I have become increasingly interested in Buddhism lately... something I have always been curious about. But lately I have been feeling like I'm in a rut and need something other than our traditional western ideas about happiness. In western publications I have been reading, it is stressed over and over the fact that you just have to let go. Just let all those negative feelings leave your mind and focus on working out and eating right. But after reading such things it almost instills a feeling of guilt for not being ABLE to let those feelings go. How are we supposed to let feelings go. There is nothing concrete to back that up. How exactly do I just stop thinking negative?
The other day I was perusing through some Buddhist publications online and there it was! They said to accept your feelings first and then start to detach yourself from that feeling. Experience it... let it happen. After some TIME (westerners seem to want everything immediately) then eventually you can learn through meditation that thoughts can come into your mind still (this means negative too) but you acknowledge their presence but don't give them any attention. i.e. dwell while they are there in the moment. I love that! And I tried it and for the first time something actually worked! I can't believe it!
No I'm not going to become a Buddhist anytime soon but I do want to learn more about the practice as I think they really have something there.
