Buddhism Taught Me the Necessity of Improvement
“Aware of the suffering caused
by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both
physical and mental, for myself, my family and for my society by practicing
mindful eating, drinking and consuming” (Hanh 96).
My life contains negatives, like everyone
else’s, and the highlight reel would contain: being lazy, eating unhealthily
and partying. This can be seen as the life of a normal college student but
still unacceptable by Buddhism standards. I never paid too much attention to
eating healthily when I was growing up because I played baseball almost every
day and led an active life. Once I went to college, my school work increased heavily
and my free time shrank drastically. The food became much unhealthier since I ate
when I could and only junk food is always available. Then I versed myself in
Buddha’s teaching, specifically Right Action, and it became clear. “If we are
mindful, we will know whether we are “ingesting” the toxins of fear, hatred,
and violence, or eating foods that encourage understanding, compassion, and the
determination to help others” (Hanh 33). This quote applies more to the
impressions we expose ourselves to but it was perfect for me. It made me
realize that I was not being mindful at all with the foods I was eating and the
excuses I made for doing so. There is always time for exercise but it requires
more work to achieve.
For
my attempt at following Right Action, I chose to practice over Spring Break
since I had a week off from school and no distractions. It started every
morning when I woke up early to jog around my neighborhood which I used to do
every day in high school. The first day jogging was the real reason I became
motivated to follow Right Action. Within a few laps, I was exhausted and
ashamed at how out of shape I really was. Clearly, my diet was the attachment I
needed to lose in order to end my suffering. I found out that it is extremely
easy to eat better foods if one just applies themselves. By the end of the
week, I was able to jog as long as I wanted too, which turned out to be when my
dog became tired. I am in no way saying that within one week, I was able to
accomplish Right Action, all I am saying is that the value of this path has
become clear. “Much of our suffering comes from not eating mindfully. We have
to learn ways to eat that preserve the health and well-being of our body and
our spirit” (Hanh 32). I experience more energy and a better work ethic, all
from simply eating better.
This
has not improved my life indefinitely, there are still many more ways I can
improve but Buddha’s teaching is an excellent guide to improvement. These
teachings are not a “How-To” guide but more of a challenge to better oneself. Take
the challenge, it’s worth it.
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