Purpose?
Posted by john the younger on 02/10/2008 06:28:36
In reply to Re: Snus posted by Honk on 02/07/2008 05:14:31
Hi Hank.
What a complete and thoughtful report! Thank you.
In some traditions what you describe is the rebirth cycle or the
vicious cycle The primary purpose of the use of a stimulant(including
anger or judging others)is to gain pleasure and/or avoid pain from the
past, now or imagined coming your way in the future. Fortunately for
those addicted, use often seems to end with either psychological
and/or physical pain which may give rise to guilt and a resolution not
to do it again or to engage in the stimulant less frequently. I say
fortunately because it is in the regret (incentive to stop) that the
cycle can be addressed. One can take help from many sources to break a
substance addiction. There are twelve step programs, weaning drugs,
self help groups (Smoke-enders in the US) just to name a few, all of
which I suspect you are aware. You might try one or more of these.
Here’s a project that may help you uncover with awareness what’s going
on.
As you read this posting be aware of your thoughts, your emotions, and
your bodily sensations. Shift back and forth from reading the
posting to these other areas. What feelings are there? What thoughts
run through the mind? Any tension in the body? What did you find?
Any surprises? Or is it all pretty familiar? Blank? All happens in
nanoseconds.
Now I’d like you to think about responding to this posting. What will
you write? How will you be perceived? We humans often feel this
anxiety. Sometimes it arises even before we consider a response. It
is an undercurrent of “What will others think of me.” A basic sense of
inferiority most have carried from their earliest days. I can feel
it now as I write this.
Do not force yourself to respond.....just think about the act of
responding and look for thoughts, feelings and sensations. Stay with
it as long as you can. Know that there is no requirement that you
respond. Just think about writing a response.
There is not a test for which there are any known answers. For you
and I are unique. There are no standard for us like there are for
machines.
The object of this exercise is to discover in you not in the words I
have written, the purpose for your use of snus. By purpose I don’t
mean the occasions (situations) that you find you want or actually
take snus but the PURPOSE.
Take your time and when you are ready, prepare and post a response
without snus.
You are among friends.
Love, john the younger