Buddhist Support
 

Namaste! This thread is for those who follow a Buddhist path and are working on losing weight.

Human life is precious, and many teachers have spoken about the importance of long life. One way to help ensure long life is to have proper nutrition. The right foods are very important, as is the right attitude toward food.

We are constantly bombarded, however, with foods that are not nutritious and that increase our desire and attachment. Advertising seeks to further increase desire by equating having the right food with enjoying life.

The law of cause and effect is very clear in such a case. When we are attached to certain kinds of food, when we desire foods that are rich, luxurious, and tasty, and when we allow that desire to lead us into "unconscious eating," we cannot escape the results of these actions.

How can we use our dharma practices to help free us from this cycle of food-based desire and overindulgence? Please share your experience and thoughts.

Jay

Jay,

I've been watching this thread hoping others more informed would chime in. I'm just starting to read more extensively about Buddhism, but I have been attracted to it for a while. Until recently, I had been a lacto-ovo-vegetarian for ethical and ecological reasons, but for diet reasons I started eating fish again. It seems to be a slippery slope, because I've had chicken a few times since then when it's offered to me. Not that you have to be vegan to be Buddhist, but I know many people are.

Laura

Hello, Laura, and thanks for writing!

Actually, many Buddhists are not vegetarian. It depends on the sect and the individual. American Buddhists seem to think that it is required, but not so. In fact, the Buddha himself was not vegetarian.

Here is a website that has more information:

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/vegi.html

In Tibet and Nepal, for example, vegetarianism is not very practical, and so animals and animal products are an important part of the diet.

I think moderation is a good path to follow. Also, I try to choose free-range chicken and meat from animals that have been well treated, if it is possible.

I hope some other folks who are Buddhist or interested in Buddhist thought will join in!

Jay

Hi,
I am currently in the midst of learning more about Buddhism, I have attended a meditation course and have read some books... and as a result I have been applying some buddhist techniques to help me with my weight loss.

Typically I am some one who is always preoccupied so mindfulness practices make me focus on the present which I find reduces my incidental eating. Instead of finding myself at the kitchen bench eating without realising it, I am making more conscious choices about sitting down to eat and also of paying attention to what and how I am eating...

Being a mum and a uni student I find it difficult to fit in times of structured meditation everyday. So perhaps it sounds a little odd but I meditate while doing daily tasks.. probably a cross between meditation and a mindfulness practice. I typically do it while cooking or preparing meals. I recite the Metta Bahvana words but tailor them a little... may my family be well, may they be happy and may they be free from suffering... and I also focus on how what I am preparing for my family fits in with the metta tenets.. What vitamins or nutrients are in the food that I am cutting, does it positively power our bodies and minds, and I really focus on the physical acts that I am performing. How the knife blade feels in my hand, the grain on the wooden spoon, my posture while standing, the smell of the cooking etc..

I hope that doesn't all sound too odd? But I have found that I am simply more aware of what I am doing to myself...

I hope that everyone is ding well.. I look forward to more discussion about buddhism.

Cheers,
Marianna

i wouldn't call my self a buddhist although i do have a very strong interest in it i'd class myself as a taoist though the main reason i never got fully into buddhism was the vegitarian thing i love my meat to much cheers for the link i'm sure it'll be very helpful

Hello again!

Mariana, I like your form of practice. It can be so hard to remain mindful in the midst of daily life, but that is really where the practice counts.

It is harder to just eat on "automatic pilot" if one is staying present in the moment.

slimmingsi, I've seen your posts in other places. Welcome! I like Taoist philosophy as well.

I have been thinking lately of how easy it is in samsara to turn almost anything into an object of attachment--wanting food, for instance, and by the same token, wanting to lose weight. I said before that losing weight is important for health, and it is, but I must look sometimes at my motivation and see whether I'm losing weight out of a desire to change "my body" to be the way "I like it." Attachment to an image, a cultural idea.

Still, I do want to treat food as it is meant to be treated, and not as an object of greed and desire.

