The Surprising Truth About Your Senses: Lessons from James and a Famous Parisian Cake

Picture this: a man walks into a bakery, determined not to eat sweets. He’s strong-willed, disciplined, and has every intention of sticking to his health goals. Yet, minutes later, he’s savoring a slice of cake. What just happened? This isn’t a failure of character—it’s a lesson in how our senses and subconscious minds silently guide our actions.

In all of our ancient books, it is written to guard our sense doors for a healthier and fulfilling life. What this essentially means is, don’t indulge too much in sense objects.

For example, eating unhealthy food, gambling, drinking, or indulging in other unwholesome activities that aren’t conducive to healthy living.

A lot of us read this and think, “Sure, I’ll use my willpower and control myself.” But is it practical?

Let’s understand this with an example.

The Story of James and Parisian cake

James, a 38-year-old solopreneur, decided to cut sweets from his diet because his cholesterol levels were high, and his doctor warned him it wasn’t good for his health. This wasn’t an easy decision—James had a lifelong love affair with sweets. Cakes, chocolates, pastries—he’d tried them all.

But James was determined. He prided himself on his willpower and discipline, and he believed that once he set his mind to something, he could achieve it.

For the first few weeks, James did great. He avoided pubs, changed his diet, and even skipped desserts at family dinners. His sugar-free journey was going smoothly.

Until one day, on his anniversary trip to Paris, everything changed.

The Slip

James’s kid wanted to try a famous cake from a renowned Parisian bakery. But finding the cake turned out to be a treasure hunt—they went from one bakery to another. Along the way, James saw other cakes he used to dream about as a child. He resisted at first. “I’m strong,” he told himself.

But after hours of walking, James became tired and hungry. Finally, they reached the seventh bakery, and there it was—the famous red velvet cake, perfectly moist and topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.

“I’ll just have a small bite,” James thought.

One bite turned into a slice. And that slice turned into the whole cake.

Unfortunately, that cake became his last. His cholesterol shot up dangerously, and he landed in the hospital the very next day.

What Went Wrong?

James’s strong will carried him far, but it wasn’t enough to sustain him in the long run. What happened here?

A few things:

1. Old Habits Run Deep: James’s lifelong desire for sweets didn’t disappear just because he made a decision. Deep down, his subconscious mind still craved that indulgence.

2. Physical Vulnerability: Hunger and exhaustion weakened his willpower, making him more susceptible to temptation.

3. Misunderstanding the Root Cause: James didn’t understand how his body and mind interacted when he encountered the cake—or why he felt powerless to resist.

The famous book by Charles Duhigg, The Power of Habit, explains the neurological basis of cravings and habit loops. It describes how cues, like seeing a cake, trigger a craving, leading to an automatic response conditioned by years of habit.

Key Insight: This book explains how habits form through a loop of cue → craving → response → reward. It provides accessible language and examples that tie perfectly with your description of subconscious behavior

Image credit: James Clear

Citation:

As described in the Catusacca-Dīpanī, sensory contact leads to feelings, which fuel craving and habitual reactions unless we break the cycle with mindfulness

While James’s story shows what can go wrong without awareness, Sarah’s experience demonstrates the power of mindfulness to handle cravings mindfully.

How Mindfulness Helps in Real Life

Let’s look at Sarah, a 30-year-old working professional who recently started practicing mindfulness. Unlike James, Sarah wasn’t naturally disciplined. She often found herself overeating after stressful days at work. One day, she realized her habit was affecting her health and decided to try mindfulness meditation.

When she felt the urge to binge on unhealthy snacks, Sarah practiced a simple technique she learned: pausing to observe her bodily sensations. Instead of immediately grabbing a bag of chips, she closed her eyes for a moment and noticed a tightness in her chest and a warm, jittery feeling in her stomach.

By focusing on these sensations without judgment, she discovered something interesting: the craving wasn’t as unbearable as she thought. Over time, she found that by observing her sensations and breathing deeply, the cravings would pass, leaving her feeling calm and in control.

Observing her sensations was like noticing a storm cloud passing in the sky—it felt intense at first, but by watching it without reacting, Sarah realized it would eventually fade away.

A year later, Sarah has not only improved her diet but also strengthened her ability to manage stress in other areas of life. She credits this to her mindfulness practice, which taught her to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.

Understanding the Science of Sensations

Let’s get scientific. If James had known what happens in the body when a sense object (like cake) comes into contact with a sense door (like the tongue), he could have approached the situation differently.

Here’s how it works:

We have two parts of the mind—the conscious mind and the subconscious mind (sometimes called the habitual or automatic mind).

• The conscious mind interacts with the outside world through our sense doors: eyes for seeing, ears for hearing, tongue for tasting, etc.
• The subconscious mind, is like the autopilot system on an airplane—it quietly runs the show, making decisions based on programmed routines without us even realizing it. These routines are shaped by past experiences, like James’s lifelong love of sweets. It processes bodily sensations and drives many of our habits and impulses.

