People are no steam engines. That seems to be clear.<\/p>\n
\u25ca\u25ca\u25ca<\/p>\n
Yet in a profound way the prevailing (although mostly underlying) idea in Western culture about human desires in general comes down to precisely this: a desire as something that, if not gratified, builds up and \u2026 yes \u2026 puts steam on the kettle. This steam is also called \u2018frustration\u2019. The gratification of the desire\/frustration in this view is something like a whistle or a valve whereby the steam is transcended into action. The engine comes into mot(ivat)ion.<\/p>\n
\u25ca\u25ca\u25ca<\/p>\n
This is a dissociated view: you have people; you have desires. People \u2018struggle\u2019 (try to cope in one way or the other) with desires. By giving in to a desire, this loses strength, for a while. In the end, people are more or less helpless against this. As the saying goes: \u2018the flesh is weak\u2019. So people need help from\u2026?<\/p>\n
\u25ca\u25ca\u25ca<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t think so.<\/p>\n
\u25ca\u25ca\u25ca<\/p>\n
People are<\/em> their own desires. This is also true in a very deep sense. Desires are not something like conditions used by a kind of devilish creature trying to annoy us and \u2018lead us astray\u2019. Therefore, desires are not necessarily linked to frustrations either. Having a desire is simply being human, being yourself. You can and may enjoy being yourself. It\u2019s completely positive. Frustrations do not come from desires, but from a frustration-kind of relating to desires.<\/p>\n \u25ca\u25ca\u25ca<\/p>\n This is the bright side of life: you can in principle enjoy the desire itself, always<\/em>. Are you hungry? Good! You can enjoy being hungry. Then you eat. Very good! You can enjoy eating. Then after a while you are hungry again\u2026 There is no frustration in this.<\/p>\n \u25ca\u25ca\u25ca<\/p>\n The same is true with sex for instance. You can enjoy the desire for sex. Then the sex. Then the desire for sex. No frustration. Only happiness, true \u2018making love\u2019.<\/p>\n \u25ca\u25ca\u25ca<\/p>\n As I feel it, a \u2018frustration-prone-desire\u2019 is not even really a desire. Surely it\u2019s called a desire, but actually it\u2019s not. On the contrary, it\u2019s a frustration, a thing that even prevents real desire. As simple as that. A desire is always positive, a frustration is not. For instance, one cannot really enjoy food while \u2018craving for it\u2019.<\/p>\n \u25ca\u25ca\u25ca<\/p>\n Then where does this frustration-thing come from? Why is it so prevalent? According to me, it\u2019s mainly because making people frustrated is an easy way to gain power over them. The recipe is: make people frustrated. Then put yourself on a pedestal as the one who can take away the frustration, be it through fighting against it or giving in to it. As a result: power. Yet: a very petty kind of power if you ask me.<\/p>\n \u25ca\u25ca\u25ca<\/p>\n Practically, if for instance you want to lose weight, try to deeply enjoy being hungry. Then try to deeply enjoy eating. Try to avoid frustration (especially while following a diet!). A good communication with your deeper self can help you very much in this. I would say: broadly seen, it\u2019s even indispensable. This way, the war against your deeper self ends. As a result, you will almost effortlessly lose weight and<\/em> frustration. You will gain desire and enjoyment. Most important of all, you will gain yourself.<\/p>\n \u25ca\u25ca\u25ca<\/p>\n Long live desire!<\/p>\n \u25ca\u25ca\u25ca<\/p>\n \n