Mundane life, Boredom, Escapism

[becomethepath]

.

Edited August 14, 2014 by becomethepath

[zanshin]

Exercise, play a sport, visit museums or historic places, cook something, learn to play an instrument, create art, learn a language, volunteer work, garden, social stuff, do your chores, take a nap, pay attention to your pets. I'm actually rarely bored too much to do.

[C T]

Your agitation could be a result of wanting things to be different and not the boredom itself.

 

In other words, in such instances, you have empowered the cause to bring about an undesirable, reactionary effect.

 

Now, in the same vein, you can choose to disempower the cause, which is one way, or, allow the energy of the 'cause' to dissipate on its own volition (second way), or, use the energy from the 'cause' to feed your spiritual growth, which means instead of reacting in a mundane way, you choose the 'higher road' -- not react, but act in a wise manner so as to cut undesirable habitual tendencies.

 

Acting in a wise manner involves not giving in to habitual responses, not by force, but by deep seeing and understanding, by contemplation and reflection.

[Chang]

Urges and cravings will come and go much like passing clouds. Why do you need to be so hard on yourself?

[becomethepath]

Your agitation could be a result of wanting things to be different and not the boredom itself.

 

In other words, in such instances, you have empowered the cause to bring about an undesirable, reactionary effect.

 

Now, in the same vein, you can choose to disempower the cause, which is one way, or, allow the energy of the 'cause' to dissipate on its own volition (second way), or, use the energy from the 'cause' to feed your spiritual growth, which means instead of reacting in a mundane way, you choose the 'higher road' -- not react, but act in a wise manner so as to cut undesirable habitual tendencies.

 

Acting in a wise manner involves not giving in to habitual responses, not by force, but by deep seeing and understanding, by contemplation and reflection.

Right on target

Edited July 12, 2013 by becomethepath

[Rara]

I'm in solitude and on the spiritual path, eating healthy and exercising, I repeat mantras and postrations everyday however, everyday, there's a small craving to just watch a movie, eat junk, play pc games, watch youtube videos, read useless interesting facts.

 

Like today, I bought $15 worth of junk food and candy because I had a craving, next thing you know I throw away all the junk food, only ate like a little bit of each...and I would also get an urge to just play pc games because I'm bored?

 

How do I stop this boredom? I don't think it's really boredom, it's just that I have an urge to like keep moving forward or do something that's stimulating?. Like I like to do a lot of research and read, however I only read interesting stuff like Taobums, or interesting facts, etc.

 

But I always get this urge to just play videogames and watch movies and youtube videos all day...What is this urge????

 

I already deleted facebook , social networking a long time ago, I'm over that stuff, no cravings or urges, however I still get urges for the rest of the "mundane" stuff like playing video games and watching movies, sorta like a form of escapism, if that is what meant by mundane?

 

I keep installing and deleting this videogame on my computer. I told myself, I'm not going to play this anymore, next thing you know, I install the game again the next day and play, it's a cycle for me.

 

I get lazy sometimes, and just take the day off and do nothing spiritual related, just spend my time browsing the internet, read, watch youtube videos or maybe a movie. What should I do??? Is this boredom? What is this??

 

 

Dude, you are me!! Haha

 

Don't kick yourself for momentary relapses. Sometimes, giving in and saying "f*** it" is wonderfully refreshing. John C. Parkin wrote that great book that binds spirituality and throwing caution to the wind. Every now and then, it just has to be done.

 

The important thing is that you identify already that you are wanting to be a more conscious person. Great, you will eventually find your discipline using some of the said suggestions on here

 

All I have to say is don't be too hard on yourself. I mean, look at my avatar...computer games are good for the soul imo. They're only not if you're just playing out of habit and aren't enjoying or even focussing on what you're doing.

 

Oh, and I like the odd bit of junk food to. I've only just put a chocolate ban on myself this week! I won't whip myself if I slip up...the intention is there and I'll get there with practice.

