Yoga and Buddhism

Yoga and Buddhism: Reducing Consumption or ……….?

What many people find appealing about learning and

practicing Yoga and Buddhism, or any religious or

spiritual path is that it gives them a focus to build

their life and mental and physical energy around.

But while some people find this appealing and

enlightening, others fear that such an approach to

life can constrain them and feel that it will keep

them from enjoying or indulging in those ways of

living that they have been conditioned or habituated

into thinking and feeling are pleasurable.

If we are used to drinking a six pack of beer after

what we think was a hard days work and effort, we may

not see any sense or need in making a change in our

life that would involve not drinking them.

If we are used to watching a lot of television or

staying up late each night in front of it, we may not

see any benefit in turning it off and turning our

attention to something else.

If part of our life revolves around the indiscriminate

use of drugs or sexual activities and actions that are promiscuous, we may think that Buddhism, Yoga and

other spiritual paths and religions will do little more then make use feel shame or guilt or just more confused

about who and how we are.

And if we have blindly got attached to the habit of

consuming more and more through the senses and wanting

more and more as far as material and financial wealth,

we may react with resentment to anything or anyone who

suggests or recommends that we slow down and take

stock of ourselves and what we are doing.

It is accurate to say that Yoga and Buddhism teach us

to reduce consumption of all things, and that can

disturb or threaten us, but what they are really

teaching us is to be more skillful in our consumption.

Sometimes we do not see or understand that less can be

better and that austerity can be skillful.

This writer reflected on this some years back when he

was invited to give a brief talk on Yoga at a local

meeting of The Vegetarians International here in

Bangkok.

The food was healthy and delicious and all vegetarian,

but many people went back for plate after plate of it,

which probably negated some of the affects of the

healthy aspects of having a vegetarian diet.

And then yesterday, after teaching a Yoga session at a

local park in Bangkok, I was invited to eat (and eat

and eat) by some of the Thai and Thai – Chinese who

had been in the park that morning.

I had to politely and firmly tell them that I had

eaten (gin laew khrap) and was full (him laew khrap).

Perhaps part of the problem is that we express our

love, respect, admiration and like for another by

offering them food and other sensually pleasing things

or in ways that seem to not always be healthy.

Maybe we can prepare and put a lot of food on their

plate and drinks in their glass, but not take the time

to listen to where they are at and coming from.

Maybe some of us do not know how to do such a thing.

And there are many who do not want or need to express themselves in such a way, and one or more full plates

of food gives them all of the temporary happiness and satisfaction that they could want or need.

Yoga and Buddhism want us to have the mindfulness to

know ourselves and others better so that we do not

indulge and consume in ways that may be unwise or hurt ourselves and others.

They suggest that we take a look at what we are

thinking and feeling as we have intentions and perform

certain actions.

Not only do they suggest these things, but by engaging

in the mental and physical practices of Yoga and

Buddhism, we naturally bring about a state of

mindfulness that is focused on these things, so that

what we think, what we feel, what we say, what we do,

and what we involve ourselves in through the senses is

always made more skillful.

Of course, many of us do not have to be practitioners

of Yoga or Buddhism to come to these realizations and

changes in our behaviors.

Sometimes we come to them naturally through the

experiences and changes of life.

Sometimes we make these changes because we have been

advised to by medical professionals.

Sometimes we make these changes because we have found

out that they are interfering with our ability to earn

a living or keep the present job we have or get a

promotion at that job.

If we reduce our consumption or become more skillful

in what we consume, there is no suffering involved in

it.

There is the challenge of the change and keeping in

mind what the benefits of such a change are.

There is the challenge of having to say “no” or

explain oneself to people who are insistent or not understanding.

There is the challenge of perhaps feeling different or

maybe even being ostracized or ridiculed in some

subtle manner.

We live in a time, and in countries and cultures where

we are bombarded relentlessly through the senses that

we should buy this and that and many times we fail to

see that many of these things are not needed for

survival.

Certainly many of these things may make our lives more enjoyable or fruitful in some manner, but many times

we involve ourselves in things or purchase them because we feel that they will give us some status or impress

others or that we are being fashionable and cool.

A lifestyle of reduced or more skilful consumption can

and will bring us benefits as far as health and along

the way, make us more mindful of the many gifts,

pleasures and opportunities that we have, while

cultivating understanding and compassion for those who

do not have such things.

We may also find that we are saving a bit more money

then we did previously.

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

be reached at johnckimbrough@yahoo.com)