Guest guest Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 Has anyone encountered boredom 1. in spirituality (doing spiritual practices etc) 2. in day-to-day life events? 2a. while being a follower of a spiritual path?, or 2b. while living life without being aware of spirituality? 3. in pushing oneself to do basic everyday tasks? Needless to say, I am going through it, to a small extent. If you have gone through this, or have knowledge of this, then I would like to know: 1. what are the symptoms representative of? 2. what are the remedies? 3. what reference materials can i read to gain more insight? 4. is there anything in jyotish that I need to do? I did a google search, and I got some pretty interesting answers, but unfortunately, they are not convincing to me. If I have not dramatized this mail, it is because it's not in my nature to do so. But this is a very serious question I have, and all help you can render will be most gratefully taken. Jai Ma! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 5, 2004 Report Share Posted August 5, 2004 I definitely experience boredom once in a while in my sadhana. When I experience boredom (or any other difficult feeling) I sometimes try the following steps: * say to myself that the feeling is not bad or good, just another empty phenomenon passing across the screen of my awareness * explore the "feeling" of boredom? Where in my body do I feel it? How does it feel? Restless? Tired? * Then I try to just be with the feeling, without going off on all kinds of thought trains about the feeling. There's boredom and then there's your "story" about boredom. What would boredom be like if you had no "story" about it? One spiritual teacher said "The emotions are the mind reflected in the body." * then I ask myself "Would it be totally OK if this feeling never went away? Who would I be if this feeling was totally OK?" * then I contemplate that *every* phenomenon is the divine will of God (this helps me take deeper responsibility for my own well-being). Keeping that in mind, I contemplate what the feeling may be trying to tell me (sometimes it has a message, sometimes not) * then I pray to Amma that (with Her grace) I can experience the feeling with deep compassion and acceptance. * Then I imagine all the people who may feel the difficult feeling even stronger then I do. Then I pray to Amma "Please let me fully surrender to this feeling so that I may be of service to all people who suffer from this feeling." If I can give up fighting against it and fully accept my boredom, then I'm better able to help others who suffer from boredom. So, in a strange way, I now feel gratitude for the boredom. Usually these steps work and I feel a spaciousness around the boredom or whatever difficult feeling I'm experiencing. If the steps don't work, then I put on an Amma video and pop open a cold "Thums Up" ;-) Jai Jai Amma, Tom manoj_menon wrote: >Has anyone encountered boredom >1. in spirituality (doing spiritual practices etc) >2. in day-to-day life events? > 2a. while being a follower of a spiritual path?, or > 2b. while living life without being aware of spirituality? >3. in pushing oneself to do basic everyday tasks? > >Needless to say, I am going through it, to a small extent. > >If you have gone through this, or have knowledge of this, then I >would like to know: >1. what are the symptoms representative of? >2. what are the remedies? >3. what reference materials can i read to gain more insight? >4. is there anything in jyotish that I need to do? > >I did a google search, and I got some pretty interesting answers, >but unfortunately, they are not convincing to me. > >If I have not dramatized this mail, it is because it's not in my >nature to do so. But this is a very serious question I have, and all >help you can render will be most gratefully taken. > >Jai Ma! > > > > >Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > Links > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 Great post, Tom! With Maitri, Arjuna Anandakosha Lobsang Wangchuk --- Tom Childers <tom wrote: > I definitely experience boredom once in a while in > my sadhana. When I > experience boredom (or any other difficult feeling) > I sometimes try the > following steps: > > * say to myself that the feeling is not bad or good, > just another empty > phenomenon passing across the screen of my awareness > > * explore the "feeling" of boredom? Where in my body > do I feel it? How > does it feel? Restless? Tired? > > * Then I try to just be with the feeling, without > going off on all kinds > of thought trains about the feeling. There's boredom > and then there's > your "story" about boredom. What would boredom be > like if you had no > "story" about it? One spiritual teacher said "The > emotions are the mind > reflected in the body." > > * then I ask myself "Would it be totally OK if this > feeling never went > away? Who would I be if this feeling was totally > OK?" > > * then I contemplate that *every* phenomenon is the > divine will of God > (this helps me take deeper responsibility for my own > well-being). > Keeping that in mind, I contemplate what the feeling > may be trying to > tell me (sometimes it has a message, sometimes not) > > * then I pray to Amma that (with Her grace) I can > experience the feeling > with deep compassion and acceptance. > > * Then I imagine all the people who may feel the > difficult feeling even > stronger then I do. Then I pray to Amma "Please let > me fully surrender > to this feeling so that I may be of service to all > people who suffer > from this feeling." If I can give up fighting > against it and fully > accept my boredom, then I'm better able to help > others who suffer from > boredom. So, in a strange way, I now feel gratitude > for the boredom. > > Usually these steps work and I feel a spaciousness > around the boredom or > whatever difficult feeling I'm experiencing. > > If the steps don't work, then I put on an Amma video > and pop open a cold > "Thums Up" ;-) > > Jai Jai Amma, > > Tom > > manoj_menon wrote: > > >Has anyone encountered boredom > >1. in spirituality (doing spiritual practices etc) > >2. in day-to-day life events? > > 2a. while being a follower of a spiritual path?, > or > > 2b. while living life without being aware of > spirituality? > >3. in pushing oneself to do basic everyday tasks? > > > >Needless to say, I am going through it, to a small > extent. > > > >If you have gone through this, or have knowledge of > this, then I > >would like to know: > >1. what are the symptoms representative of? > >2. what are the remedies? > >3. what reference materials can i read to gain more > insight? > >4. is there anything in jyotish that I need to do? > > > >I did a google search, and I got some pretty > interesting answers, > >but unfortunately, they are not convincing to me. > > > >If I have not dramatized this mail, it is because > it's not in my > >nature to do so. But this is a very serious > question I have, and all > >help you can render will be most gratefully taken. > > > >Jai Ma! > > > > > > > > > >Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > New and Improved Mail - Send 10MB messages! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 Hi Tom, What you written here is the 'how to escape the boring times'. This is very good. I like it, and I do similar things too, not all but some. I also practice EXTREMELY SLOW BREATHING for just 2 cycles; the results are amazing. But I still don't understand 'what' it is. All you have said here is to use some techniques to manage it (question# 2), not really master it, nor to give insight into its nature (question# 1). I know the intellectual answer to # 1: there is ego, you have not completely surrendered, blah blah blah... but I am afraid I don't really understand what it all means, atleast in this context, and that is what I am struggling with.... You may think my struggle also may be intellectual and just pass it off, but for me it is a real struggle. So, if anyone has any advice that will open the 'light bulb' in me, and help me get out of the 'stuck in the mud' feeling, that will be great! Jai Ma! Ammachi, Tom Childers <tom@b...> wrote: > I definitely experience boredom once in a while in my sadhana. When I > experience boredom (or any other difficult feeling) I sometimes try the > following steps: > > * say to myself that the feeling is not bad or good, just another empty > phenomenon passing across the screen of my awareness > > * explore the "feeling" of boredom? Where in my body do I feel it? How > does it feel? Restless? Tired? > > * Then I try to just be with the feeling, without going off on all kinds > of thought trains about the feeling. There's boredom and then there's > your "story" about boredom. What would boredom be like if you had no > "story" about it? One spiritual teacher said "The emotions are the mind > reflected in the body." > > * then I ask myself "Would it be totally OK if this feeling never went > away? Who would I be if this feeling was totally OK?" > > * then I contemplate that *every* phenomenon is the divine will of God > (this helps me take deeper responsibility for my own well-being). > Keeping that in mind, I contemplate what the feeling may be trying to > tell me (sometimes it has a