Question:

How does one deal with desires? Whereas some desires may be frivolous like clothes, jewelry, material things and others seem to be existential like taking an extra leadership role at work or leading a volunteering project. But eventually, I have now realized that every desire seems to bring misery with it. At the same time if I don’t pursue my desire that also brings misery. Please help.

Answer:

You have a brilliant mind to realize this subtle mechanics of Desire. Yes, it is true. It is a catch 22 situation. Any desire seems to bring misery with it. Initially, it tempts you, it makes you lust after it and eventually, it only leads to misery. The so-called pleasure from desire is momentary, short lived, mundane momentary pleasant feeling; not the long-term perennial happiness that you are looking for. Once you recognize this, a shift happens in your consciousness.

But why do most people not see this?

It is not that you don’t recognize it, it is that you don’t want to recognize it. You want to ignore it because everybody around you is doing the same thing and it is easier to follow the herd.

Introspect, do you have to follow the herd mentality? Or are you courageous enough to walk in the direction opposite to the herd?

The spiritual path is tough and long. The biggest challenge on this path is walking against the direction of the herd. The herd is disillusioned by Maya as if a magician has hypnotized them, that’s why all of them are running a rat race in the direction of name, fame, relationships, million dollar status, billion dollars, trillion dollars…… the counting never ends. They keep running, running,….they don’t even know why they are running? Each one is running because the neighbor is running, it seems to be the right thing to do, because parents/neighbors/friends/colleagues did so.

They are all hypnotized.

The wise one /smart/ intelligent one is the one who wakes up from hypnotism and realizes the baselessness of this rat race. He recognizes this hypnotic effect on him and starts walking in exactly the opposite direction. The direction of desirelessness.

Do u have the courage in you to start walking towards desirelessness, towards dropping desires, towards the pattern of non-seeking in the mind, can you be just happy with whatever comes naturally to you?

If yes then you are a sincere spiritual seeker.

The only qualification of a sincere spiritual seeker is to have the courage to go against the direction of the herd.

Storytime :

Somebody went to Buddha, said you always say that everything is dukkha. This entire samsara is dukkha. At some level I understand it. But it doesn’t stay for long. Where is the dukkha? I don’t even see dukkha when I go back home? Everything seems to be ok.

Buddha  responded, “Just because I can see that everything is dukkha, it is not necessary that you will be able to see that everything is dukkha. How can my realization be your realization. When you make an effort to wake up from this hynotic Maaya, you may see it. And the day you see it, you won’t wait to come and ask me this question. You will just take a leap out of the dukkha.”

For example: If your house is on fire, you are not going to call me and ask me should I get out of the fire? Is this Dukkha? No, you are just going to run out of that fire at rocket speed. you are going to take a leap of faith out of that fire.

That is exactly what self-realization is. The moment you realize that the samsara is nothing but dukkha. You will take a leap out of it.

May you be blessed with the courage to leap out of this samsara and may you attain the highest self-realization!