Weakening Vice

• Only practice when skilled in softening or under guidance of someone skilled.

• This practice can increase negative conditionings when not being skilled

Practice Visualization

Overview

What	Ability to weaken the intensity and frequency of vice via reducing the 'importance' assigned by the mind to this experience i.e., reducing the intensity of feeling-tone associated
Benefits	Weakening the intensity and frequency of a particular Vice - caused by softening all Vice - caused by disenchantment Ability to constructively be with negative conditioning via teaching one's body and mind: 'now is safe' Ability to weaken reactivity The actual weakening of reactivity
Instructions	Habits on level of Overwhelm Access Safety Establishing Softness Activate Vice Imagine the situation Notice Bodily & Mental Response Bodily: Tightness, Burning, Stinging, etc. Mental: Unpleasant, Aversion, Attraction Access Safety Softening Into it Physical Release of Residue Physical Shaking Notice Impact If Strengthened Stop & improve softening skill If Same Stop & Improve Softening Skill If Weakened Continue Habits on level of non-overwhelm Notice or Activate Vice Disenchant Notice Disadvantage Experience Discomfort Access Safety Softening into bodily & mental negative response Enchantment Notice Benefit Enjoy
Daily Life	Whenever you notice excessive effort, soften into and notice how preferable it feels
Consider	Distinguishing between Constructive Effort & Excessive Effort Some virtues might partially weaken as they are based on constructive effort as softening is able to release all effort - constructive & excessive. External: Thinking about what is most beneficial to say in a conversation Internal: Curiosity towards noticing the benefit in letting go of effort Constructive effort is that which leads to less effort in the future and/or progress towards your values Simmering > Impatience You cannot force the activation or deactivation of habits You do can create conducive conditions to increase the likelihood of activation or deactivation Create the conducive conditions and allow it to simmer e.g., Softening into Frustration Notice the excessive effort underlying Notice how uncomfortable it feels Release the effort underlying with some softening breaths You may or may not notice the weakening or complete deactivating of the frustration Notice how pleasant and preferable it feels to let go of effort Allow it to simmer Accelerate via Enchantment & Disenchantment Soften into i.e., releasing the excessive effort is effective in weakening any vice Softening into a virtue is effective in strengthening it However, creating a perception shift within your mind of understanding the benefit of virtues and the disadvantage of vice will accelerate the habit change due to 'parts of the mind' supporting it To prevent strengthening one's negative conditionings, it is important to start with intensities that you can manage e.g., 3 out of 10 Prioritize noticing the effort underlying the conditioning rather than the specific content e.g,. anger, fear
Progress	Frequency and Intensity decreases for Vice Ability to Weaken Vice
Acknowledgement	MIDL Unified Mindfulness