Four Foundations of Mindfulness
To better understand triggers, it is useful to study the 4 foundations of mindfulness.
The first key concept is speed and subtlety.
The second is the realizing of arising and passing away.
Speed and subtlety
These are the degree of how easy it is for us to become aware that something is happening within us.
1. Breathing is the slowest and most pronounced. We can all detect the start and end of a breath.
2. Body sensations are faster and more subtle. We usually sense in perhaps 1/4 of the way after it starts. Eg pain, itch
3. Mental formations are even more faster and subtle. We sometimes sense it only after we are already dwelling in it, and many times we don't sense it at all. Like daydreaming.
4. Objects of the mind are the fastest and most subtle of all. We mostly don't detect it because it is coded into behavior and habit. We do without thinking.
All these 4 effects goes through the process of arising and passing away. Nothing is permanent and all are temporary. Understandind we come to realize, the sooner we can catch the sensation, the sooner we can manage it to our intentions.
The key here to manage triggers better is to
1. understand it's nature
2. Become aware of it as early as possible
3. Address it to remove it's power
4. Practice so that we can prevent it in the future.
My situation now is
1. Think of past personal experiences leading to
2. Look at old photos
This opens the door to craving afor more sensations
3. Then I am more inclined to seek more material and possibly end up relapsing.
We all know the slippery slope after #3
But knowing that #1 is my earliest trigger helps me to practice resistance to it so that I don't have to deal with #2 or even #3
I heard these words of the Buddha one time when he was living at Kammassadhamma, a market town of the Kuru people. The Buddha addressed the bhikkhus, “O bhikkhus.” And the bhikkhus replied…
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