Hi.

I find it difficult to develop my mindfulness & concentration due to the use of social media.

You might say to distance myself from them but I will say it's hard because there are very limited other things that I can spend my time with that won't affect my mind much.

So?

Teacher David:


Hello there…sure, I will help you.

Yes, in order to eliminate a craving/desire/attachment, the mind needs to distance itself from the object and actively apply Right Effort to eliminate the craving/desire/attachment.

The lack of mindfulness and concentration is due to an untrained mind and due to having cravings/desires/attachments. The mind’s pollution.

You do not need to eliminate social media permanently. The mind just needs to distance itself for a period of time to allow the mind to “let go” so it is no longer basing its inner feelings on this conditioned object.

Yes, it is challenging to do because the mind keeps “wanting” to “hold on”. But, you will never become free of the cravings/desires/attachments if you do not “let go”.

It is like, you need to walk through the fire to appreciate the fresh air on the other side.

Because the mind has cravings/desires/attachments and is getting conditioned pleasant feelings from those things, as the mind is letting go, there will be painful feelings. But, you will never get free of those cravings/desires/attachments if you never choose to let them go.

Because the mind is not getting what it “wants’, which is to hold on to the object, it will experience painful feelings. But, through training the mind to let go, there will be peace and joy on the other side of those painful feelings. The peace and joy is waiting for you, you just need to walk towards it.

You need to walk through the fire to appreciate the fresh air on the other side.