Thursday, 2 May 2013

Solution- An Approach

-Gautam Buddha

There are only two kinds of behaviour seen in the Universe, either attraction or repulsion and the motivating force behind them are pleasure and fear respectively. Every human behaviour could be explained in terms of attraction or repulsion. The term behaviour could be understood as the counter-action of a body towards the change in its surrounding and character as the information that governs behaviour. Character is, thus, an accumulation of information gathered as a result of interpretation of interactions held between a body and its environment, stored in a form of memory and associated with the emotion of either pleasure or fear. Why every item in memory is either associated with pleasure and fear and triggers an outcome in the form of attraction or repulsion will be discussed in my later articles.

Every behaviour of human is somehow related to something in his memory and addiction is not an exception. Addiction is related to some problem whose solution people don't know or don't want to find out and indulge himself in some pseudo-solutions. I refer pseudo-solutions to those solutions devised in a similar fashion as by ostrich, the largest bird on earth, to do away its enemies. Ostrich simply shuts its eyes to make sure that its enemies are no more. This is not a solution but a problem in guise of solution, a pseudo-solution. The same is true with the practices devised with the intention to solve a problem which are unable to solve and moreover revealed itself as a new problem, addiction. In other words, these practices are palliative not curative with also having side effects.

One is so involved in the practice that he forgets his problem or thinks like ostrich that the problem solved (Is it?). To get in touch with the problem, stop the practice with assertion of will and focus on the feelings and memories that surface with the withdrawal of activity. The observed thoughts or feelings unveil the underlying problem(s) which must be somehow related to fear in memory. The only answer to fear is feeling of well being lies in fulfilling of some conditions turned out important for us by our previous behaviours. We are the victims of whatever belief system we made and so it is very essential to use conscious mind to build such system and make sure that last link is pleasure in memory.

To kneel down the addiction be very specific regarding why one want to quit. The reason must be solid to break the withdrawal jarring.

Write the problem uncovered in introspection on a piece of paper and try to find out the solution. With every solution ask a question whether will this eradicate the problem and if the answer is yes then proceed for next step. Don't worry about addiction during these phases; let it be as it is.

The next phase starts with the implementation of solution. Write down the action plan on a fresh piece of paper. The statements written should be affirmative in not more than ten sentences.

Make a daily routine to wake up at dawn, walk for 30 minutes before sunrise, take interest in gardening or seeing stars at night or both as per your taste & likings. The point is be in touch with nature. In spare time try to recall the taste of ones favourite dish, fragrance of ones favourite flower or perfume or anything just be creative. If possible try to meditate.

Before starting the action plan, it is very important to shatter paper on which problem is written into tiny pieces and throw them into dustbin. This behaviour triggers a new neural pathway apart from old addictive one and signals the brain that he no longer use the old pathway. Since learning is habitual, one has to cultivate the habit of not involving himself into habit by practising habit and any exception would draw the neural current in old pathway deepens it and makes the task harder. To avoid this one could keep the piece of paper on which action plan is written in his purse or pocket to remind the cause to quit the addiction and each remembrance reinforces his conviction and commitment.

-Carl Gustav Jung


  1. Good blog Ravish.

  2. "Make a daily routine to wake up at dawn, walk for 30 minutes before sunrise", Though not addicted this is what i will start. Good Post, Great topic

  3. I can see you admiring Buddhism. Thats why I like reading your post as I find peace reading the Buddhism teachings. They are simple and untangle the complexities of life.. Good post :)

  4. Thanks Alok, Datta & Roohi for admiring the post.