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Buddhism 101:  Desire for Security

​We’re so afraid of losing our lives that we never truly live. We allow our desire for security to become a prison. Our desire for security actually makes us more insecure.

Black and white drawing of a bamboo plant.

The Grand Illusion by Anan Thubten

Picture
​The Daoists have a saying: “There are ten thousand joys and ten thousand sorrows.” Though this is a profound and inescapable truth, most of us only truly accept half of it. We welcome the joys, but we’re not so accommodating of the sorrows. Sorrow is normal and natural, but we see it as a problem we must solve. 
​The problem isn’t sorrow, itself; the problem is we don’t accept sorrow as a natural part of our lives. We try to escape it, to seek its opposite. And our attempts to escape inevitably create suffering. This suffering has nothing to do with our external circumstances. It doesn’t matter whether we’re healthy or sick, rich or poor, loved or along. Suffering comes from our chronic psychological restlessness, which resists life as it is
 
When we get down to it, what we’re resisting isn’t just sorrow but change. If we’re not resisting the fact that our joy has turned to sorrow, we’re resisting the possibility that our joy may someday turn to sorrow. We want our joy to last forever, but we don’t have to look far to see that nothing lasts forever. Everything is falling apart; everything is changing. We can’t rely on wealth, friends, or comfort. We can’t even rely on our own bodies or minds. Deep down we know this, which is why we have so many insecure feelings throughout our life.
 
The Buddha addressed this human conundrum in the four noble truths. He taught that craving is the root of suffering. We crave happiness, comfort, and ease, and we want to avoid their opposites. We crave security, for things to stay the same, to remain stable. This craving is what turns inevitable human sorrow into suffering, even when we’re blessed with favorable physical conditions and circumstances. This collective pathology runs deep. Our craving for security is actually a craving for permanence, which is unattainable. At root is the instinctual desire to survive, which has been physiologically and psychologically hardwired into us over millions of years of human evolution.
 
We don’t like surprises either. We like to have everything under control, to force our lives to be predictable. But there’s no way to make things perfectly predictable, no real security. Security is a grand illusion. Paradoxically, our desire for security actually makes us insecure. It robs us of inner fulfillment, joy, and peace. It constricts us, closing our hearts so we can’t experience unconditional love. We’re so afraid of losing our lives that we never truly live. We allow our desire for security to become a prison. 

Picture
The Desire for Security
We’re so afraid of losing our lives that we never truly live. We allow our desire for security to become a prison. Our desire for security actually makes us more insecure.

​
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  • Home
    • Index of Articles
    • About
    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
  • Meditation
    • Sitting Meditation
    • Walking Meditation Basic Techniques
    • Walking Meditation Benefits
    • Meditation Breathing
    • Meditation Posture
    • Breathing: On Counting Breaths
    • Practicing: On Meditation Practice
    • Bellows Breathing
    • Mindfulness of Breathing
    • Buddhism 101: The Grand Illusion
  • LifeStyle
    • Mind and Spirit >
      • How To Be Happy
      • Pope's Tips for a Happier Life
      • Happiness If-Onlys
      • What is Love
      • Psychic Protection in Crowds
    • Work Abundance >
      • Jobs Using the Internet
      • Be a Team Player
      • Time for a New Career?
      • Be More Productive
    • People Connection >
      • 10 Nice Things You Can Do for Your Neighbors
      • Live a Long Life
      • Mini-Tens >
        • Funny Tens >
          • Cheesy Pick Up Lines
          • Pick Up Lines for Scientists
    • Food for Life >
      • Lacy Baked Cheese Crisps
      • Healthy Snack Kale Chips
      • An Apple a Day
      • Become a Vegan
      • Tips for a Vegan Diet
      • Juice Cleanse
      • Juice Cleanse Recipes
    • Expanding World >
      • Travel First-Aid Kit
      • 10 Ways to Relieve Stress
  • Creative Arts
    • You Can Do It >
      • Oil Painting Brushes
      • How To Hold a Paint Brush
      • Painting with a Painter's Knife
      • How To Hold a Painting Knife
      • Use a Painting Knife: Textures and Marks
      • Sketchbooks for Artists
      • Be Creative With Your Photographs
      • Warm Up the Voice for Singing
      • How To Write A Haiku Poem
      • Listen to Music
    • Creativity Matters >
      • Traits of Creative People
      • Jobs for Creatives
      • Joyful Music
      • Funniest Songs
    • Arts Appreciated >
      • Vincent Van Gogh Insights into Creativity
      • Brilliant Quotes for Artists
      • History of Botanical Illustration
      • Haiku Poetry of Basho
  • Nature
    • Environment >
      • Sow Bugs in Vegetable Gardens
      • Sow Bugs and Diatomaceous Earth
      • Organic Pest Control
      • Organic Lawn Care
      • Feeding and Weeding Organic Lawn Care
      • Compost Tea
      • Making Compost Tea
      • 10 Steps to Organic Lawn Care
      • Ground Covering Plants
      • Electric Vehicles Benefits
      • Recycling Paper Benefits
      • Save Energy and Natural Resources
      • Wind Mill Turbines
    • Natural World >
      • Survive an Earthquake
      • Survive a Landslide
      • Tsunamis Start With Little Warning
      • Coyotes and People Encounters
      • Domesticated Insects
    • Your World Outdoors >
      • Spiritual Experiences in Nature
      • Natural Tick Prevention
      • Tailgate Parties Go Green
  • Well-Being
    • Self-Care Vitality >
      • Muscle Relaxation Head and Back
      • Progressive Muscle Relaxation
      • How to Breathe
      • Breathe Deeply Health Benefits
      • High Heels Are Hurting Me
      • Natural Skin Care Tips
      • Dry Brush Skin Exfoliation
    • Alternative Medicine >
      • Natural First Aid Kit
      • CoQ10 for Vibrant Health
      • Rhodiola, a Natural Herbal Alternative
      • 10 Natural Home Remedies for Bee Stings
      • Safe Tick Repellent
      • Natural Deodorants Lose Underarm Odor
    • Fitness Your Way >
      • Motivational Quotes for Fitness and Exercise
      • Cardio Exercise for the Lazy
      • Motivational Quotes to Lose Weight
      • 10 Ways to Boost Metabolism
      • Fatigue Fighters Boost Energy
    • Food As Medicine >
      • Foods That Fight Cancer
      • Honey as Medicine
    • Tens Devices >
      • TENS Units
      • Comparison of TENS and EMS
  • Contact