Mind activities of a Stone boy

Gangaji reminds me that the freedom is always there. Having strong desires and getting addiction to things are inevitable in life. Instead of suppressing them, one could try fully embrace them and learn what they really are. In the mist of strong emotions and feelings, there is always a freedom to be still and not to be swayed by the desires and habits. The freedom is always there..

The fifth mindfulness training, the mindful consumption, has always been a challenge to practice. Over the new year holiday retreat at the Blue Cliff Monastery, a lay man said that it is possible to consume alcohol mindfully. I wonder how he did it. I surely can't do so. Every time I drank a bottle of beer, I immediately notice that I could not think as clear as I would like to. Yes, sometimes, that is a sensation that I would like to enjoy, but these days, I sense that it is a loss of clarity in mind. My brain cells are getting killed. So, is it possible to mindfully consume the unmindful things? My life experiences tell me no in the most cases. Still, we could learn a lot from our mistakes so we don't make the same mistakes again. In that regard, we do mindfully consume the unmindful things....