Finding Contentment

[@DougsDharma]

Check out this video next on Buddhism and Minimalism: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJC1Z5uDl8-ZoKM Consider joining us on Patreon if you enjoy these videos, and get fun benefits like exclusive behind-the-scenes videos, audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂

[@markvincentordiz]

I'm in my existential crisis when I think about finding or getting a love life partner to share my desires and pleasures with. I have also think about that what if there is a probability that may happen that one will never find a partner in life. I reviewed my perspective and have to think about the virtue of contentment. I have critically rationalized objectively that contentment can be rational. Of course in common sense, the logical framework of contentment works but hard for people who have thought about nihilism/hedonism/ even making sense of atheism as philosophy. Can you help me rationalize contentment more within the context of psychology and philosophy?

[@unassailable6138]

Thanks, Mr Malkovitch.

[@empoweredpractices]

I needed this today. Thank you. I've recently stumbled upon your channel and it's suiting me perfectly for where I am in my journey in understanding Buddhist teaching and Dharma

[@DougsDharma]

Glad to hear it Fé. You're very welcome!

[@anicca6877]

Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom. I wish you good health.

[@DougsDharma]

And you as well sanket! 🙏

[@thatoneweirdgirlvlogchanne3647]

I really needed this video today. Thank you

[@DougsDharma]

So glad to be of help! 🙂

[@blackhunk2265]

Hi! Girl!!

[@robertmartell7271]

Great Dharma Doug , Contentment has a calming effect in my life . Working from home I'm doing many hrs of meditation and daily walks . Your a breath of fresh air ......... w/Metta

[@DougsDharma]

That's great to hear Robert, thanks for the comment!

[@รารา-พ4ฦ]

Your Dharma Talks are so great for today human life !!!

[@DougsDharma]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the comment!

[@ashman870]

Hi Doug. I’ve just stumbled on your channel and you have a new follower. As a long-term student of Psychology I’ve found myself drawn to Buddhist philosophy for some time. Your videos are so straightforward with valuable and helpful messages. I look forward to watching more. Thanks for what you do.

[@DougsDharma]

You're very welcome Ashlie, great to have you here!

[@mae9064]

@Doug’s Dharma. Just stumbled on your video. Struggling with finding and living contentment. It’s been a big help. Thank you 🙏

[@DougsDharma]

Great to hear, Mae! 🙏😊

[@yasithperera5700]

Very nicely put Doug. That is why Buddha's path is called the 'middle way'. With avoiding the both sides of the extremes

[@DougsDharma]

That's right Anonymous. We find contentment in the middle.

[@gscrean]

How is it that at nearly every turn, I keep learning more ways that it feels like Buddhism and me were made for each other? Haha. I'm glad to be learning that I'm not the only person who thinks the way I do and am even happier knowing a community does. Thanks, Doug.

[@DougsDharma]

My pleasure gscrean! Yes, community is so important. 🙏🙂

[@marco6703]

Another amazing video Doug, thank you. It is great to see that Buddha never really died, but that He continues to teach and talk from the mouths of disciple like you. Thank you!

[@DougsDharma]

As one of my teachers likes to say, "It's not from me, it's from him!" 😀

[@photistyx]

What an excellent video! Narrowing down our desires to the ones that serve us best. Such a good thought.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes I think so! The Buddha was very insightful. 😀

[@photistyx]

@@DougsDharma So it seems :-)

[@Jordiwasp]

Thanks for the great video. You are right on your comment regarding the opportunity COVID provides. In my case, the isolation is allowing me to learn about the Dharma. I would like to suggest to you a subject for a future video on an issue I am curios about which perhaps you may have something to talk about. What is the role in Buddhism of trees? Not just physical as in the case of the tree under which Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha, but also symbolically. I personally feel that mediation is almost an attempt to become a tree, or at least to imitate a tree. A totally still living being which is nevertheless connected with everything (soil below, sky above, branches in all the directions, etc). Trees also help me to understand the concept of non-self, and even rebirth. Is this something ever discussed in Buddhism?

[@DougsDharma]

Not to my knowledge Jordiwasp, though trees are involved in many of the Buddha's similes -- as are other natural formations such as rivers, lakes, and so on.

[@Jordiwasp]

@@DougsDharma Thank you

[@graham974]

Really enjoyed this video! I particularly like the idea brought up often of taking a middle path in finding contentment in life. Thank you for your great videos Doug!