 

Keep going...you're already on the road!

[Everything]

I'm in solitude and on the spiritual path, eating healthy and exercising, I repeat mantras and postrations everyday however, everyday, there's a small craving to just watch a movie, eat junk, play pc games, watch youtube videos, read useless interesting facts.

 

Like today, I bought $15 worth of junk food and candy because I had a craving, next thing you know I throw away all the junk food, only ate like a little bit of each...and I would also get an urge to just play pc games because I'm bored?

 

How do I stop this boredom? I don't think it's really boredom, it's just that I have an urge to like keep moving forward or do something that's stimulating?. Like I like to do a lot of research and read, however I only read interesting stuff like Taobums, or interesting facts, etc.

 

But I always get this urge to just play videogames and watch movies and youtube videos all day...What is this urge????

 

I already deleted facebook , social networking a long time ago, I'm over that stuff, no cravings or urges, however I still get urges for the rest of the "mundane" stuff like playing video games and watching movies, sorta like a form of escapism, if that is what meant by mundane?

 

I keep installing and deleting this videogame on my computer. I told myself, I'm not going to play this anymore, next thing you know, I install the game again the next day and play, it's a cycle for me.

 

I get lazy sometimes, and just take the day off and do nothing spiritual related, just spend my time browsing the internet, read, watch youtube videos or maybe a movie. What should I do??? Is this boredom? What is this??

I think you will choose whatever feels best to you. We are experiencing life and there is really no need to say that anything is better then anything else. However, if you do decide on what is better, that is good aswell. I think it's good to find a purpose for being. And it is valuable as far as value goes. However, do not mistake your dog for a cat. When you choose a purpose, you cannot just drop it again. That would make no sense.

Still no problem though. Some dogs like chillin like a pussycat. It's all good. You can just be yourself, without having to need anything be wrong with that. This in turn allows us more freedom to express our purpose. Other people await their calling aswell, and as you go for it, you allow other people to go for it aswell. We can all go for it together! ^^

There are billions of people on the world, I'm sure you can find those individuals are going for it and if you don't wanna go for it that's fine aswell! You can even simply allow other people who go for it to receive your appreciation/acknowledgement of them. That's more then enough love you know? ^^

Edited July 12, 2013 by Everything

[Songtsan]

I have similar issues...what I found was that the very lack of spontaneity I had created in my life was the cause of stagnation. You are not in accord with the Tao when you plan your entire day from start to finish every day. You must become wu wei - actionless action, directionless direction. There are always fun things to do when you are spontaneous. Also you shouldn't judge anything as bad. PC games can be just as enlightening when you enter them with awareness and intent to become super-conscious. The trick is not to fall into patterns - not to create patterns. This just creates a cubicle-ism. We don't live on an assembly line. As the Zen folk say: sleep when tired, eat when hungry. Not sleep at such-and-such a time, eat at such-and-such a time. Maintain full awareness, become a child of illusion, play every second of every day. Nothing you do should be work (even if it is), everything should occur in the spirit of divine play.

Edited July 12, 2013 by Songtsan

[becomethepath]

I have similar issues...what I found was that the very lack of spontaneity I had created in my life was the cause of stagnation. You are not in accord with the Tao when you plan your entire day from start to finish every day. You must become wu wei - actionless action, directionless direction. There are always fun things to do when you are spontaneous. Also you shouldn't judge anything as bad. PC games can be just as enlightening when you enter them with awareness and intent to become super-conscious. The trick is not to fall into patterns - not to create patterns. This just creates a cubicle-ism. We don't live on an assembly line. As the Zen folk say: sleep when tired, eat when hungry. Not sleep at such-and-such a time, eat at such-and-such a time. Maintain full awareness, become a child of illusion, play every second of every day. Nothing you do should be work (even if it is), everything should occur in the spirit of divine play.