message, sometimes not) > > * then I pray to Amma that (with Her grace) I can experience the feeling > with deep compassion and acceptance. > > * Then I imagine all the people who may feel the difficult feeling even > stronger then I do. Then I pray to Amma "Please let me fully surrender > to this feeling so that I may be of service to all people who suffer > from this feeling." If I can give up fighting against it and fully > accept my boredom, then I'm better able to help others who suffer from > boredom. So, in a strange way, I now feel gratitude for the boredom. > > Usually these steps work and I feel a spaciousness around the boredom or > whatever difficult feeling I'm experiencing. > > If the steps don't work, then I put on an Amma video and pop open a cold > "Thums Up" ;-) > > Jai Jai Amma, > > Tom > > manoj_menon wrote: > > >Has anyone encountered boredom > >1. in spirituality (doing spiritual practices etc) > >2. in day-to-day life events? > > 2a. while being a follower of a spiritual path?, or > > 2b. while living life without being aware of spirituality? > >3. in pushing oneself to do basic everyday tasks? > > > >Needless to say, I am going through it, to a small extent. > > > >If you have gone through this, or have knowledge of this, then I > >would like to know: > >1. what are the symptoms representative of? > >2. what are the remedies? > >3. what reference materials can i read to gain more insight? > >4. is there anything in jyotish that I need to do? > > > >I did a google search, and I got some pretty interesting answers, > >but unfortunately, they are not convincing to me. > > > >If I have not dramatized this mail, it is because it's not in my > >nature to do so. But this is a very serious question I have, and all > >help you can render will be most gratefully taken. > > > >Jai Ma! > > > > > > > > > >Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > Links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 beloved manoj, You are going through a sacred phase ,the stage of detachment.oops ..don't take that to the head again ,keep it very close to your heart .. feel that divinity .Few seekers gets scared during this phase,they starts feeling that there is something abnormal in them, all the others are normal. If you don't mind, can you pls share more about yourself.The more the better. In fact for the last couple of months there is very good trend of sharing more and more and during this week .. problems , issues and all.. My whole hearted appreciation for people those who were sharing especially about the problems . do not supress it , the negative feelings & problems and all .. express it, let it go ..not only that the sense of belonginess a sense of security grows with that. you start realising that yess , there are people who cares about me, who is worried when i am in trouble .. don't woory you all are there in our prayers to amma . we all will take care of each other .. got deviated.. back to manoj, start with when and where did you born .. any major spiritual turning points , your traditional (your parents) spiritual practices, your practices in the past and now if any. staying with anybody ?, your age and marital status ? your hobbies and interests if any, your current profession, typical day to day (first activity in the morning till last in the night), weekend life style and the most important what do you do when you have nothing to do (this one in detail) let us get a complete feel of yourself, and after that let us discuss. alright?. with lots of luv amma's muthu kuttan "we all care for you, we care for everybody around us" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 Ammachi, "manoj_menon" <ammasmon@s...> wrote: > Hi Tom, > > What you written here is the 'how to escape the boring times'. This > is very good. I like it, and I do similar things too, not all but > some. I also practice EXTREMELY SLOW BREATHING for just 2 cycles; > the results are amazing. But I still don't understand 'what' it is. Manoj: I think you are doing one of the most powerful practices ever. Breath is verily life; mooods can be changed by just changing the breath pattern; anger, jealosy, boredom all can be sublimated by controlling the breath. Slow breathing is the first step, why for 2 cycles alone, slow breathing(3-4 times every minute or less) should be practiced all the time- it is just plain ecstasy. Breath has depth, uniformity,hotness or coldness, the influence of the element (depending on which of the element predominates, one can advantageously use diaphragmatic, intercostal or solar plexus breath patterns). Have to rush now, saw the word breathing and I had to write something on it- this is an vast and endless field; and something with very practical benefits. -yogaman you might want to get a few outstanding books that deal with breathing (breathwalking, a superb work on different breathing patterns and science of pranayama by swami sivananda and also by swami rama). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 Ammachi, Tom Childers <tom@b...> wrote: > If the steps don't work, then I put on an Amma video and pop open a cold > "Thums Up" ;-) > > Jai Jai Amma, > > Tom Thums up? the drink? really?!!! where do you live? if in the west, how do you get your supply? thru local indian groceries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 - Ranjeesh Ammachi Friday, August 06, 2004 12:26 PM Re: Boredom. beloved manoj, You are going through a sacred phase ,the stage of detachment.oops .. I agree completely. I don't know your exact situation, but when I find myself bored or disenchanted with my life/sadhana, I can almost always hear that "little voice" in my heart telling me to do SOMETHING of service for someone else. When I have become bored I usually haven't been looking beyond myself. The other times I have felt that way, the drs. have diagnosed clinical depression, which I still rail against because again, just changing my perspective changes my interest level. Please don't feel I'm implying that you're self-indulgent or improperly focused -I'm just offering you what I know about these feelings in me. Now-as an English teacher (-: there is a convention called "working with the ashes," which is usually depicted by actual working with ashes (shades of Cinderella). Symbolically, it refers to a time and mental state where one can do nothing else; the 'sacred state' as mentioned above. This is a time to go 'deep' within oneself and do the 'dirty' work of sifting thru dark corners, cleaning out things that are no longer of value...in other words, "working with the ashes' preceeds intense personal/spiritual growth. We typically won't 'go there' without some impetus...a wicked stepmonster forcing one to or a naughy Mother removing other motivations! My whole hearted appreciation for people those who were sharing especially about the problems . do not supress it , the negative feelings & problems and all .. express it, let it go ..not only that the sense of belonginess a sense of security grows with that. you start realising that yess , there are people who cares about me, who is worried when i am in trouble .. don't woory you all are there in our prayers to amma . we all will take care of each other .. Wow, is this true!!!! Not only do we see others are struggling as we are, but frequently (bless my healthy ego!!!) members of this list have "clarified" my thinking when the need for it was there. One of the Fairfield satsang members (I'll withhold your name to protect the guilty!!!(-: )gave me valuable insight and help with some questions I had concerning Sri Ramakrishna and several of my sisters here have held me close when I truly needed support that could not have come from anywhere else. And, to let this tribute ramble a bit longer, yogaman has been simply invaluable to my spiritual growth - he cuts thru the 'crap' with great love and even greater expediency. SO..I hope we keep sharing, too. I like seeing love leap off these 'pages.' with lots of luv Snehalata amma's muthu kuttan "we all care for you, we care for everybody around us" Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! Ammachi/ b.. Ammachi c.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 [[Hi, Thanks for the thoughtful reply. My responses below]] manoj_menon wrote: >Hi Tom, > >What you written here is the 'how to escape the boring times'. This >is very good. I like it, and I do similar things too, not all but >some. I also practice EXTREMELY SLOW BREATHING for just 2 cycles; >the results are amazing. But I still don't understand 'what' it is. > >All you have said here is to use some techniques to manage it >(question# 2), not really master it, > [[in my practice of the techniques I mentioned, they very much help me "master" the difficult feelings in the deepest sense. For me "mastery" means I no longer identify with the feeling. When that happens, the feeling has no control over me. It becomes like a storm cloud passing in the sky. I become detached from it. That is my understanding of Amma's teachings.]] > nor to give insight into its >nature (question# 1). > >I know the intellectual answer to # 1: there is ego, you have not >completely surrendered, blah blah blah... but I am afraid I don't >really understand what it all means, > > atleast in this context, and >that is what I am struggling with.... You may think my struggle also >may be intellectual and just pass it off, but for me it is a real >struggle. > >So, if anyone has any advice that will open the 'light bulb' in me, >and help me get out of the 'stuck in the mud' feeling, that will be >great! > > [[i know there's lots of ways to deal with difficult feelings. I've only mentioned a few. I'd be interested to hear what works for others. Jai Amma, -Tom]] >Jai Ma! > >Ammachi, Tom Childers <tom@b...