I hope everyone is doing well. May you be free of suffering and the cause of suffering. May you know joy and the cause of joy.

Jay

Peace to all. I am a practicing Buddhist, belong to a group that does Gongyo once a month. I never thought of the "spirit" aspect of eating, and my weight problems. I do meditate almost every day, but rarely around the subject of food. What I do is the Western concept of self-hypnosis. This takes practice. Basically, I sit at the table, bring myself to center through breathing, then imagine myself eating some of the0 wrong foods and feeling uncomfortable for a short while. I mentally shrink the image and I let it go in a bubble of light. Then I think of myself eating wisely, never feeling full, and allow that image to grow in a white light in my mind. Does it work? You have to try it to know.

This is by no means an original idea. It is culled from several books on mind control and self hypnosis. Truly, I wish that I could reach my normal weight and not put so much effort into an awful thing like being overweight. I'd rather think of meditation for other purposes, but people say that many forms of meditation are possible: walking, eating, working...not just the quiet, Zen-type that most people are familiar with.

It is lovely to have this forum to express our views and to help one another. I especially related to Artemis02 who focuses while preparing food, etc. This is truly meditation, even though she calls it differently. She is focused on bringing the best to her family and she does it by mental focus. Trust me, this is not an easy thing, and again, requires discipline and practice.

For anyone who is interested, we can chat on meditation from the Buddhist perspective and from the secular persepctive. I have been doing meditation for 19 years, and find it to be one of the most fulfilling things in my life. Wishing you all peace...and mindful eating!! Cathy

Well perhaps some of you may be able to help me.. As I mentioned i rarely am doing a formal meditation these days, partly due to time constraints, but also because i have found a few blocks with the Metta Bahvana practice of meditation. I have been doing the mindfulness of the breathe meditation for some time and find it to be rejuvenating and clarifying for my mind. But I am really struggling with the Metta Bahvana meditation.

I begin with trying to give Metta to myself.. and to be honest, here is where the problem lies.. I seem unable to generate that feeling. It doesn't flow well. If I move forward the rest of my meditation is affected and I find it difficult to concentrate.. I become discontent with the lack of compassion that I feel for myself.

I typically follow the meditation.. by starting on myself, someone I love, someone that I am ambivalent about, someone I have difficulties with and then onto all sentient beings.. I find that if I bypass thinking about myself my practice is deeper. But I am concerned about not being able to generate this feeling towards myself.. surely I should! I think that being able to master this meditation will help faciliate long term change in my life.. make me happier, more content. I feel more postive after I have done this exercise. What attracts me to meditation is the feeling that by strengthening my mind I can change my reality and effect positive, lasting change.

Do you have any suggestions on visualisation or on ways to remove this block? Thank you in advance for your time and input.
Marianna

Mariana...it seems that your meditation is chock full of a lot of objectives. Slow down a bit, that might help. If you ecnounter obstacles with one concept, work on that before moving on. Self-appreciation and self-love are very important, from our perspective as Buddhists. Christians say it, but few can live it. We always want to put people/other before us. This is a guilt-based attitude that is cultivated in the western world in general. But even Christ said, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." It begins with the very difficult thing of self-love. Even in my practice as a psychologist I find patients who cannot love themselves, are guilt-ridden if they do. Their issues are deeply rooted and it takes years to uncover the gratifications that come from such a self-destructive attitude.

Mariana, you have distinct advantage: You are not neurotic (laugh!) and you are in the practice of meditation. Without too much analysis, you may want to break down the objectives, shorten the period of meditation and work on self-love/appreciation, then stop. Practice that many times. Gradually add other portions of the meditation as before, and see if it help. The mind is restless, and wants to go on to the other, more self-effacing aspects of meditation, and ultimately you are short-changing the whole process.

For me, tonglen, the Tibetan concept of taking another's suffering on myself is difficult. Perhaps I need to work through my own suffering and karma before I can assume that I am good enough to work an another person's. Good luck in your endeavour, Mariana. Peace to All.
Cathy

Thanks Cathy.