[@DougsDharma]

You're very welcome Graham, thanks for the comment!

[@maichyang2912]

Beautiful.

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks very much, glad you found it useful. 🙏

[@wallaosirus]

Hi Doug. Really enjoying the insightful videos as I take my first exploratory steps into Buddhism. I was wondering if you could recommend a particular video of yours or a particular practice to assist with ruminative thinking? This is a major aspect of my anxiety and part of what led me to look at Buddhism as a way to reframe my thinking. At the moment I'm generally focusing on the idea that ruminative thinking is a form of mental dukkha where my brain is trying to change something it doesn't like rather than be able to stay in the moment and make decisions based on my objective observations at that time. Would appreciate a bit of insight into this if possible. Many thanks.

[@DougsDharma]

That’s a hard one CJ. I did a recent video on focusing on the present that might help a bit: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXuWpGqohZZoqcU . But I’d say in general that, as you suggest, one of the main manifestations of dukkha is ruminative thinking. In general in the suttas (and with monastics I’ve heard) they generally just say that breath meditation is the antidote, since it calms the mind. But it can be a long practice! Over time you will find that the ruminations change, and that can be a good insight into impermanence as well.

[@wallaosirus]

@@DougsDharma Appreciate the insight and the quick response, thank you.

[@ValKitsakis]

Loved this video! Mainly because I've been contemplating many of the things you talk about for the past months. Also, I really like your colour grading on your videos! Is this what they call orange and teal?

[@DougsDharma]

Thanks Valantis! On the videos I use a LUT for my camera but don't do real color grading. Or do you mean the thumbnail? Anyhow I hope it looks nice!

[@blackhunk2265]

Yes..since last 2 days, my residence area is on containment , by Govt.

[@DougsDharma]

Yes, this is happening to many of us! 🙂

[@utkarshsingh-rp2dq]

Hi, I love your video. I have the question? Nietzsche's and Buddhist writings share the fact that they are a direct response to nihilism, however, was the right in characterizing Buddhism as advocating a negation of the will, as a will to nothingness, or was this a misunderstanding stemming from his reading of Buddhist texts through the works of Schopenhauer?

[@DougsDharma]

Hi utkarsh, I don't know enough about Nietzsche's opinions on Buddhism to say. But I would certainly not say that Buddhism expresses a will to nothingness, that is known as annihilationism and is something the Buddha opposed.

[@yasithperera5700]

Middle Way refer to the Buddha's teaching of dependent origination as a view between the extremes of eternalism and annihilationism. I got this from wikipedia. Look up Dependent Origination to understand this. (When one of these causes changes or disappears, the resulting object or phenomena will also change or disappear, as will the objects or phenomena depending on the changing object or phenomena. Thus, there is nothing with an eternal self or atman, only mutually dependent origination and existence. However, the absence of an eternal atman does not mean there is nothing at all. Early Buddhism adheres to a realistic approach which does not deny existence as such, but denies the existence of eternal and independent substances.) So it does not mean there is no existence, only that there is no self that is eternal. Like the soul, there is no soul that continues on, everything is formed again in a new life. Only the seed of Kamma is passing along to the next life. And the seed of Kamma causes cosciousness and the mind/body etc. to exist again

[@blackhunk2265]

Doug. Please let me know how Eightfold path as Righteous approach helpful to recover from global social and economic effects of covid19 pandemic+ lockdown+quarentine situation

[@DougsDharma]

That’s a good question I Bhardwaj, it’s one I’ve been trying to answer indirectly with these coronavirus videos. I’ll think about saying more about the eightfold path though!

[@aidanharrison3888]

Perhaps meditation could be an Olympic sport .

[@DougsDharma]

😄

[@soshification]

Happy vesak!!

[@DougsDharma]

Same to you! 🙏🙂

[@markvincentordiz]

I'm in my existential crisis when I think about finding or getting a love life partner to share my desires and pleasures with. I have also think about that what if there is a probability that may happen that one will never find a partner in life. I reviewed my perspective and have to think about the virtue of contentment. I have critically rationalized objectively that contentment can be rational. Of course in common sense, the logical framework of contentment works but hard for people who have thought about nihilism/hedonism/ even making sense of atheism as philosophy. Can you help me rationalize contentment more within the context of psychology and philosophy?

[@DougsDharma]

Well rationalizing contentment isn't the issue, it's finding it emotionally. That takes a lot of practice Mark, both mindfulness and otherwise.