It is humanly to crave for recognition, praise, love to avoid being abandoned, and that is why there is unhappiness. Even if we get what we want, the mind will be grasping for the next thing. It’s never satisfied!
Cravings manifest in thoughts (“I must do this”), feelings (anxiety, frustration), body sensations (tightness), impulses to do something such as eat, binge on Netflix, smoke or engage in extreme or compulsive behaviour. The invitation is to practice RAIN – Recognize, Anchor, Investigate, Nourish.
Recognize – we start by recognising what thoughts, feelings, body sensations and impulses are here, and not judging ourselves and needing to act on the cravings especially those unhelpful ones as that would only keep us locked in the cycle of unhappiness.
Anchor – Then we tame the wild mind by anchoring or directing the attention to the breath or a body part say the feet.
Investigate – After the meditation, we reflect on four questions about cravings as mentioned in the recording. It is crucial that we achieve some sense of stability before contemplating on these questions.
Nourish – Throughout the practice, we send kindness toward ourselves and others to nourish the being.
Above The Silence, Line Gauthier
i listen for the sound of you
as the sun parades across the sky
i listen for the sound of you
when the moon outshines the stars
i reach out there in the beyond
and crave to hear the velvet of your voice
it soothes me to the core
and calms the chaos of my mind
Guide: Noelle Lim
Image credit: Fuu J, Unsplash
Kindermind Center 