Urge Surfing

Urge surfing is a meditation practice that helps individuals understand and manage their cravings and desires. Instead of giving in to strong urges, urge surfing teaches us to observe and ride out the craving until it naturally subsides, without reinforcing its power over our behavior. Temporary Nature of Mind States, Reinforcing Cravings

The purpose of urge surfing is to recognize all we have to do is procrastinate. All we have to do is delay and that’s exactly what urge surfing is like because cravings and desires are like waves.

Reflective Questions:

• What cravings or urges do I struggle with the most?
• How can I apply the urge surfing technique to manage these cravings more effectively?

Giving in to cravings when they are at their strongest can paradoxically reinforce the creation of even stronger cravings in the future. This is similar to how a parent giving in to a child’s temper tantrum can inadvertently teach the child that tantrums are an effective way to get what they want. Urge Surfing Technique, Temporary Nature of Mind States

Something subtle happens that we’re usually not really aware of is that we actually reinforce the power of the craving by waiting for the desire for a particular thing to rise. What we’re actually doing is training our brain that oh, the only way I’m going to give you alcohol is if you crave it really, really hard.

Emotions, cravings, and other mental states are temporary by nature. Happiness from a perfect event doesn’t last forever, just as fear or addiction can fade over time. Understanding this principle is key to effectively managing cravings through techniques like urge surfing. Urge Surfing Technique, Reinforcing Cravings

The nature of emotions and the nature of the mind is to fluctuate. This is exactly why boredom is so crippling, because if you don’t give the mind some way to fluctuate, it sort of starts to go a little bit crazy.

Reflective Questions:

• How have I experienced the temporary nature of emotions and cravings in my own life?
• How can remembering the impermanence of mental states help me better manage challenging experiences?

1. When you feel a craving or desire arise, give it your full attention without resisting or giving in to it.
2. Observe the urge closely, noting whether it grows or shrinks with each passing minute or hour.
3. Use a meditative technique that works for you (e.g., breathing, listening to internal sounds, repeating a mantra) to “ride” above the urge.
4. Continue observing the urge until it naturally subsides, recognizing that you only need to resist it for the present moment, not forever.
5. With practice, urge surfing can train your mind to understand that cravings don’t control you, leading to a natural reduction in their intensity and frequency. Urge Surfing Technique, Reinforcing Cravings

So as you feel that urge, close your eyes and use whatever meditative technique fits you well whether it’s a breathing technique, or listening to internal sounds, or even sort of like chanting a mantra, repeating a mantra silently in your mind, just right above that urge because if you’re able to successfully do it once, over time, what you’ll be doing is sort of training the kid to stop throwing temper tantrums, what you will be doing is training your mind that cravings aren’t going to get you what you want.

See also:: Urge Surfing Meditation