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Quest to quit: 52 unchanging

grace heart

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Hello everyone,

So today was the day I was going to quit smoking. Until I woke up and promptly realised that all I wanted was a cigarette. I had four in 2h (which includes half an hour I wasted on grooming); the feeling is as if I have to make up for all the fags I had promised myself not to smoke.

I started looking for a hypnotherapist on Internet, because hey - haven't tried that yet, then thought I'd first ask Yi for an insight and advice regarding this whole situation:

52, unchanging.

Keep still. Keep still??? Doesn't Yi realise the urgency of my situation, surely I have to do something!

Background: I did stop smoking for about seven years, never even missed it, then picked it up again almost exactly two years ago. Wasn't able to stop since. I am in my 16th year of recovery from another addiction, so have an intimate knowledge of all the tricks of the addiction trade. I did my work, still do, I believe the change (transformation) is ongoing and necessary... And yet, it's as if part of me doesn't even care. I feel plain crazy. Right now, for example, I'm plotting a day trip to Belgium to get cheap fags AS WELL as the next quit-day.

Yi has informed me I was pushing a river on the last couple of occasions I came a-running about this issue. Then today, hexagram 52. Am I to accept smoking as part of the process and just go with it, or am I to still/arrest/put it down without any further dramatic discussions?

Your own take on this would be mucho appreciated.

Thank you,

Olga
 

equinox

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I think that the Yi is sending at least two messages here -- first that you can suceed in non-smoking and second that you can achieve it by paying special attention to your own needs instead of the needs of the outer world. So why not trying hypnotherapy or anything else that feels right now and brings you closer to yourself?
I recommend acupuncture btw. Good luck!
 

moss elk

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52, unchanging.

Keep still. Keep still??? Doesn't Yi realise the urgency of my situation, surely I have to do something!


Yes, exactly.
That's the thing, you don't have to do anything. You have thoughts and physical impulses that say 'do something! do something!' and the solution is to do nothing.
(or put on your shoes and go for a walk.)
Smoking is an action you take.
Don't believe your impulses.

I smoked one to two packs a day for one year.
For two months I played the game of smoking half a pack, then throwing the rest away, and cursing them. Then one morning I decided to quit. Prior to that when I felt that squiggly impulse that just had to do something, I reached for a cigarette, and the feeling went away.

Once I decided to quit,
I had full blown panic attacks for four days, including headaches and nausea.
Full on sickness.
On day five I woke up feeling absolutely fine, no anxiety, no craving. (and haven't smoked in three years.)
 

grace heart

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Thanks ME, you know I had to read the first paragraph agaian and again, not quite getting it, until I realised this was because at the moment I actually think action and impulse are the same thing. Jeez (pardon the accent). "Don't believe your impulses" may just do the trick... Thank you.

And yeah, I did attempt to quit a couple of times this year, felt so ill, anxious and forlorn, you know - like life wasn't worth living. Not looking forward to the replay, but this really isn't a game I wish to play for too much longer. It's like hanging on to a bad lover, actually. What a sobering thought...:)
 

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