> wrote: > > >>I definitely experience boredom once in a while in my sadhana. >> >> >When I > > >>experience boredom (or any other difficult feeling) I sometimes >> >> >try the > > >>following steps: >> >>* say to myself that the feeling is not bad or good, just another >> >> >empty > > >>phenomenon passing across the screen of my awareness >> >>* explore the "feeling" of boredom? Where in my body do I feel it? >> >> >How > > >>does it feel? Restless? Tired? >> >>* Then I try to just be with the feeling, without going off on all >> >> >kinds > > >>of thought trains about the feeling. There's boredom and then >> >> >there's > > >>your "story" about boredom. What would boredom be like if you had >> >> >no > > >>"story" about it? One spiritual teacher said "The emotions are the >> >> >mind > > >>reflected in the body." >> >>* then I ask myself "Would it be totally OK if this feeling never >> >> >went > > >>away? Who would I be if this feeling was totally OK?" >> >>* then I contemplate that *every* phenomenon is the divine will of >> >> >God > > >>(this helps me take deeper responsibility for my own well-being). >>Keeping that in mind, I contemplate what the feeling may be trying >> >> >to > > >>tell me (sometimes it has a message, sometimes not) >> >>* then I pray to Amma that (with Her grace) I can experience the >> >> >feeling > > >>with deep compassion and acceptance. >> >>* Then I imagine all the people who may feel the difficult feeling >> >> >even > > >>stronger then I do. Then I pray to Amma "Please let me fully >> >> >surrender > > >>to this feeling so that I may be of service to all people who >> >> >suffer > > >>from this feeling." If I can give up fighting against it and fully >>accept my boredom, then I'm better able to help others who suffer >> >> >from > > >>boredom. So, in a strange way, I now feel gratitude for the >> >> >boredom. > > >>Usually these steps work and I feel a spaciousness around the >> >> >boredom or > > >>whatever difficult feeling I'm experiencing. >> >>If the steps don't work, then I put on an Amma video and pop open >> >> >a cold > > >>"Thums Up" ;-) >> >>Jai Jai Amma, >> >>Tom >> >>manoj_menon wrote: >> >> >> >>>Has anyone encountered boredom >>>1. in spirituality (doing spiritual practices etc) >>>2. in day-to-day life events? >>> 2a. while being a follower of a spiritual path?, or >>> 2b. while living life without being aware of spirituality? >>>3. in pushing oneself to do basic everyday tasks? >>> >>>Needless to say, I am going through it, to a small extent. >>> >>>If you have gone through this, or have knowledge of this, then I >>>would like to know: >>>1. what are the symptoms representative of? >>>2. what are the remedies? >>>3. what reference materials can i read to gain more insight? >>>4. is there anything in jyotish that I need to do? >>> >>>I did a google search, and I got some pretty interesting answers, >>>but unfortunately, they are not convincing to me. >>> >>>If I have not dramatized this mail, it is because it's not in my >>>nature to do so. But this is a very serious question I have, and >>> >>> >all > > >>>help you can render will be most gratefully taken. >>> >>>Jai Ma! >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! >>> Links >>> >>> > > > > >Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > Links > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2004 Report Share Posted August 6, 2004 namah shivaya menoj, you know how to breathe but don't understand what it is? you know how to manage but not how to master? you know there is ego but not how to surrender? ok! ---welcome to the club! try and allow yourself to be bored and don't worry about how to master boredom. accept it and say to yourself 'ok, i'm bored. so what?! lord, let me be bored ;-)' maybe your boredom will get bored by you and you no longer identify with that feeling and eventually it disappears. and then (and i really d o n ' t know anything) your outlook on boredom changes and your head falls into your heart. don't give up. hang in there, do your practice, be bored, . . . one step at the time. . . think about amma hugging people day in day out, listening to the same problems over and over, answering the same questions, etc etc. amma, of course doesn;t get bored but do YOU ever get bored looking at her doing all the time 'the same thing'? is it really the same? lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu. in amma christiane Ammachi, "manoj_menon" <ammasmon@s...