I want to quit smoking, but I just can’t seem to do it. I feel pain in my lungs when I smoke lately, and I have a hard time climbing up the stairs too. But I have to have a smoke when I feel stressed about work or about my relationships with people. (Male in his 60s)
A
People’s jittai—the innate temperament and genetic makeup are very present in the movement of your kokoro. Preferring to smoke, to drink alcohol, or to eat a lot of sugar sweets is one part of it. But when your kokoro anchors, the jittai gets suppressed and you will start to have the correct movement of the kokoro to not go overboard to excessively smoke, drink, eat sugar, etc.
The best way to have an anchored kokoro is to make your home environment (family relationship) comfortable as much as possible. For example, enjoying a heart to heart conversation with family members will help you feel calmer and feel less stressed. Hence your kokoro to depend on the relief from smoking will fade away.
Shinji
People’s kokoro will anchor when it is led by their unmei and will not have the movement of their kokoro to neglect the path.
People’s kokoro that are covered with greed and that are unable to realize that their potential is suppressed by jittai, will bring in illness in their own account and leave bad elements in their Kokoro no Michi.
Gain awareness about life from the teachings and the more you cherish the meetings you have with people, jittai of human beings are elevated and true health is experienced.
It is important to tell and communicate your thoughts to your family about anything; whether it is about work, your human relationship problems, your health conditions, or your efforts to try to quit smoking. The more you share your feelings with your family, you gain their support. And when you feel that support, your kokoro will feel much lighter and your unmei (your strengths to live) will be drawn out.
Being a slave to your desire is not true happiness. True meaning of life and true happiness is achieved when you extend the strengths of your unmei and make yourself useful for others. Living this way will leave good elements behind for your children and grandchildren. The way you live today not only affects your daily life and your daily health, but it affects the life of your family members and the next generations to come. Seeing how much smoking is affecting your life right now, it would be in your best interest to ask for your family’s cooperation and work on getting rid of your smoking habits.