Mariana,

Please let me know how your practice is coming. Let me know also if your weight loss is progressing and if you are applying meditation/focus to curb appetite, or what. I am not too thrilled with my super-slow loss/plateau, and need some help, too. Also, a totally non-Buddhist question, but good for the spirit: where do you guys get those wonderful little icons, etc. Too sweet, make me laugh!
Thanks, Cathy

Hi Cathy,

My weight loss was going better, but I recently returned from a trip to Cambodia and unfortunately the selection of food wasn't great. I have poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and my endocronologist advised a reduced carb/ good carb diet.. to help control the insulin problem that I have. I was doing it by myself a few years ago and had some very good success, but have managed to stack on the weight after the birth of my daughter. So while doing some research I found this site and as a consequence am doing the south beach diet.. I hadn't heard of it before but it is essentially the same eating plan that was given to me by my specialist... I think that it is perhaps a very balanced way of eating and is applicable across many people's weight issues, as it focuses on eating whole foods and reducing or eliminating the refined foods in your diet.There is a forum here if you would like to look us up.. Lots of support which I personal find quite helpful...

As for my buddhist practice.. I am relatively new to buddhism. I love the meditation.. and I find the readings to be very helpful as well. Basically they provide a framework for me to move forward...I believe that through training my mind I will alter the habits that I have developed over a life time... I have a book called Buddhism for mothers which is wonderful and also the Tibetan book of living and dying. I haven't read too far into the second book but it is very revealing... it has given me great food for thought. Essentially I am interested in the practical applications...

OK.. as to the emoticons.. You can add them to your signature (bottom of each of your posts) by looking in your USER CP section. That function is located on the top of the page along the top banner second from the left. When you click on that heading it opens to a control panel where you can edit your information. Along the left hand side of the control panel are more functions that you can perform... there is an edit signature section and the emoticons are the same as the ones that appears when you go to reply to a thread.. just click on them and insert them.

Have a wonderful day.
Marianna

Mariana..thanks for your reponse. Congratulations on your commitment to the Buddhist way. I find reading by myself, whether the sacred texts or secular "how to" books" most rewarding. Having been a Catholic all my life, I miss the deep rituals and traditions of a church-church. Ironically, my father was deacon in Catholic Church, and he gave me a book called "Jesus and Buddha as Brothers." I had read things before, but this one sent me over the edge, and I pursued it sincerely.
Here in the islands, we have a tiny group of people who practice Japanese Buddhism, but I find it very secular in some aspects. Anytime I go to a new city, I try to visit temples and churches. I know, these are just the trappings, but as a former catholic, rituals are very important when you know their meanings.

So...you seem to be like me in that you read about it and get inspiration. There are some fabulous books for applying Buddhism in the western world that do not compromise any of the tenets. If you are interested I will be glad to share titles, etc.

As for weight loss, you and I have much in common. Being too shy though to write in this open forum, is it okay to PM (private message) you? Maybe we can become buddies and use our commonalities, including spiritual orientation, to help each other. Please don't feel pressured, I won't be hurt or upset if you say no. Not everyone has the same needs.
Anyway, wishing you Peace...and to all the other readers of this forum...OneLove.
Cathy

I'm so excited to have found this thread! Buddhism is a way of life that has intrigued me for some time now...Not knowing where to 'start' has kind of kept me in the just wondering stages...I think I'll lurk here a bit, if you don't mind and see what I can see, perhaps find a path to take.

I'm off to follow the link posted earlier...thanks for sharing, Jay!

JayEll,
You are really on to something about the samsara of attachment to food, cravings, expectations, looks, etc. If only we were brought up to keep these things in their proper spiritual perspective. Since we, at least in the West, have not--remember the candy bars at school assemblies--all the food that accompanies happy events?--maybe we can use this forum to develop a truly more mindful way of looking at and ingesting foods. Jay, you seem to be on the right track when you talk of health. Have you found any practice that helps you avoid the normal desires that are aroused when you are bombarded with ads, hungry kids, a new recipe, etc? Even though I eat very moderately and eliminated all processed foods, I have a hard time losing weight. Maybe I still need to cut down the portions, tone down the variety of my cooking stuff from scratch (always to the wonderful comments from the eaters). Part of it, the actual cooking fulfills one creative aspect of my personality plus a real desire to make others happy. But, as I read this, I wonder if I am not attached to the compliments I get. I try to downplay that, but it is nice to hear the guests lavish me with praise, especially the tight-lipped ones who are stingy with any form of praise. Well, I just found something to really think about. Any other ideas, Jay or anyone?

