I have constant chronic pain. Would really like to be rid of it. Is this considered a negative desire in Buddhism? I remember in the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, the Buddha stated that the second Noble Truth is "craving for sensual pleasure, craving for becoming, craving for non-becoming." I guess I interpreted the craving for non-becoming to apply to my desire for my pain to be gone.

After a prolonged struggle with various eating disorders (atypical, anorexia, bulimia, BED) over nearly two years, as well as ongoing mood disorders and severe anxiety for the past three, I've found conventional self-guided Western CBT therapies, and even standalone meditation, largely ineffective for me. Significant barriers (financial, temporal, locational, cultural conditioning) limit my access to consistent professional therapy, and will likely remain in place for the foreseeable future. Believe me, I've tried. I'm looking for an alternative path, a fundamentally different framework than modern psychology, to address a deep-seated lack of purpose and unresolved trauma, ultimately seeking peace of mind. I've long been drawn to the exploration of Western neuroscience and cognitive science on Buddhism, specifically the tangible benefits of mindfulness meditation. My "hope" is to find a Buddhist school that aligns with, and ideally offers a practical experience similar to, approaches like MBSR, MBCT, and DBT, despite their fundamental differences from traditional Buddhism. This leads to my core questions: 1. **Influence of Buddhist Schools on Western Therapies:** How much influence do different Buddhist schools (e.g., Theravada, Zen, Pure Land, Tibetan) have on the development and practice of: * Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) * Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) * Acceptance-Based Therapies (e.g., ACT) * Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) * Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) I understand that Western mindfulness, particularly MBSR/MBCT, is often linked to Theravada (Vipassanā, as seen in the Insight Meditation Society and "Mindfulness in Plain English"). However, I've also come across arguments for significant Zen Buddhist influence on Jon Kabat-Zinn's work, which resonates with the "non-dualistic" feel of modern mindfulness. 2. **Is it problematic to choose a Buddhist school based on these inspirations?** Given my past experiences and current limitations, is it a "wrong" approach to seek a Buddhist tradition that primarily contributed to, or feels practically similar to, these Western therapeutic modalities? My aim is not necessarily "enlightenment" in the traditional sense, but rather a path to alleviate suffering and cultivate inner peace, perhaps building positive karma for future lives (as a layperson, taking a stoic approach to the ultimate goal). 3. **Navigating Availability and Personal Preference:** I'm personally more attracted to Theravada's "down-to-earth" step-by-step Eightfold Path and emphasis on mindfulness, along with the sense of certainty from practices like one meal a day and abstinence from alcohol. However, in both my current city and home city, Mahayana denominations are more readily available (authentic Chan, Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village, and a modernized immigrant Pure Land school). I've visited the immigrant Pure Land and authentic Chan centers, but they simply don't "click" with me; they feel "weird" and I don't like them. I haven't had the opportunity to visit a Theravada temple for comparison. If I choose Theravada, I'd likely need to rely on online sanghas, which may not accommodate my timezone. Given my intention to remain a layperson and focus on personal practice for peace of mind and perhaps future karmic benefit, I'm unsure how crucial an in-person or online sangha is for my goals. Any insights on these points, particularly regarding the historical influences and the appropriateness of my approach to choosing a path, would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I'm attempting to bring the Mahasi Sayadaw method of *labeling*, off the meditation cushion, and into my everyday actions. But I'm encountering a few difficulties and contradictions hindering the practice. I've noticed that when I'm doing intricate or engrossing things, such as conversing, studying, working, or playing a musical instrument, it becomes *impossible* to be mindful, or have any awareness (or 3rd-party objectivity) of what I'm doing. If I tried to say "playing", or "lifting index finger" while playing a complicated piano piece, I would lose my place. Or if I'm deep in study or work, entirely engrossed in a subject, I have to discard mindfulness or any 3rd-party objectivity, and just do the work. If I were to say "reading", or "working out the author's thoughts on covalent bonding", I would lose the track, or be forced to come to a dead stop. Indeed, mindfulness seems to *oppose* mastery in action, and I have to discard it anytime an engrossing or intricate action is required. Then inevitably I have to wait until I'm done with the activity, then restore mindfulness when my body and mind can be more stilled. Mahasi suggests that actions should be done in a slow, deliberate way, as though one were physically limited. But I can't see how one could do something as engrossing as playing music, learning a language, or studying molecular biology in this way.

