Wookielifeday, You asked several things below and I've embedded my responses in your post.
--- In [email protected], "Dave P" <wookielife...@...> wrote: > > I haven't been on here for a long time, and I apologize for just barging in > with a new topic, but I'm having a hard time with the concept of mindfulness. > [Bill!] On this forum there is no such thing as 'barging in'. It's your forum as much as anyone's. > I have been suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for a long > time, and lately it has gotten worse. I don't want to get into details here, > but it revolves around both ethical and health choices in diet and just > living. > > What I don't understand is how mindfulness can help, because to my mind > (pardon the pun) mindfulness means paying attention to everything, and if > anything OCD people pay too much attention. I worry about everything, and > intellectually I can understand just observing my emotions, but there is the > constant feeling that I MUST DO SOMETHING, that if I don't do things right I > will die. Hence I'm much more vigilant. > > Am I getting the whole concept of mindfulness wrong? Is there anything I can > read that could help me with this? > [Bill!] You don't have the concept of 'mindfulness' wrong. 'Mindfulness' is as you said "...paying attention to everything." But what is 'everything'? In the sense of zen 'mindfulness', 'everything' is just what is before you at this moment and is revealed to you through your senses. 'Everything' is NOT memories of yesterday or projections of tomorrow. Only now. 'Everything' is also not discursive thought or valuations or classifications. 'Everything' is Just THIS and Just NOW. Also zen 'mindfulness' does not include attachemnts. There are no attachments to 'mindfulness'. Things come and they go. There is no attempt to 'own' them or control them, or keep them from going. But most importantly, and although I am not a medical doctor, I do not think even zen 'mindfulness' will help 'cure' OCD. The best case is that zen could help you cope with OCD, accept it as your reality, understand the affect it has on you and learn to love your life and it's uniqueness. What could you read to help you with this? I could recommend any number of zen-related books, Buddhist Sutras, Tao Te Ching, Christian Bible especially the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus, Walden Pond by Emerson, etc... There are many. BUT more effective than reading is to do zen (or Chan) meditation (zazen); and there are many books and internet help sites that could get you started on that. HOWEVER, my best advice for you is to find a zen teacher in your area and meet with him/her. They would have the best chance to suggest a path that would be best for you. Good luck...Bill! ------------------------------------ Current Book Discussion: any Zen book that you recently have read or are reading! Talk about it today!Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Zen_Forum/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