Wishing you all Peace, Balance and Contentment. Cathy

Hi Katrina,
Welcome. You seem to have come to the right place if you are interested in Buddhism and how it can help you with issues including weight loss. I have read extensively, practice with a group in the Virgin Islands, and find it most rewarding. It has really improved upon what I learned as a child growing up in a very peace-loving Catholic home. Hope you will continue to pursue and/or write to us. We have much to share here. Best of luck, Cathy

Cathy, I would love it if you would share the names & authors of your "fabulous books on Buddhism".

Originally Posted by :
There are some fabulous books for applying Buddhism in the western world that do not compromise any of the tenets. If you are interested I will be glad to share titles, etc.

If you prefer you can PM me.

The lastest book I bought was "Zen for Dummies". :lol: They have dummies books for everything! :)

Sadly I get busy with life and don't "pay attention" nearly as much as I should. I have always been interested in Buddhism but have always feared ( I know, I know ) that I don't have the dedication it requires. I have two Buddha statues that I love and have even tried chanting. Hmmmm, now that I wrote that I realize I haven't done it in awhile and did enjoy and feel the benefits.

I hope to learn from the "experts" here!!! ;)

LuckyLadyBug,

Hello and happy to hear from you. I started to look for books, then thought I might have to divide them up according to theme and purpose that I used them for. Of course, depending on your level-needs, you are free to use them as you wish. I started with a secular for of meditation in a formal class with a master from Puerto Rico, who'd studied in India. But I just was not getting it. So off I went and did what I do best, learn from books. The first two I used are: Easwaran, "Meditation," Easwaran, "Mantram Handbook." Nilgiri press. Both have a mild eclectic religious approach, some humor, that can be applied without belonging or believing at all. The book that sent me over the edge, being a former catholic is: Marcus Borg, "Jesus and Buddha The Parallel Sayings." For meditation per se, I have also by Khenchen Thrangu, "The Practice of Tranquility and Insight." Then there are all the books written by the Dalai Lama as well as by Thich Nhat Hahn, the vietnamese writer and monk.

May I suggest that you not necessarily go to the sacred texts themselves, as they are very symbolic, allegorical, and require a good community (Sangha) or master. I tried the Lotus Sutra on my own and got discouraged quickly. Not to mention that these writings are written by people so long ago from a different culture and linguistic core. Hahn is perhaps the one who approaches the spirit of the sayings most closely and requires time and contemplation.

On a totally secular level, I have read the "Silva Mind Control Method," and "Self Hypnosis." Sorry I do not know the authors. Some people think that these books are evil because they imply controlling others' or one's own mind, etc. This is totally unfounded. These are inocuous texts that can be used for mind focus, improve mental functioning, control unwanted things (insomnia, weight gain, poor athletic performance) and conversely, to improve things (sleep habits, lessen desire to smoke, memory, etc.)

I hope you find the above satisfactory. I have lots more books which, if you like, I will share with you later on. How/why do I get these books? Reading in my family is like eating--we all do it for sustenance. I go to bookstores and head for the "Religions" or "Spiritual" sections, sometimes "Psychology", and take a slow, critical look at book inserts, read portions inside the text, etc. before buying. Or, if someone recommends something, I ask to borrow it or buy it.

Again, I hope these are useful. Please PM me if you wish to continue this dialogue or we can continue to post here. Best of luck in your endeavor! Cathy

Cathy,

Thanks for the suggestions.

I have many Dali Lama books, by him and ones about him plus some Thich Nhat Hanh.