> wrote: > Hi Tom, > > What you written here is the 'how to escape the boring times'. This > is very good. I like it, and I do similar things too, not all but > some. I also practice EXTREMELY SLOW BREATHING for just 2 cycles; > the results are amazing. But I still don't understand 'what' it is. > > All you have said here is to use some techniques to manage it > (question# 2), not really master it, nor to give insight into its > nature (question# 1). > > I know the intellectual answer to # 1: there is ego, you have not > completely surrendered, blah blah blah... but I am afraid I don't > really understand what it all means, atleast in this context, and > that is what I am struggling with.... You may think my struggle also > may be intellectual and just pass it off, but for me it is a real > struggle. > > So, if anyone has any advice that will open the 'light bulb' in me, > and help me get out of the 'stuck in the mud' feeling, that will be > great! > > Jai Ma! > > Ammachi, Tom Childers <tom@b...> wrote: > > I definitely experience boredom once in a while in my sadhana. > When I > > experience boredom (or any other difficult feeling) I sometimes > try the > > following steps: > > > > * say to myself that the feeling is not bad or good, just another > empty > > phenomenon passing across the screen of my awareness > > > > * explore the "feeling" of boredom? Where in my body do I feel it? > How > > does it feel? Restless? Tired? > > > > * Then I try to just be with the feeling, without going off on all > kinds > > of thought trains about the feeling. There's boredom and then > there's > > your "story" about boredom. What would boredom be like if you had > no > > "story" about it? One spiritual teacher said "The emotions are the > mind > > reflected in the body." > > > > * then I ask myself "Would it be totally OK if this feeling never > went > > away? Who would I be if this feeling was totally OK?" > > > > * then I contemplate that *every* phenomenon is the divine will of > God > > (this helps me take deeper responsibility for my own well-being). > > Keeping that in mind, I contemplate what the feeling may be trying > to > > tell me (sometimes it has a message, sometimes not) > > > > * then I pray to Amma that (with Her grace) I can experience the > feeling > > with deep compassion and acceptance. > > > > * Then I imagine all the people who may feel the difficult feeling > even > > stronger then I do. Then I pray to Amma "Please let me fully > surrender > > to this feeling so that I may be of service to all people who > suffer > > from this feeling." If I can give up fighting against it and fully > > accept my boredom, then I'm better able to help others who suffer > from > > boredom. So, in a strange way, I now feel gratitude for the > boredom. > > > > Usually these steps work and I feel a spaciousness around the > boredom or > > whatever difficult feeling I'm experiencing. > > > > If the steps don't work, then I put on an Amma video and pop open > a cold > > "Thums Up" ;-) > > > > Jai Jai Amma, > > > > Tom > > > > manoj_menon wrote: > > > > >Has anyone encountered boredom > > >1. in spirituality (doing spiritual practices etc) > > >2. in day-to-day life events? > > > 2a. while being a follower of a spiritual path?, or > > > 2b. while living life without being aware of spirituality? > > >3. in pushing oneself to do basic everyday tasks? > > > > > >Needless to say, I am going through it, to a small extent. > > > > > >If you have gone through this, or have knowledge of this, then I > > >would like to know: > > >1. what are the symptoms representative of? > > >2. what are the remedies? > > >3. what reference materials can i read to gain more insight? > > >4. is there anything in jyotish that I need to do? > > > > > >I did a google search, and I got some pretty interesting answers, > > >but unfortunately, they are not convincing to me. > > > > > >If I have not dramatized this mail, it is because it's not in my > > >nature to do so. But this is a very serious question I have, and > all > > >help you can render will be most gratefully taken. > > > > > >Jai Ma! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > > Links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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