Escapism, Life, Buddhism

[becomethepath]

To me, escapism is escaping from our world by seeking distractions and addictions. For example, people forget about their worries by gambling, watching movies, fantasizing about their future, internet addiction, video games, junk food, television, facebook and social media, drugs, porn, alcohol, nightclubs and bars, career, reading and so on.

 

We escape from the pain and sorrows of reality. Buddhism teaches us to face our reality, to become aware of our surroundings, mindfulness. Buddhism and spirituality is opposite of escapism. Escapism is going away from the truth. With buddhism and spirituality, we cling to nothing but ourselves, no external factors involved. When we seek external sources or distractions, our life becomes a blur.

 

What's your opinion on escapism?

Edited July 25, 2013 by becomethepath

[C T]

Being too caught up in 'getting out of the ways of the mundane world' is also another form of escapism.

[RiverSnake]

It's said that one of the most difficult things about going on a spiritual retreat is that people find they have nothing to distract themselves with and put them in that unconscious trance state so many are used to via TV, work, driving, reading...etc

 

Being isolated and in complete silence forces people to look within and examine things which we rather ignore. Self awareness and being present in the moment is the opposite of escapism and also the cure for it.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited July 25, 2013 by OldChi

[C T]

As long as retreats are not used as a substitute for escaping mundaneness, then its ok.

 

Its obvious that there are a significant number who have replaced one form of escapism with another (or a few others) which has been spun so much so as to make it appear more noble when in fact its nothing more than another trap to lure entry into the cocoon of blissful unawareness.

[3bob]

Bodhidharma stayed in cave and or faced a stone wall for around 9 years.... which looks like a form of "escapism" so who really knows the workings of dharma and all the meanings of that word?

 

(by the way the historic Buddha "escaped" to the forest for quite awhile and thus shirked all of his obvious and standing dharmic duties as a father and husband, so who really knows the workings of dharma and all the meanings of that word?)

Edited July 25, 2013 by 3bob

[3bob]

no comebacks on #5, hmm...

[becomethepath]

i believe we only escape if our mind is not in the present, activities such as reading, working, watching tv distracts your mind from the present

[doc benway]

There certainly is a theme of escape in Buddhism -

Escape from suffering

Escape from the cycle of birth and rebirth

So that aspect of escape is not a bad thing...

And although the paths may different, all the great traditions head in the 'self same' direction.

 

And our addictions and indulgences certainly are attempts at escape, but they're not as sophisticated as Buddhist methods and are transient in nature and generally accrue negative karma.

Buddhists teach that the only way to avoid all of that, the great escape if you will, is by liberating all of that and resting in what remains when all of that is gone.

[suninmyeyes]

I think that what we often consider spirituality is just a more justifyable and a good/worthy form of escapism .

Good or bad -- escapism is still escapism .

[Jetsun]

I think escapism is the natural human reaction to suffering, nobody wants to suffer so we do what we can to get away from it, all creatures try to get away from it and even the cellular level if you irritate a cell it most probably tries to get away from the source of the irritation.

 

So most spirituality is most probably practised in the same spirit in the beginning, which is completely understandable and expected, we try to use it to transcend our problems, to try to gain control and get rid of those things we don't like, but if the path is genuine it should directly show you in the end that all such efforts to escape are futile and only make things worse.

 

For one person going to a monastery or staring at a wall it could be just to try escape from complex personal relationships but for another it could be a way to stop running away from yourself, so it is up to the individual, but in Buddhism I think the paths which include a Boddhisattva element has certain safeguards against escapism in that the purpose of your practice is for the benefit of all things all beings and nothing is excluded and all has to be embraced before you gain enlightenment, so with that view escapism isn't likely. Certain Christian perspectives have that element too.

[3bob]

freedom from all forms of attachment, yet also free to enjoy all forms. (for in that light such is not the samsara boogie man)

[RiverSnake]

Avoid pain and attain pleasure.

 

This is the rhythm that the majority of human beings on the planet are running on. IMO, a large part of spirituality is going beyond these boundaries but at the same time understanding them. Appreciating pleasure but not being possessed by it. Understanding pain and its value and at the same time being wary not to cause unnecessary suffering and hardship. Thus attaining greater enlightenment and freedom.

 

My 2 cents, Peace

Edited July 26, 2013 by OldChi

[TzuJanLi]

Greetings..

 

The only 'worthy escape' i am aware of, is the escape from attachment..

 

Be well..

[Everything]

What's your opinion on escapism?

We are either fleeing or fighting, the people say.

 

Fleeing their enemies, they have won the battle.

Killing their enemies, they know how to escape these.

 

Everything is all things, and if you wish to know all perspectives on escapism, you would be wise to prepare your mind for exhaustion. So simply choose and define escapism as you want it to be. No one can tell you otherwise, but you.

 

We are fleeing and fighting, allways. They're both the same, they both come from you, the center of all of these things as you perceive it to be. Wether the experience is the knock on your back or on your chest, the experience allways lies before you. Ready to be experienced by you. Embrace it and nourish it by giving your attention to it. It is you who surrounds the experience of being surrounded by an experience. It simply fascinates you, out of all of meaninglessness, this is truely a valuable one.

Edited July 27, 2013 by Everything