I have also read and OWN those evil "Self-Hypnosis" books!!! I even listen to tapes!!! I suppose the unknown scares some people.

Thanks for all the great suggestions, Cathy. It's good to have some guidance...at least a place to start looking and take it from there.

Come on, Lucky...we're going to the library!

Kat,

Come on over and share mine!!! We can read over tea or coffee. :coffee:

Hello, everyone! I'm happy to see so many wonderful posts!

raindancer1, some years ago I was fortunate to attend teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. I know she's a controversial tulku, but her teaching was very powerful and seemed to contain many truths. In her talk, she gave an example of someone who is driving down the street, passing billboards, and on one billboard is a sexy person in a hot new car. And suppose one is feeling lonely, and begins to think about sexy people and the pleasures of love and how one wants to meet someone and experience these pleasures.

Well, Jetsunma said, it is not surprising if not long after that, one actually meets someone who becomes a romantic or sexual interest. The reason is that our attention and thoughts can actually cause karma to ripen. However, the result of this new interest may or may not be something positive in terms of our development.

Now, she said, suppose instead of seeing the billboard and having the romantic fantasy, one sees the image and realizes how the mind is being manipulated into having desire--I want that sexy partner, I want that car, my life will work if I have those things. And in having that realization about desire, one has an opportunity to reflect upon how attachment and desire can cause suffering. The result is bound to be different. That was Jetsunma's teaching.

Food can work in the same way. We are bombarded day and night with messages about foods--pizza ads, cola ads, name it. So how can it be surprising that the next thing we know, we're eating pizza? Even though we didn't want to, and we weren't going to do it. And goodness knows, supersize is better, isn't it? Isn't more better?

Is there any end to more?

We know that food is not the problem, it's the manipulation of desire and attachment by advertising media, past conditioning, experiences, etc. So what a wonderful area this is for practice. Being aware of food, of food choices, of why one is eating, of really observing it--not trying to manipulate it or change it or make a deal with it--just observe it. And seeing where that leads. Am I really hungry? If I am not hungry, why am I eating?

I can become aware right this minute. Every moment is an opportunity.

So that's kind of a long explanation! But I hope it can help someone.

As for books, I have found that THE TIBETAN BOOK OF LIVING AND DYING by Sogyal Rinpoche is an excellent summary of Buddhist thought, at least as Tibetan Buddhists see it.

Is anyone else familiar with the practice called Chenrezig in the Six Realms? It is one of my favorite practices.

Namaste,
Jay

Hello Jay and thanks for a thorough reponse. I think you really hit home when you said to "observe" it and not just make a deal or try to manipulate it (whatever it might be for the individual). In my case, I do try to be aware of what happens after dinner when I get my fiance's look of worship after a nice meal. Sure it feels good. But I want to observe this more and see where it takes me. Part of my issue is that there has been a void in this area in my life for so long :other sig. others who wanted a woman to cook because she is woman! Or, kids who just eat and speed off their own activities. And now my honey is showering me in compliments. I will certainly look at this closely to see what I make of it. I have been immune to ads, billboards (we have none on my tiny island!), TV (I hate the box) but I may be romanced, so to speak, by my own kitchen. Very interesting and thank you for you input. I suppose when you get to the nuts and bolts of it, "eating meditation" is hard for me, as is focus before I eat. I plan to try it a bit earlier in the day, so I am not distracted by the grumblings of my belly.

Sogyal Rinpoche, yes! Do you follow Tibetan or any particular school of thought? Each school has its own appeal for me, but I love Tibetan most of all for its gentleness.

My friend Jay, and you other lovely people, this forum is excellent, just simply people helping people. We have much to talk about and learn from one another. Everything happens for a reason...law of cause and effect. Wishing you all peace. Cathy

ps...I so hated the act of cooking: If you had told me years ago that I could ever view the kitchen with anything but disdain, I would have said, "Duh, gag me, will you!!" My kids would have died laughing and my husband would have said, "You are NOT talking about my wife!"