So let's say we carry this over to work. We can still maintain spontaneity even if the job seems "repetitive"? For example, being a cashier, seems like a repetitive job, how do we create spontaneity in that situation then?

[Songtsan]

So let's say we carry this over to work. We can still maintain spontaneity even if the job seems "repetitive"? For example, being a cashier, seems like a repetitive job, how do we create spontaneity in that situation then?

 

make it fun - see how fast you can count money - see how many people you can make smile. Make fun talky talk games with customers, use your space wisely...do standing qigong at your register...look for potential, be creative.

[Songtsan]

Or you can do your job and learn more about how you react to the situation, what views you have of it ect.

 

I was a cashier for years...one fun thing I did during down time was to cut small pieces of the money off each dollar bill...and basically I eventually assembled a fully new dollar bill out of hundreds of dollar bills in small slices. I had some pretty chilled managers, so they didn't care. You can make everything a meditation - find the thing you find the most interesting to focus on and push your energy into it. Focus on movements, on tactile sensations - see if you can create a state of super-conscious ecstasy!

[Songtsan]

Exactly what I meant. Cultivation is everyday life.

 

Life is ecstasy to those who know. Every moment is divine. Shakti is with us all the time. We always have being, we always have bliss, we always have consciousness. Those who bring this out into the waking world become living Buddhas, no matter what they are doing. I could be sitting on a pile of filth, and if i am a realized person, still be in great ecstasy and attainment.

[C T]

Spontaneity is uncreated. If it can be induced, its only a mock type of pseudo-spontaneous reaction.

 

True spontaneity arises when all preconceived notions have been laid down, either temporarily or otherwise.

 

In the absence of the 'I', every moment becomes one of spontaneous presence.

 

The closest associated glimpse into spontaneous presence is when a person experiences peak arousal just before orgasm is reached. At that point, the self is almost completely abandoned, though there are still very subtle traces remaining. This explains why sex holds such fascination to many, even to the point of being compulsively driven to it, like a moth drawn to a flame.

[Songtsan]

Spontaneity is uncreated. If it can be induced, its only a mock type of pseudo-spontaneous reaction.

 

True spontaneity arises when all preconceived notions have been laid down, either temporarily or otherwise.

 

In the absence of the 'I', every moment becomes one of spontaneous presence.

 

The closest associated glimpse into spontaneous presence is when a person experiences peak arousal just before orgasm is reached. At that point, the self is almost completely abandoned, though there are still very subtle traces remaining. This explains why sex holds such fascination to many, even to the point of being compulsively driven to it, like a moth drawn to a flame.

 

true and false - one must make efforts to become spontaneous unfortunately. Its a learned skill. Seek nondoing by doing. Seek actionless action through taking action. When the boat hits the shore, leave the boat behind.

 

I have a practice of spontaneity in which I begin in standing post position, then allow movements to occur as they will, without seeking anything...when one allows oneself to melt to the ground, the body will protect itself by tightening the muscles...its like cats stretching - they don't think about it, it just happens. People, being more mind-centered planners, need to re-learn spontaneity...The more one practices, the more the practice becomes the self. Eventually you live in a permanent state of spontaneity and have achieved wu wei.

[C T]

true and false - one must make efforts to become spontaneous unfortunately. Its a learned skill. Seek nondoing by doing. Seek actionless action through taking action. When the boat hits the shore, leave the boat behind.

 

I have a practice of spontaneity in which I begin in standing post position, then allow movements to occur as they will, without seeking anything...when one allows oneself to melt to the ground, the body will protect itself by tightening the muscles...its like cats stretching - they don't think about it, it just happens. People, being more mind-centered planners, need to re-learn spontaneity...The more one practices, the more the practice becomes the self. Eventually you live in a permanent state of spontaneity and have achieved wu wei.

Its precisely the relearning of it that i refer to as pseudo-spontaneity.

 

It cannot be the real article during practice. It only becomes real when the practice is dropped.

