Chasing pleasures

Spirituality
#1

hi, I’m curious to know what you guys think about chasing pleasures from a spiritual perspective.

so far I’ve concluded 2 things-

  1. the satisfaction that comes with it is extremely short-lived.
  2. it leaves us with a weaker will, craving for more and it’s never enough

and it takes willpower to keep oneself from chasing pleasures. but what’s a good way to rejuvenate after running out of willpower? the tendency is to go back to indulging in pleasures for a while. but again, doing so just makes the cravings stronger

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#2

I think this really depends on which craving . The usual suspects are alcohol, sex and other drugs or any derivatives from these.

Pleasure in itself you have to view as neutral to make meaningful progress.

To rejuvenate is a balancing act between removing the bad habit, maintaining a positive outlook, realizing you will relapse but still going on, and eventually having shape shifted.

The result shouldn’t be that you 100% abstain, but that you integrate and welcome this aspect that you wish to change, then you’ll automatically enjoy it and not feel guilty about indulging

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#3

I don´t think we have to abstain from pleasure completely to be spiritual.
I´m sure there is a reason we have all the possibilites to experience states of pleasure.
Most here know that u don´t even need a substance for this.
Thing is, most things I enjoyed in the past (substances,people,behaviours…) fall away or reduce dramaticaly the more I progress on my journey. At that point it´s not even that big of a deal to resist anymore.
Most of the time it´s just a temporary tool to suppress pain. It becomes obsolete at some point.

Ask urself, why am I even indulging in pleasure?
Am I satisfied with my life, how I feel and experience this world? Then go ahead.
But if you do it to fill some sort of lack then I would dig deeper to find and eliminate the rootcause.
Anything else will

Just my thoughts.

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#4

i fathom that it comes with the realizing you have a problem or whether you have a problem.

Pleasure is not the problem.

Payment in energy for the pleasure might be one.

When a person has cravings, it is for something it is normaly lacking in the moment or extremely pleasurable or both.

The stronger the both components are, the heavier the craving, the less control over it. And the person will give up many things in order to have what he craves.

AAaand most times it doesnt conclude in satisfaction, because in that moment the energy of the said person is already syphoned somewhere else.

And then come this very typical empty feeling and then if not delt with the circle begins again.

So is fed the darkness of this earth. And we like hamsters, run to do all that.

The mastery in this is to have all the fun you can get for yourself and not let be drained and empty…

For this purpose we have our sapien fields and our forum.

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#5

:point_up: :point_up: :point_up: This.

It’s the “chasing” piece of your thesis that’s the problem and, like most “spiritual” topics, that invites some meditation and honest introspection. What’s going on with your “chasing”?

For most people, that “chasing” is usually due to some level of awareness of a lack, a void or a hole somewhere and then trying to fill that hole with something was never meant to fill that hole, like the gym rat who lives at the gym using their workouts to try and fill a hole in their self-image, for example.

There’s nothing wrong with “pleasure” or even “chasing pleasure.” The animals of our planet do this ALL the time. That’s their usual mode of operation, until we humans get involved and train them out of it. You have only to spend 10 minutes with a young puppy to see this in action (human babies, too, BTW). We are never as “spiritual” as we are when we are first born (before we’re trained out of that “spiritual” to fit in with the others on this planet who have long ago been similarly trained out of their natural “spiritual”-ness).

If you’re “chasing pleasure” because you understand that life is supposed to be fun (looking at you, gorgeous little puppy!) IMHO there is nothing more “spiritual.” If you’re “chasing pleasure” in an attempt to fill some sort of void or hole, then (to borrow from the old song) you’re looking for love in all the wrong places, which isn’t very “spiritual” at all.

(We each may have different definitions for the same word “spiritual,” but my post was long enough as is without going down that rabbit hole.l

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#6

:clap:

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#7

for me spiritual was allways the feeling.

material is you look at a 1000 Bucks after recieving them with hard work or light crime… then the spiritual comes outa the awe you feel seeing those 1000 Bucks and the opportunities they give you. to make you self/soul happy through those means (1000 bucks). of course we speak of extra 1000 bucks to your usual loan…the high feeling in the heart of recieving and also when somebody feeiling the same feeling while giving (maybe not so often but is the same fun feeling)

it is too comlplex to put into words and i am feeling i already fell in the rabbit hole myself…boggers.

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#8

You see how it’s important, especially when we’re using terms we can’t put in a wheelbarrow (like “spiritual” or “chasing” or “pleasure”), that we define what we’re meaning?

Because you can have one definition (and your definition would be absolutely right for you) yet the other person has a completely different definition. You think you all are talking about the same thing but you’re really not, you see?

And doesn’t this happen all the time in day-to-day conversations? Like the person who says “I value respect in a relationship” and you think you know what they mean, because you’re using your definition of " respect" which “tell me when I’m about to do something bad/wrong.” But when you do tell them when they’re about to do something bad/wrong," they get all upset, saying you don’t respect them because their definition of “respect” all along has been “when you don’t hurt my feelings.” :laughing:

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#9

I agree but it’s all good, I’m loving all the answers, I’m not too concerned with someone’s definition of spirituality. if it’s different from mine, that’s even better because I get a wider variety of perspectives to think about.

by “chasing pleasure” I just meant activities like scrolling social media pointlessly or eating snacks even when not really hungry or just anything we do for short-term pleasure(which usually hurts in long run). but again, my question is not too rigid about what someone considers “chasing pleasure” and I’m still interested in the answer even if someone had a different interpretation of those terms :sweat_smile:

#10

That’s fine. For me, though, your “pointlessly” suggests to me that you’re not really finding the “pleasure” in those activities and these would fit into my definition of “filling a void.”

The reason why these are “pointless” (and it’s all right that they are) is your “pointless” feeling is important guidance, letting you know that you have a void to be healed and that your activities are you “looking for love in all the wrong places,” which is why they turn out “pointless” to you.

ETA: We typically talk about “spiritual”/“spirituality” when we’re interested in experiencing things beyond the realm of our physical senses. Then, we’re expanding our consciousness and awareness. That’s why so many “spiritual” schools teach mindfulness.

Your pointless activities are the very opposite of that mindfulness. We could call them “mindLESSness” (not a judgement) because you’re trying to numb the hunger pangs of your void.

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#11

this for me is pure boredom and chasing of nothing, especially i would prefer the snacks as social media are real bad for the brain esp. in quantity. when you delve too deep. Those as the six o clock news are made to agitate and stimulate you brain in a way that gives alittle pleasure and takes your focus and your will really slowly. they are not safe esp when somebody wants something more of the current reallity as one gets.

  • same going in the mall for no reason
  • or watching porn
  • or being addicted in anything really.

this is a very sticky reallity with a very well done mask of innocence and a sence of being normal (well not on drugs and not viewing porn publicly). but it is all unfortunately no good.

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