As a beginning meditator, the techniques I typically use are: - Counting breaths, restarting at 10 (learned in Japan). - Envisioning, with warm feelings, all of my friends and family around me in a large circle (learned in Florida). - Attempting to feel the minute sensations from each different part of my body (learned in Florida). - Focusing on identifying as many distinct sounds as possible, particularly when in nature (my own). Are there any other techniques recommended for beginning meditators?

Pretty much as the title suggests: does it harm to meditate before sleeping? For me if I meditate seriously my mind is swept over with awakeness. as a consequence when I go to sleep I remain awake for sometime and keep thinking useless thoughts. so it kind of hinders my sleep. Is there a good practice or should meditation before sleep be avoided?

I am trying to be mindful whenever I am not too absorbed in whatever i am doing and then I got sick. Everything stopped from fast to slow motion. I had time to watch myself being mindful, but then it occurred to me what I should be mindful off? Since I am physically sick now, should I repeat my current state of mind- 'I am sick', 'I am sick', 'I am sick' and this is so depressing or should I change my frame of mind to something positive - for future well being like ' I am getting better', 'I am getting better', 'I am getting better '. Which is right way of being mindful? Being in Present or Hope for better future!!!

I am an above beginner level meditator - I have been practicing Vipassana meditation regularly for past 6-7 months - By regularly, I mean 1hr of sitting meditation at least 5 times a week. I have not been able to control my lust. I try to remain mindful during acts of sexual gratification...but they are like very few moments of awareness...rest of the time I am just going with the flow...Although I am a lay person, I want to be celibate...Please guide me. I remember a story wherein Buddha said to someone how one should eat as if they are eating their own child having lost in a desert...are there any such stories from Buddha's life/teachings regarding this subject...Basically I need some inspiration...Please share your experience if possible

>It goes without saying that alcohol makes you mindless. Theres debate about pot creating conditions for enhanced mindfulness in SOME individuals. My question is not "is it okay". I know what to expect. Are there any specific stories involving Buddha on the subject of someone ingesting an herb or something, specifically to be mindful... and how that is bad. I'm asking for the story or stories.

Some part of my mind always watches/is aware of breath whether I am studying, playing, eating, watching movies, etc. Is it ok? Any long detailed answer?

I have a friend who is a Christian. It is a truism that most people can't tolerate sitting and doing nothing because of catastrophic dukkha. Most people, including people I know, have to DO something all the time. But my old friend would spend hours sitting on his porch, a smile on his face, by himself, just enjoying the present moment. Is this a form of jhana? Is it possible that there are many run of the mill, non-buddhist people who actually understand and practice a kind of jhana unintentionally?

I have read some of the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh about mindfullness and anchoring oneself in the present by focussing on in-breath and out-breath. I am curious what teaching there may be about imagination, because imagination seems to take oneself away from the "here and now". How can mindfullness and imagination be reconciled? Is there any place for imagination? Thanks

Please provide sources from the original text or your own experiences and understandings of how to make progress in overcoming background negative feelings? For years I have been greatly harmed by harboring these feelings in the back of my mind which has not only created great suffering but altered the course of my life. Doing some mindfulness work made me realize that these feelings are there in my mind due to past experiences, and are harming me more than anything else in my life. How can I overcome, even slightly, this kind of mindset?

Some time ago I had to deal with overtaking personal space and personal decision making by some close relatives. He/They were some family members (Not in the same house or family). They advised my family members regarding my studies, job, etc. And some of my family members took this advice and put pressure on me. I was really annoyed by that. I felt like they were trying to control me and make me a puppet. So, I was really annoyed and angry. According to Buddhism, how I/someone should manage these situations?

This question is in context of practicing mindfulness in one's day-to-day activities (e.g. walking, talking, washing dishes etc.), where one is supposed to be "aware of" / "observe" / "be mindful of" these activities. But how does one be "mindful" during thinking, since the very act of "observing" thinking would interrupt the thought process? And, say, if the thought process is about solving a specific problem, the very act of "being aware of /observing" the thoughts would result in one being unable to effectively solve that problem - when compared to not observing/ not being mindful about those thoughts. Or, be unable to solve it all. The same question for when reading something very interesting, or studying, where one is fully engrossed? Wouldn't being mindful about these activities interrupt the reading/study? New to mindfulness here. Apologies if the question sounds foolish, or irrelevant due to my misunderstanding of mindfulness. Thanks in advance.