A gracious, "You are welcomed," to the ladies and gents who thanked me for the book list. Hope you find something worthwhile there. There is no book that is inherently evil...it is what we do with them. Certainly if someone tries to control another with so-called mind control, that is bad. But even the secular books on meditation, creative visualization, etc. are useful for people who do not want to get into a spiritual practice. May even be good for adults with Attention Deficit Disorder. Who knows?!

Please share book titles, video titles, etc with us too. I will tell you the name of a book that I find to be superb with reference to Western Buddhist practice just as soon as I uncover it in the bookpile...probably tomorrow. Thanks for your interest.

OneLove...Cathy

Hello,

It is lovely to see the thread buzzing along.. just a short post today as i am feeling a bit under the weather.

I agree that The Tibetan book of Living and Dying is wonderful. Unfortunately I didn't get too far into it before my trip, and my aunt now has it to read.. so perhaps I will read it before the end of summer break at university. Jay.. if you wouldn't mind, I find the Poem in 5 Chapters to be very applicable to weight loss.. The poem about walking down a different street. Do you think perhaps you could post it on this thread? The section of the book is concerned with how we make positive thoughts blossom into habits and then we have created effective change in our lives.

M

Hi Friends...I am very interested in that Poem from the Tibetan Book. If it applies to weight loss and habits, bring it on. I find "How to" manuals on weight loss most unmotivating, even though their authors help many people. Maybe it is the poet/romantic in me, but those books don't really ring my bell. I would love to see that poem. Mariana: HI! hope you are feeling better soon. Jay: waiting to hear from you again soon. Writers to this forum: Isn't it a great place?!

OneLove, C

Greetings, my friends. It took me awhile to find the poem that Marianna requested, but here it is:

AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE CHAPTERS

1) I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost . . . I am hopeless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

2) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I'm in the same place.
But it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

3) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in . . . it's a habit.
My eyes are open
I know where I am
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

4) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

5) I walk down another street.


From THE TIBETAN BOOK OF LIVING AND DYING by Sogyal Rinpoche.

Jay

Jay...thanks for printing the poem. It is not as simple as it appears. Very interesting. Talk about falling into holes with eyes wide open! That is what it feels like when I engage in a bad habit, knowing it is unhealthy, still do it, than scramble out and make a "resolution" to quit real fast. Can very readily be applied to some of our habits that make us overweight: binge eating, craving junk, thoughtless eating in front of TV, grabbing quick fixes because we are too hurried to sit at a meal, etc.

Thanks again for printing it.
OneLove, Raindancer1

Thanks Jay for the poem...

While tackling my problems with food and my weight, I have come to realise that it is going to take a drastic change in my habits to actually effect any lasting change in my weight and how I view myself. I know that sounds obvious, but i have steadfastly continued the same behaviours thinking I could get different results - lunacy really.

So how do I change my habits and how do I move along these five chapters? Am i destined to continue falling into the same hole and blame others for being there? Or can I seek practices and wisdom that will empower me to alleviate my suffering...can I walk down a different street?

In The Art of Happiness the Dalai Lama is asked what it takes to overcome obstacles and to bring about change in your life (pages 217-245). He says that the five steps are education, conviction, determination, action and effort. The education about the change you want to make will fire your conviction. Let the conviction flow into determination that you can make the change. This determination spurs your action and gives you the effort to establish new patterns of behaviour, to change your habits.

For me this is where meditation and mindfulness are starting to help me. By being more mindful I am able to cease some of the negative thoughts that fill my day. By stopping these thought patterns which invariably lead to eating for me I am less inclined to seek solice in food. Meditation (which I have been very slack at lately) provides me with some peace and gives me a center to move forward from in my day.

Everytime I stop the negative thought, stop the actions the usually preempt me stress eating or making bad choices, I am forming a new habit. That I believe will eventually replace the old habit. It is simply a matter of time, patience and persistence... So this year I think I definitely started off in the first chapter.. not knowing that I had made the bad choice and looking to blame others. The further I go along and educate myself the closer I get to a new chapter. I feel that I am approaching chapter 3. I am still making the same mistakes, but I pick myself up and dust myself off a lot quicker these days.

