How to Overcome Craving with Mindfulness
Learn 3 mindfulness techniques to reduce craving and find satisfaction. Recognize wanting, loosen fixation, and practice offering for lasting peace.
We've all experienced that late-night refrigerator moment - standing in the kitchen, driven by an inexplicable craving. This universal experience reveals our deep human tendency toward dissatisfaction and endless wanting. Mindfulness offers practical tools to break free from this cycle of craving.
Understanding the Psychology of Craving
Craving stems from what Buddhist psychology calls the "wanting mind" - a persistent sense that something is missing. Research shows this mental state activates the same brain regions as physical pain. The good news? We can rewire these patterns through mindful awareness.
The 3-Step Mindfulness Approach to Reduce Cravings
1. Recognize and Name Your Wanting Mind
Key practices:
- Notice when craving arises ("Ah, this is wanting")
- Identify which senses are involved (seeing, tasting, etc.)
- Observe how the craving feels physically
Meditation builds this awareness muscle. As you practice, you'll better notice cravings arise and pass without acting on them.
2. Loosen Fixated Attention
When craving strikes, our attention narrows like tunnel vision. Try this:
- Notice fixation ("My mind is stuck on that chocolate cake")
- Acknowledge the mental embellishment ("I'm imagining it will make me happy")
- Gently redirect attention to your breath
Breath-focused meditation (shamatha) trains this skill of attention regulation.
3. Transform Craving Through Offering
This powerful practice shifts brain activity from "me" focus to connection:
- With food: Leave a small portion as an offering
- With objects: Mentally offer what you crave to others
- Verbalize: "May all beings have what they need"
Benefits include:
- Reduced mindless consumption
- Increased feelings of connection
- Activated compassion circuits in the brain
Practical Mindfulness Exercises for Daily Life
Next time craving arises:
- Pause and notice physical sensations
- Name the craving specifically
- Offer a gesture of generosity
- Return to present-moment awareness
The Freedom Beyond Craving
By practicing these steps, you'll discover:
- Greater appreciation without attachment
- Reduced compulsive behaviors
- More lasting satisfaction
As mindfulness teacher Sasha Loring explains: "Attraction isn't the problem - it's the clinging that causes suffering."
About the Author: Sasha T. Loring is a psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher with 30+ years experience. She authored Eating with Fierce Kindness.
Photo credit: Dee Lutz