Teaching #31: Desire without Craving
When you cling to desire, you become defined by that desire; you see the world through the eyes of someone who wants that particular goal or outcome. It is a distorted vision; therefore you measure your life incorrectly…The mind is so contracted around what it is craving that it acts as though getting this one thing would make you happy. Oftentimes the goal, even if achieved, provides only fleeting satisfaction and is quickly replaced by another, and the cycle starts over again.
Chapter 9, Pg 81
For your reflection: Observe how many times each day you catch your mind desiring something small or large. See what happens when you get that desire. Do you stay happy for an extended period of time, or do you immediately start noticing something else that you desire? Then see if you can distinguish between those times when it’s simply desire and when desire falls into clinging.