Thinking about God or Our Desires?

One of the life actions that we are taught to

cultivate in Yoga, Buddhism and Christianity is the

weakening of our desires.

We sometimes react to this as being impractical or

even with some resentment and anger.

These paths of livings do not teach us to destroy or

abandon desire but to come to a state of being where

our desires do not exert so much control over us as to

make us selfish and uncaring people, or people who are

beset and overwhelmed by anxiety, stress and worry.

In the teachings of Christianity there is much

emphasis on the idea of God and his wishes for us and

how we should behave.

Some teachers of Yoga in their writings will make

reference to “God” also. This concept of God may be

similar to that of the Christian though sometimes this

merely means the God within us, or a state of mental

and physical purity that manifests itself in a godlike existence.

In various writings on Buddhism, we seldom see the use

of the word God, though many people do refer to the

Buddha as a God or worship him in the same manner as

Christians worship Jesus Christ.

The idea behind thinking about God and what he wants

for us is based partly on the idea that by doing such

a thing, we are redirecting our mental energy and

focus away from ourselves and our own problems,

worries, needs and desires to something greater and

that this in itself starts to weaken those states of

being that do make us selfish and anxious.

In thinking about God, we are not thinking about or

seeing something or someone in the flesh, that can

arouse all sorts of feelings from lustful to hateful

nor are we thinking about something or someone that we

wish to control, possess or manipulate.

Instead we are thinking about the ideal, the

protector, the savior, the one who understands and

loves us when no one else can or does and the one who

is pure.

Again, it is the focus on such a being and how we can

imagine him to be that takes our attention away from

the unskillful, the unwholesome, and the things that

can make us angry, resentful, impatient and jealous.

There are things that we can do as people to get

closer to God, regardless of how we perceive him or

this state to be.

One is to make ourselves more relaxed. Another is to

make ourselves more tranquil. And another is to make

ourselves more focused.

Things such as sensual desire, ill – will,

restlessness and worry, sloth and torpor and doubt are

all rooted in subtle and overt ways to our desires.

Desires for the things that we once had.

Desires for the things that we think will make us feel

happy and fulfilled.

Desires for the things that others have.

When we practice the posture and relaxation techniques

of Yoga we are getting away for our desires and one

could say, closer to God.

When we practice sitting meditation practice within the

system of Yoga, Buddhism or any other spiritual path

and practice, one might say that we are getting closer

to god.

And many times, when we just resist the need for

drink, drugs, more food, more television or another

movie, or more sex, we are getting closer to God.

Some may think that this is not fun, but it might be

bringing us to state of purity that in itself is more

joyful, so that fun is not the thing that we desire,

but instead wisdom and peace.

Can it be done anywhere in the world, wherever we live

and work?

Can it be done in Bangkok, New York City or on an Oil

platform in the Gulf of Mexico?

Can it be done if we live alone or live with others?

Can it be done if we are old or young?

Can it be done if we are a man or a woman?

The answer to all of these questions is “Yes” it can

be done.

Then we would ask, what does it take to achieve it?

Mindfulness of a higher power and reflecting in what

that means would be one thing.

An appreciation for the things that we have and have

had would be another.

An understanding that others face the same challenges

as we do in life and living and acting on that

understanding to them in ways that are patient,

compassionate and wise would still be another.

Breathing techniques can help focus the mind and

consciousness, taking it away from disturbing and

obsessive thoughts and feelings also.

There is much we can do to achieve this.

But it comes back to a simple thing.

In thinking of God, a higher power, a pure spirit or a

divine presence within ourselves and others, we can

start to take our attention away from ourselves and

our own desires and start to limit the negative

affects on our mental and physical health and our

actions that such a preoccupation can create.

©2004 John C. Kimbrough

(John lives and teaches in Bangkok, Thailand. He can

be reached at johnckimbrough@yahoo.com)