Have a wonderful day,
Marianna

Hey Cathy, Marianna, Katrina, Lucky, and all others dropping in!

I think in my own case I'm on the 3rd chapter--I know it's there, I fall in anyway. It is my fault. Not always--I think occasionally I walk around the hole.

In other areas of my life I have gone down a different street. This one street is a tough one, though.

During the "holiday season" the holes are everywhere! LOL

Have you folks experienced the situation where you want something to eat... and what is it... can't decide... eat something... no, that wasn't it... eat something else... nope, that's not it either... and so on... and sometimes you just never find what it was?

It's a perfect illustration of dukkha, which is the term most often translated into English as "suffering." But that's not a very good translation of the term. Dukkha, I have read, means suffering, but it also just means the general "unsatisfactoriness" of life. There is never "enough," there is never total, lasting satisfaction in this realm.

So when cravings like that strike, it can be useful to reflect that there may be nothing you can eat that will fill that desire... because it is not fillable!

At any rate, it could save a couple trips to the kitchen!

Jay

Jay Quote:

Originally Posted by :
So when cravings like that strike, it can be useful to reflect that there may be nothing you can eat that will fill that desire... because it is not fillable!

How often have I eaten one thing and then another and NOT been satisfied but keep right on grazing away looking for :?: .

The messanger came when I was ready to listen !!! THANK YOU

I just looked at dukkha in my book and it says " discontent, dissatisfaction, suffering, and fear".

I am really so happy to have found this thread. I was drawn to Buddhism for years but had let "life" get in the way of learning and practicing. I feel more peaceful just reading and posting here.

Jay, Mariana and Others...the different takes on the Poem are real eye openers. Notice I jumped straight to my personal interpretation, I believe it was Chapter 3 or 4? I think that my eyes are always wide open when it comes to my own bad habits, but I just step right into that hole each time, sometimes making excuses for why I do it. I want to thank you all for sharing...this is a most illuminating forum. To Mariana, you have named and defined the task ahead of you and I am sure you will succeed. Best of luck...I am following right behind you, my friend.

Cathy

Gooday Day to All...and a Happy Sunday!

For those of you who asked about book titles, here is one which I may already mentioned. However, in looking through it I thought it might be worth a second mention simply because of the depth of the writing. This is "The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching," by Thich Nhat Hanh. It is a very comprehensive look at the tenets of Buddhism for those who are involved in serious practice. For those whose practice is just beginning to blossom, it may be a little tough reading. At any rate, I find that, short the "Lotus Sutra" or other sacred texts, this one is the finest in terms of pure and direct explanation. Hope you find it useful.

Raindancer 1

Greetings, Weight-loss Sangha!
 

Hello, All...

What a pleasure it is to find a Buddhist-oriented weight loss group. Or sub-group, anyway. I am a 34 year-old Zen Buddhist, and have been practicing seriously (or not - as Zen might suggest) for some time. I am 5'6" and weigh 156 lbs. My weight loss goal is to lose 26 pounds. Thank you for creating a community for like-minded individuals.

In gassho,

Lambie

Hi Lambie and welcome to the thread!

I think that the concept of dukkha is very apt for weight issues - well for me anyway! I find that I get that slight frantic feeling that preceeds a binge eat, or a bad eating session. It is overwhelmingly a sense of dissatisfaction... a seeking...and through habit I have learnt to try to pacify that feeling with food.. but eating never really ceases the feeling.

My husband and I were discussing this exact feeling last night...We had been in the city shopping all day and had been having just a lovely time and despite having a huge selection of foods that aren't great for us we made very good choices, felt no deprivation and were actually proud of that feeling. Had we have been having a not so great day perhaps the eating would have been different. As I have mentioned before, we are graudually changing our habits to look for happiness within and not from external sources (food)...

