It has taken me at least 7 hours to write the 500 words on desire for class tomorrow. It was not a mammoth task, we only had to write something on what we thought desire was, what we desired, how we desire, anything. Here is my attempt. I only managed 423 words in the end.
Desire is that incredible heart-wrenching feeling you get in your chest, the bursting feeling in your head, the tingles in your tummy when you see or hear or feel that which you long for. To desire is to wish for something to happen. To have a strong want for something. To long for someone. For some, desiring is a way to live in this often dissatisfying world as it offers some optimism for what could become. That feeling of hope alone is enough to instill calm.
However, for Buddhists, desire is seen as something to overcome in order to reach Nirvana.
"No matter how much of something you get, it never satisfies your desire for better or more. This unceasing desire is suffering; its nature is emotional frustration."
Buddha
We have reached a point where corporate success has given rise to a culture obsessed with inauthentic desires, dreamt up by advertisers and salespeople, instead of real bodily needs. (Witzenmann. 1976)
We now desire material possessions over health and wellbeing for ourselves and others. This is dangerous as it makes people selfish and self-fulfilling which can only produce negative energy in the world. People become disappointed when their desires are not met and this can create more desire, desire for happiness but as Buddhist monk Shantideva said “All happiness comes from the desire for others to be happy. All misery comes from the desire for oneself to be happy.”. We cannot win with desire.
"We are never so defenseless against suffering as when we love, never so forlornly unhappy as when we have lost our love object or its love.”
Sigmund Freud
When I am captured by desire I desire fully. My whole world becomes engulfed entirely by it to the point where I cannot function. I can no longer concentrate or form sentences. My heart rushes with excitement and sinks with disappointment all at the same time as I desire that which I cannot obtain. I desire that which I cannot achieve. I desire the unknown, the unseen. I have to hide my desires. I cant let them be shown because then someone will see that what I desire cannot be. I desire happiness. I desire love. I desire family. I desire to bake cakes when I wake up. Desire is dangerous. It can make you feel hopeless.
There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart's desire.
The other is to get it.
George Bernard Shaw "Man and Superman"
(1903), act 4
and now sleep.