When James saw the cake, his conscious mind recognized it. But what really triggered his craving was the pleasant sensation in his body. The subconscious mind associated that sensation with joy, satisfaction, and indulgence. Before James even realized it, his subconscious sent a signal: “Eat it!”

This cycle of sense contact → bodily sensation → craving → action happens continuously in all of us. It’s why we sometimes act against our better judgment, even when we know what’s good for us.

Let’s dive deeper into how sense impressions shape our actions.

When a sense object (like a cake) meets a sense door (like the tongue or eyes), it sparks a process that can feel automatic.

Buddhist teachings describe this dynamic through dependent origination (paṭicca samuppāda). Contact (phassa) arises when the sense object and sense door meet, leading to feeling (vedanā). If the feeling is pleasant, craving (taṇhā) can arise, followed by grasping (upādāna)—and often, impulsive actions.

This process is like a row of dominoes: when the first one (contact) falls, it sets off a chain reaction—feelings trigger cravings, cravings lead to grasping, and before you know it, you’ve acted. Mindfulness acts like a gentle hand, stopping the dominoes mid-fall.

Ledi Sayādaw explains this beautifully in the Vipassanā Dīpanī:
“With mindful observation, the chain of craving weakens, and the mind becomes free from automatic reactions.”

Modern neuroscience echoes this ancient wisdom. Sensory stimuli activate the brain’s reward system, particularly dopamine pathways, which create a strong urge to repeat pleasurable experiences (Craving). This explains why James felt his craving so strongly—it was a conditioned response reinforced by years of indulgence.

Cravings are like pop-up ads on a website—they demand your attention, promising satisfaction, but acting on them often leads to something you regret clicking on.

The key to breaking this cycle, as both science and ancient teachings agree, lies in awareness. Mindfulness disrupts this automatic loop, allowing us to observe sensations and respond thoughtfully rather than impulsively.

Mindfulness is like hitting the ‘pause’ button on a movie. It gives you a chance to step back, look at the scene, and decide how you want to proceed, rather than letting the story unfold on its own.

Citation:

Research by Dr. Judson Brewer demonstrates that mindfulness training can weaken habitual craving loops by reducing activity in brain regions associated with self-referential thinking and reward anticipation.

The Vipassanā Dīpanī by Ledi Sayādaw explains that when the mind perceives pleasant sensations, craving often arises, continuing the cycle of attachment and suffering.

The Power of Awareness – Being truly present with current moment

What Could James Have Done Differently?

If James had understood the role of bodily sensations in driving his actions, he could have handled the situation differently. Sensations—whether pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral—are impermanent. They arise and pass away.

Meditation Practices like Vipassana train the mind to observe these sensations without reacting to them. It unlocks the capabilities of ourselves which is hidden and untapped. Instead of identifying with the craving for cake, James could have paused and noticed the physical sensation in his body—the tingling in his tongue, the watering of his mouth, or the warm feeling of desire.

By simply observing these sensations as they arise and pass, James would have realized they don’t have to control his actions. This doesn’t happen overnight, but with consistent practice, it’s possible to rewire our reactions and respond mindfully to life’s challenges.

James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits, explains how small, mindful changes to our behavior can rewire deeply ingrained habits over time.

How Can You Start?

You don’t need to renounce the world or meditate for hours to begin. Though I do recommend to take your first 10 day Vipassana meditation course to reset your dopamine level, and rewire your brain for mindfulness.

Here are a few simple steps:

1. Pause Before Reacting: When you feel tempted (by a craving, an impulse, or even anger), pause for a moment.

2. Notice the Sensation: Pay attention to what’s happening in your body. Is there a tingling, a tightness, or a rush of energy? Or has your breathing changed?

3. Breathe and Observe: Take a few deep breaths and observe the sensation without trying to change it. Notice how it naturally fades away.

This small practice can lead to greater self-awareness over time.

A year later

A year later, James found himself back in Paris, standing in front of the same bakery with his family. The familiar red velvet cake was still on display, as tempting as ever. This time, James paused. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and noticed the sensations in his body—the slight tightness in his stomach, the watering of his mouth, and the rush of anticipation.

Instead of acting impulsively, he simply observed these feelings as they came and went. With a gentle smile, he decided not to indulge. Instead, he ordered a fresh fruit tart, sharing it with his family. The joy of being present with his loved ones, savoring the moment mindfully, outweighed the fleeting pleasure of indulgence.

James realized that true freedom wasn’t in avoiding bakeries or desserts but in cultivating awareness and making choices that aligned with his well-being.

James’s story reminds us that cravings don’t have to control us. By developing mindfulness, we can transform even the most challenging moments into opportunities for growth and joy.

A Universal Skill – Mindfulness

This isn’t just about resisting cake. The same principle applies to any challenge—overcoming anger, handling stress, or breaking bad habits. Once you understand the interplay between sense objects, bodily sensations, and your subconscious mind, you unlock a deeper understanding of yourself.

It’s a skill everyone can learn, and it leads to a healthier, more fulfilling life.

What do you think? Could you pause the next time you feel a strong craving or emotion? How would that change your decisions?