Cheers,
Marianna

Thank you for the welcome, Marianna. I agree about your observations re: dukkah. I thought that you hit the nail on the head when you said:

I find that I get that slight frantic feeling that preceeds a binge eat, or a bad eating session. It is overwhelmingly a sense of dissatisfaction... a seeking...and through habit I have learnt to try to pacify that feeling with food.. but eating never really ceases the feeling.

Sitting (I practice Soto Zen) really brings those seeking feelings to the surface, but since you're sitting, you're in a "controlled" setting to observe the urge to seek rather than to go rummage through the fridge. It's bringing that awareness and sense of observation to those times when stress is running high and the fridge is nearby...that's when enlightment seems elusive.

Observation and awareness seem to be applicable wisdoms here, don't they? Just seeing those behaviors is key. Noticing our conditioning, and the things we tell ourselves about it.

Welcome Lambie...nice to have you on board. Hope you find this forum enlightening. You have much to share with us, and I, for one, look forward to your contributions. I have practiced for several years as a Buddhist, and prior to that I studied a secular form of meditation for 15+ years, then Zen. No matter how much I read and practice, there is always room for more reading and practice!
Regarding weight loss and bad habits: I fell into the very bad habits of not cooking and eating out with someone whose company I cherished very much. 80 pounds later I am paying the price. While I know that the gain was over two years, I just wish for the loss to take 1/100th of that time. Any words of adivce for someone who is experiencing excrutiatingly SLOW weight loss? I would appreciate your advice.
So...welcome again and wishing you peace.

Cathy

Hello Sangha for Loss!

I recently read something in, "The Heart of Buddha's Teaching," by Thich Nhat Hahn, that I thought applicable to our struggles with weight. In identifying, looking at, accepting, and welcoming our dukkha (suffering) we learn the causes of particular suffering, and how they (pains, sufferings) can come to cease.

In my case, I look at this extra 80 lbs of weight that causes me so much physical and mental anguish. My back hurts, I stomach hurts, I have GERD, I am out of breath, my self-esteem is lower, I obssess about wieght-loss, I cannot fit into 90% of my clothes, etc. I think about these things deeply, acknowledge them, and a road to the cessation of this is apparently opening up before me. This is in terms that I might not have seen otherwise. It is a more profound understanding of myself and my own suffering. I actually will write down some of the ways to end this dukkha, and look again at where this takes me.

While I want to see an objective met, I have no particular attachment to a specific outcome here; I am realistic enough to know that 80 lbs are not going to vanish without work. Still, I can just let my obsession with weight go elsewhere. Perhaps this is only a first step to my spiritual understanding of the weight loss issue, but already it feels better.

Peace, Cathy

Hi, Lambie! Nice to meet you. And hello also to the Sangha of En-LIGHTEN-ment!

I very much like Zen Buddhist principles, Lambie--and I've done much reading (or "skirting the issue" as one might say ;) ). I have questions about some Zen group practices, though--such as the austerity and hardships. Does one really have to get up at 4 a.m. to meditate? (I suppose not--but please share some of your experience with it.)

I am having the usual feelings of inadequacy around the holidays, so much of which seems to be a food festival. It is habit, of course, and excuses. I have not gone completely overboard, but the goodies are everywhere.

I need to have compassion for myself, I think, without allowing that compassion to act as an OK for overindulgence. As we've said before in this thread, just watch the desire and see what it does, without being directed by it.

Blessings to all,
Jay

For those of you that celebrated Christmas I hope that your day was lovely!

For us here it was quite stressful with family problems, which is a real shame. It highlights the effects that other people's negativity can hold over you. Quite interesting in retrospect to acknowledge the harm that it can do. Now that it is over I am able to be more impartial but at the time I felt beseiged.. just goes to show that I have much to work on.

I am interested in learning more about the different *schools* of buddhist thought to follow...ie. zen, tibetan, western. Can anyone point me in the direction of a good book or website that discusses the different traditions? I suppose to deepen your understanding and practice, would it be best to find a tradition that sits well with you and then learn more... some guidance on how you have chosen which one is for you would be appreciated.

Namaste