Teaching #35: Preventing Wholesome Desires from Deteriorating into Craving
In my experience there are three skillful means you can practice that will prevent your wholesome desire from deteriorating into craving: First is committing to ethical behavior and renouncing being controlled by your desires. Second is cultivating wisdom through mindfulness and insight such that when desire arises you can discriminate between those thoughts, words, and actions that are skillful and those that lead to suffering. Third is surrendering to the truth that you cannot control what happens to you or those whom you care about.
Chapter 9, Pg 85
For your reflection: When you catch yourself having a wholesome desire that turns into craving, ask yourself why it happened. Be particularly mindful when you’ve become obsessed with creating a certain outcome for yourself or another. Do you really know what’s best? Is your obsession actually creating more suffering? Does this really reflect your intention?