etc good luck A