# Weakening Vice

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* Only practice when skilled in [softening](https://guide.luisburgis.org/skills/equanimity/softening) or under guidance of someone skilled. 
* This practice can increase negative conditionings when not being skilled
  {% endhint %}

{% embed url="<https://youtu.be/zmPqjknRGkU>" %}

## Practice Visualization

<img src="/files/6hxPWlRkfkXeaTndpQ0a" alt="" class="gitbook-drawing">

<img src="/files/KT8QO9lpYgHTZJK8jGPQ" alt="" class="gitbook-drawing">

<img src="/files/6KpmP4fMY8k3Jffqv7SV" alt="" class="gitbook-drawing">

## Overview

<table><thead><tr><th width="177"></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>What</strong></td><td>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</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Benefits</strong></td><td><p>Weakening the intensity and frequency of </p><ul><li>a particular Vice - caused by softening</li><li>all Vice - caused by disenchantment</li></ul><p></p><ul><li>Ability to constructively be with negative conditioning via teaching one's body and mind: 'now is safe'</li><li>Ability to weaken reactivity</li><li>The actual weakening of reactivity</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Instructions</strong></td><td><p><strong>Habits on level of Overwhelm</strong></p><ol><li><p>Access Safety</p><ol><li>Establishing Softness</li></ol></li><li><p>Activate Vice</p><ol><li>Imagine the situation</li></ol></li><li><p>Notice Bodily &#x26; Mental Response</p><ol><li>Bodily: Tightness, Burning, Stinging, etc.</li><li>Mental: Unpleasant, Aversion, Attraction</li></ol></li><li><p>Access Safety</p><ol><li>Softening Into it</li></ol></li><li><p>Physical Release of Residue</p><ol><li>Physical Shaking</li></ol></li><li><p>Notice Impact</p><ol><li><p>If Strengthened</p><ol><li>Stop &#x26; improve softening skill</li></ol></li><li><p>If Same</p><ol><li>Stop &#x26; Improve Softening Skill</li></ol></li><li><p>If Weakened</p><ol><li>Continue</li></ol></li></ol></li></ol><p><strong>Habits on level of non-overwhelm</strong></p><p></p><ol><li>Notice or Activate Vice</li><li><p>Disenchant</p><ol><li>Notice Disadvantage</li><li>Experience Discomfort</li></ol></li><li><p>Access Safety</p><ol><li>Softening into bodily &#x26; mental negative response</li></ol></li><li><p>Enchantment </p><ol><li>Notice Benefit</li><li>Enjoy</li></ol></li></ol></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Daily Life</strong></td><td>Whenever you notice excessive effort, soften into and notice how preferable it feels </td></tr><tr><td><strong>Consider</strong></td><td><p><strong>Distinguishing between Constructive Effort &#x26; Excessive Effort</strong></p><ul><li><p>Some virtues might partially weaken as they are based on constructive effort as softening is able to release all effort - constructive &#x26; excessive.</p><ul><li>External: Thinking about what is most beneficial to say in a conversation</li><li>Internal: Curiosity towards noticing the benefit in letting go of effort</li></ul></li><li>Constructive effort is that which leads to less effort in the future and/or progress towards your values </li></ul><p><strong>Simmering > Impatience</strong></p><ul><li>You cannot force the activation or deactivation of habits</li><li>You do can create conducive conditions to increase the likelihood of activation or deactivation</li><li>Create the conducive conditions and allow it to simmer </li><li><p>e.g., Softening into Frustration</p><ul><li>Notice the excessive effort underlying</li><li>Notice how uncomfortable it feels</li><li>Release the effort underlying with some softening breaths</li><li>You may or may not notice the weakening or complete deactivating of the frustration</li><li>Notice how pleasant and preferable it feels to let go of effort</li><li>Allow it to simmer</li></ul></li></ul><p><strong>Accelerate via Enchantment &#x26; Disenchantment</strong></p><ul><li>Soften into i.e., releasing the excessive effort is effective in weakening any vice</li><li>Softening into a virtue is effective in strengthening it</li><li>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</li></ul><p><br></p><ul><li>To prevent strengthening one's negative conditionings, it is important to start with intensities that you can manage e.g., 3 out of 10 </li><li>Prioritize noticing the effort underlying the conditioning rather than the specific content e.g,. anger, fear</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Progress</strong></td><td>Frequency and Intensity decreases for Vice <br><br>Ability to Weaken Vice</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Acknowledgement</strong></td><td><a href="www.midlmeditation.com">MIDL</a><br><a href="https://unifiedmindfulness.com/">Unified Mindfulness</a></td></tr></tbody></table>


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