 

Kittens on the learning curve to becoming graceful cats display all the signs of awkwardness. Humans are no different.

[Songtsan]

Its precisely the relearning of it that i refer to as pseudo-spontaneity.

 

It cannot be the real article during practice. It only becomes real when the practice is dropped.

 

Kittens on the learning curve to becoming graceful cats display all the signs of awkwardness. Humans are no different.

 

I view it more like approaching a zenith...the closer you get, the less the mind is fabricating and it is just happening. I agree that it is pseudo until it is not...the practice is a mind fabrication, when the mind fabrication is dropped, then the pseudo is dropped. I believe we are in accord.

 

What I find interesting is that yogis have analyzed prana and nowadays it is compared with the autonomic nervous system...the prana that controls breathing, the prana that controls digestion. These are all spontaneous. I think spontaneity has something to do with joining back with Taomind or Buddhamind. There is no chooser, the action just happens, and no karma is created. Spontaneous action is karma free as far as I know.

[nine tailed fox]

my boredom is entirely different

 

i am bored from the Repetitive nature of life

 

i want to have adventures , i want to go on a magical journey

 

i want to travel the world, meet different teachers, learn from them

 

i want a super adventurous, magical, fictional life :D

[becomethepath]

my boredom is entirely different

 

i am bored from the Repetitive nature of life

 

i want to have adventures , i want to go on a magical journey

 

i want to travel the world, meet different teachers, learn from them

 

i want a super adventurous, magical, fictional life :D

Like Naruto??

[Songtsan]

my boredom is entirely different

 

i am bored from the Repetitive nature of life

 

i want to have adventures , i want to go on a magical journey

 

i want to travel the world, meet different teachers, learn from them

 

i want a super adventurous, magical, fictional life :D

 

Follow your passion: steal a car, a boat, a plane! Go to India! Become the vice president of Japan! ~and eat sushi! There are so many options. Just don't choose the wrong path and end up in prison like us did.

[Songtsan]

Like Naruto??

 

EAT SUSHI TAKAWAKI!

[nine tailed fox]

 

 

Like Naruto??

no , not really he is not really inspirational

 

he has lame logics for doing big things lol

 

bleach was inspirational for me but now it has become a gory manga

 

but one piece is surely inspirational, it is basically a journey of advenure

 

i would love to go on a journey like one piece , thats an ideal adventure

Follow your passion: steal a car, a boat, a plane! Go to India! Become the vice president of Japan! ~and eat sushi! There are so many options. Just don't choose the wrong path and end up in prison like us did.

well there are some hinderances

 

first of all its money , second its really about opportunity because what i want cant really be gained by money

 

i am already in india btw, if i wanna learn something spiritually i would love to go china and tibet , and if its just for fun i wanna go to paris

 

and i also would like to see ireland

 

and bermuda triangle is also a good place.......

 

and some things i want are probably not even possible, and if they are i dont know about them yet

 

the journey should be unbelievable, adventurous , like a fictional story , magical, and most importantly FUN

Edited July 13, 2013 by nine tailed fox

[C T]

I view it more like approaching a zenith...the closer you get, the less the mind is fabricating and it is just happening. I agree that it is pseudo until it is not...the practice is a mind fabrication, when the mind fabrication is dropped, then the pseudo is dropped. I believe we are in accord.

 

What I find interesting is that yogis have analyzed prana and nowadays it is compared with the autonomic nervous system...the prana that controls breathing, the prana that controls digestion. These are all spontaneous. I think spontaneity has something to do with joining back with Taomind or Buddhamind. There is no chooser, the action just happens, and no karma is created. Spontaneous action is karma free as far as I know.

All actions are karma-free, until the conceptual mind starts fabricating stories and yo-yoing between the 3 times. That is when contraction takes form and begin to root, in other words, karma begins to generate momentum.

 

Give the mind space, and the heart will be able to absorb anything, even the dullest, the dirtiest, the nastiest, and instantly transform such yukkiness to bliss nectar.

