andrea patriceI’m currently working on/mulling over a #Buddhist perspective on #ADHD, as I try to seriously practice the Dharma with a #neurodivergent mind. I have yet to write these thoughts down properly but I’m thinking a lot about the analogy between taking in sense impressions and food/eating, which is also in #Buddhism as part of the Four Nutriments https://plumvillage.org/library/sutras/discourse-on-the-four-kinds-of-nutriments/
Working with this metaphor of nutriment/nutrition made me realise that #ADHD feels like constantly starving, despite seeming banquets of food (sensory impressions) all around. #Buddhism has a name for that too- the hungry ghost. Being a hungry ghost is usually explained in terms of being a bad rebirth destination due to greediness , but for my ADHD mind it’s more like dying of thirst while stranded at sea- there’s water everywhere but however much you drink, you’ll still be thirsty.
Seeing myself as metaphorically starving for nutritious sense impressions (thanks lack of dopamine) makes it much easier to be self-compassionate with regards to my #ADHD, and points towards a potential strategy- make everything in my environment a nourishing sensory feast! How exactly you go about doing that is my current project. There’s a lot more to write about this, but that’s a summary of where my thinking is at right now. /end
theADHDacademic@annedraya Genius. Can't wait to hear more. Thanks for sharing with us.
john lehet@annedraya Of course I don’t know your mind so I can’t talk about it. All our minds are different, and sort of the same too.
I’d suggest that if you are aware your thoughts are pulling you all around, thoughts are scattered etc — if you have that awareness of the thoughts, then you are already fully participating in a meaningful meditation path.
It’s not the quality, quantity, or any other characteristic of thoughts that matters. It’s the awareness shining back on them sometimes. #meditation
lobsterI have practiced mindful eating at #Dervish, #Vajrayana, #Theravada, #Yoga, #Christian personal #retreats ✔️
All involved:
🔕 Silence or near silence whilst eating
💎 Gratitude
Food, not obviously
As consumers, we are not used to:
Holding fast to less
🍶 Turning water into wine
🍥 Miracles of sharing with hungry or holy ghosts
Now due to food scarcity, fresh water shortage, hunger, Etc … we might grow a little more mindful …
