Joseph Goldstein Retreats about Fear and Craving

Achieved is the end of craving - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2oC5nvAZiA&feature=youtu.be

The end of craving is a taste of freedom. 

Realized is the unconditioned. Achieved is the end of craving. 

Can we even imagine a mind that is free of craving, free of desire? 

The end of craving is not far of or special. The practice of the end of craving should be made for the moment, in the moment, right now. Practice for short moments many times. 

Experiment: The next time a desire should come upon you, see if you can recognize that the desire is present, that there's a wanting in your mind. 

What does it feel like when the mind is filled with desire/ wanting? And watch how it feels when you are free of wanting. 

Craving means thirst, the fear of unsatisfied longing. It is a compelling force. It's not superficial and it can consume you. 

Craving for: power, success, drugs, alcohol. Wanting things you don't even know what they are. Or "a cup of tea would be nice".

Wanting to want: you open a catalog and go through pages waiting for something to want. 

We get lost in the fantasy of the next project we want to do, the next vacation. This is a dead end and it's not going anywhere. We expect to get something and we fear that we won't. We are trying to control how the experience unfolds. 

Craving is temporary, it doesn't deliver on its promise of happiness. "If we go for this it's gonna make us happy". 

Craving of becoming, when we imagine ourselves in a future situation. 

Don't crave past experiences, don't bind yourself to future ones. Take notice when that happens. 

Let go of the present, it can become a fixation. Don't crave the present.

Liberation doesn't come from an experience we expect/ crave, it's about letting go. We usually do what we do in order for some experience to happen. You achieve freedom with the end of craving. With this, we don't practice wanting something new. 

All our activities are based on a mistaken sense of self. Something that's not there in the first place. 

How do we free our minds from craving just in this moment? Whatever is not yours, abandon it, let it go: "Not I, not mine, not myself". Ex: material objects, consciousness, feelings, etc. 

PERSONAL SUMMARY - Craving:  You can end craving through practice. Practice seeing when you feel like wanting something, as many times as you can. Notice when you live in the past or the future, and don't get caught up in the idea of always being present. Practice for short moments many times. Don't expect to get something and don't try to control your experience. Don't live behind of the image of yourself, this image itself is a mistake and doesn't exist. Whatever is not yours, abandon it, don't be subjectively/ personally attached to it, because nothing is actually yours. Do what you can for today, for this moment, without thinking about the results you will get in the future. 

Working with fear -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8LcKlmSqUs&feature=youtu.be

We experience fear when we are at the end of our comfort zone. 

Imagine a mind without edges or limitations. 

You endure pain rather than opening to it. 

We build up in our minds what the pain is gonna become "in one hour" and then we build up on that. Fear of anticipated discomfort/ pain limits you. 

"I'll take this second piece of toast just in case i'm hungry".

Don't be caught up or identified with the fear. 

We have so many distractions that we can't feel what we carry around. 

Don't just let fear go away, don't just let it happen, practice in order for it to happen. 

The healing power of awareness. 

How much do we do so we don't feel lonely or bored? 

Whatever has the nature to arise will also pass away. The cause of death is birth. 

We can know it is there (fear) and still push it away, still resist. 

Accept fear, it's ok. Imagine being with a frightened child, You wouldn't be denying it, you would be caring with the kid. 

Fear is just a mindstate, that's all it is.

We reteach ourselves lovelyness until it flowers from within with self blessing. 

PERSONAL SUMMARY - Fear:  Fear is something that appears at the end of our comfort zone. It is ok to be afraid, accept fear, embrace it, don't endure it, be open towards fear, it is normal to be afraid and it is a part of our human experience. Fear is just a mindstate, fixed in your mind, blinding you, that keeps you from looking around. For one moment, just stop, open your eyes, and look at the here and now, look at what is around you. There is no danger, nothing to be afraid of, no past experience or future expectations, it's just you and what you see around you. If you are afraid, don't identify with fear, don't act through fear, don't be fear. Accept it, look around and take a deep breath. Each time when you feel afraid, lonely, bored, or when you are looking for second options just to be sure, just remember, this danger you are afraid of, isn't a thing of the present, nor will it exist in the future.