[C T]

 

no , not really he is not really inspirational

 

he has lame logics for doing big things lol

 

bleach was inspirational for me but now it has become a gory manga

 

but one piece is surely inspirational, it is basically a journey of advenure

 

i would love to go on a journey like one piece , thats an ideal adventure

 

well there are some hinderances

 

first of all its money , second its really about opportunity because what i want cant really be gained by money

 

i am already in india btw, if i wanna learn something spiritually i would love to go china and tibet , and if its just for fun i wanna go to paris

 

and i also would like to see ireland

 

and bermuda triangle is also a good place.......

 

and some things i want are probably not even possible, and if they are i dont know about them yet

 

the journey should be unbelievable, adventurous , like a fictional story , magical, and most importantly FUN

Some parts of Ireland are profoundly spiritual. A few of these sites will give the visitor a feeling of 'being home' upon arrival. Its like connecting with the Womb, if you know what i mean. Instant 'aaah...' sort of way.

[Songtsan]

 

no , not really he is not really inspirational

 

he has lame logics for doing big things lol

 

bleach was inspirational for me but now it has become a gory manga

 

but one piece is surely inspirational, it is basically a journey of advenure

 

i would love to go on a journey like one piece , thats an ideal adventure

 

well there are some hinderances

 

first of all its money , second its really about opportunity because what i want cant really be gained by money

 

i am already in india btw, if i wanna learn something spiritually i would love to go china and tibet , and if its just for fun i wanna go to paris

 

and i also would like to see ireland

 

and bermuda triangle is also a good place.......

 

and some things i want are probably not even possible, and if they are i dont know about them yet

 

the journey should be unbelievable, adventurous , like a fictional story , magical, and most importantly FUN

 

I find that having plans sometimes leads to stupid expectations. The coolest adventures I ever had in my life were the unplanned ones. Spontaneous decisions to move to a new place with only $500 in my pocket. I've ended up all over the USA, and in Hawaii like that. When you have so little money available, your own fear about being on the streets forces you to go out and get a job right away, usually accepting whatever you can find, which is interesting, because although I wouldn't have chosen those jobs, they were mind opening because they were so different than what I would have chosen. Or doing spontaneous things like deciding to go climb a mountain - climbing all day and night and sleeping at the top in a rain storm, huddled in some rocks, then losing my way going down and ending up 20 miles from where I meant to be, and having to hitch hike back to town. Or going camping in the deep woods during a full moon, taking a bunch of LSD, getting naked and doing Tai chi under the moon in the woods naked, tripping. Or going to take some type of new class, maybe a dance class in some dance style you never took before, or going to one of those speed-dating things - thats a real eye opener. Basically its about putting yourself out of your comfort zone - shock and awe technique - go live with the Hare Krishnas. Go work on a cruise ship. Endless things to try.

[Songtsan]

All actions are karma-free, until the conceptual mind starts fabricating stories and yo-yoing between the 3 times. That is when contraction takes form and begin to root, in other words, karma begins to generate momentum.

 

Give the mind space, and the heart will be able to absorb anything, even the dullest, the dirtiest, the nastiest, and instantly transform such yukkiness to bliss nectar.

 

Karma is tendencies it seems - patterns, maybe even memories...Sometimes I wonder - if somehow our memories were removed - say through a brain injury, etc. would we still have karma?

 

Here is something I always wondered too - Babies...they have very little programming. I would never try this in real life...but take something scary - maybe a big creepy spider, wear a scary Halloween mask, etc. If you put this near a newly born baby - who is just learning the world, would they freak out? Or would they, having not been programmed to fear these things, view them as just more forms? If you kept some pet tarantulas and spiders around a baby all the time, would the baby play with them just like they were more toys, and then when they grew up, have no fear of spiders whatsoever? Again I would NEVER do this in real life...I am just wondering how a lot of our fears might be socially learned.