I have been wondering what the connection between the five aggregates and the four establishments are. Below i give the translations into English that i've found when reading Bhikkhu Bodhi (BB) and Thich Nhat Hanh (TNH) Five aggregates: * Form * Feelings * Perceptions * Volitional formations (BB); Mental Formations (TNH) * Consciousness Four establishments of mindfulness: * Body * Feelings * Mind, States of Mind (BB); Mind, Mental Formations (TNH) * Phenomena (BB); Objects of mind (TNH) **How can i think about the connection between these lists?** More specifically: * Why is "perceptions" not included in the establishments of mindfulness? * What's the difference between "form" and "body"? * Are "Volitional formations (BB); Mental Formations (TNH)" and "Mind, States of Mind (BB); Mind, Mental Formations (TNH)" the same thing? * What's the relation between "Consciousness" and "Phenomena (BB); Objects of mind (TNH)"?

> "In this way he remains focused internally on the mind in & of itself, or externally on the mind in & of itself, or both internally & externally on the mind in & of itself. (Thanissaro) How should the fragment above be understood and practiced in detail, in particular, considering the last two alternatives: externally and internally/externally?

I was kindly asked to rework my question as the intent - which wasn‘t clear to me from the beginning, that is why I asked the question - wasn‘t clear enough. I have now re-edited the question and thank my teacher in the comments for this exercise. I understand that identification leads to suffering because we cling to states that are impermanent. Identification happens when we name things, feel part of them, label, or judge them. By doing so, we try to uphold a fleeting moment, which is impossible and leads to suffering. However, I am curious about how this applies to experiencing a moment, like feeling the air on your face. This might lead to labeling the experience as "nice," which doesn’t necessarily mean I want to cling to this state, though I might feel a brief disappointment when it's gone. Does labeling an experience intensify it, even though it might also lead to suffering by creating an attachment? Living in the "here-and-now" is easy during sensory experiences, but labeling these experiences as "good" or "bad" seems to pull us out of the present moment. Am I understanding correctly that labeling our experiences can both enhance and diminish our perception of them? How can we experience the present moment fully without falling into the trap of labeling and attachment?

In the context of the historical and doctrinal development of mindfulness, how did the concept of "sati" in early Buddhist texts evolve into the contemporary practice of mindfulness? What are the key teachings and scriptures within the Pāli Canon that highlight this evolution, and how have these ancient principles been adapted or transformed in modern psychological and therapeutic frameworks?

Recently, I came across a [Scientific American article](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-improve-prospective-memory-the-ability-to-remember-to-remember/) on prospective memory (PM). I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between PM and mindfulness as below: 1. Both have significant impact on our well-being. Failure to be mindful just like failure to remember or carry out a future intention have a direct impact on our happiness. 2. Both mindfulness and PM deals with the future. In the case of mindfulness, one needs to keep the Dharma in mind and apply it to whatever circumstances (involving thoughts, speech or actions) that may arises. 3. The quality of both are affected by alcohol consumption. So, could mindfulness be a form of PM? I suppose one way is to measure PM quality in practitioners of mindfulness to see if there is a positive correlation. If there is a positive correlation, could this also be [an objective measurement](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/brain-impairment/article/abs/memory-for-intentions-screening-test-psychometric-properties-and-clinical-evidence/2AE5CD8ACE6252CC3E83B6B894053C75) w.r.t the quality of a person’s mindfulness?

I had a quick question in regards to the Buddhist view on the recent pandemic. What would the stance be of a Buddhist towards the government tactics of losing jobs if not vaccinated, being locked down etc and mandating the vaccine? Should we be free to choose based on our personal educated opinion or is it a case of always following authoritative orders even if they can be seen as detrimental by a certain percentage of the population? Would compassion, understanding be the best answer towards all sides? Would it make you 'not a Buddhist' if you choose a certain view? Regards, Nik