Guest guest Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Although I do my IAM and chant the Names every day, it is still an enormous struggle to get myself to do them. Not only do I not look forward to doing them, but I can think of at least 108 other things I would rather be doing! Every time I complete my practices, I do feel much better than I did before starting but still that is not enough to motivate me to do them. And then I wonder why bother doing them at all. Amma says something to the effect that we should look forward to our practices like a child looks to candy. Well hands down I would prefer candy. I have done the obvious, asking Amma for help with this and am waiting. Meantime, any comments/suggestions are welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Om Namah Shivaya, Oh boy, do I struggle with this one too! Something in me is convinced that I would rather do something else (check my email, knit, read the news, sleep in, etc). Please keep in mind that I am speaking as someone who has not at all mastered the struggle (I think you're doing better than I am), but here are some thoughts: - Are you doing your sadhana at the same time every day? Amma has emphasized the importance of setting a schedule and sticking to it. This has the advantage of getting you into a rhythm of " six o'clock - time to be at the altar and light the lamps! " . When you build up that habit, it becomes more comfortable and automatic to just plunk down at the altar and do the sadhana. - It was suggested to me recently that it's a valuable sadhana just to become more aware in every moment of whether I am feeling rooted and expansive, or checked out and constricted. When I stay tuned in in this way, I am more able to feel a genuine hunger to go and do IAM meditation or chant the names, and enjoy the experience. - I have also found it important to remember that Amma's love for us is unconditional and that She wants us to experience real happiness. If I am at my altar and I'm doing IAM and experiencing drudgery, thinking of myself as lazy, and thinking that Amma will only approve of me and love me if I can check off the sadhana to-do list for the day, I'm not doing myself or my practice any favors. Instead, I'm in such a constricted place that I'm only getting a fraction of the benefit I could be getting from the practice. I might get more spiritual nourishment from scrubbing the toilet, if while scrubbing the toilet I'm singing bhajans and feeling real joy in my heart! So, in a nutshell, I would say be gentle and loving with yourself, and keep working on being mindful of what gives you joy and spiritual nourishment, witnessing the thoughts that arise that try to tell you that sadhana is not candy and you would rather be doing something else. With me, the thought pattern sometimes boils down to " I'm not worthy to feel that kind of joy, so I'll go and do something more mindlessly entertaining. " I think we all have variants on that sort of thing. As you become more aware in the moment to moment, perhaps you will find the place within yourself that says sadhana is the sweetest candy of all! Wishing you ease and joy in your practice. Jai Ma, Pranada Ammachi , " lmsanders51 " <lmsanders51 wrote: > > Although I do my IAM and chant the Names every day, it is still an > enormous struggle to get myself to do them. Not only do I not look > forward to doing them, but I can think of at least 108 other things I > would rather be doing! Every time I complete my practices, I do feel > much better than I did before starting but still that is not enough to > motivate me to do them. And then I wonder why bother doing them at > all. > > Amma says something to the effect that we should look forward to our > practices like a child looks to candy. Well hands down I would prefer > candy. I have done the obvious, asking Amma for help with this and am > waiting. Meantime, any comments/suggestions are welcome. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Ammachi [Ammachi ] On Behalf Of lmsanders51 Tuesday, October 21, 2008 1:18 PM Ammachi Spiritual Practices Although I do my IAM and chant the Names every day, it is still an enormous struggle to get myself to do them. Not only do I not look forward to doing them, but I can think of at least 108 other things I would rather be doing! Every time I complete my practices, I do feel much better than I did before starting but still that is not enough to motivate me to do them. And then I wonder why bother doing them at all. Amma says something to the effect that we should look forward to our practices like a child looks to candy. Well hands down I would prefer candy. I have done the obvious, asking Amma for help with this and am waiting. Meantime, any comments/suggestions are welcome. Are you straining in your practice? I learned Transcendental Meditation in 1968 and I’ve done it for at least ½ an hour – usually more - at least twice daily since – never missed a one. I was not known as a consistent person and when I learned it. My friends all joked that it was a fad and I’d be on to the next thing soon. But I was in such dire straits at the time and felt such great relief and benefit that I had no trouble sticking with it. Almost every meditation these four decades has been a charming, enlivening experience, so I’ve had plenty of positive reinforcement. Strictly speaking, I don’t do TM these days, because I’m using Amma’s mantra, but I use it TM-style, which is to say, I think it effortlessly, don’t resist other thoughts, don’t try to enunciate it clearly in my mind. IOW, I think it as effortlessly as I think any other thought. If I find I’ve drifted off the mantra, I just come back to it, again effortlessly. No struggle or strain. Inevitably I “transcend” – or settle into subtler levels of awareness or the Transcendent itself. I’m not tooting my own horn here – just trying to give you an example of how it can be. Certainly you have to have some modicum of stick-to-itiveness – most people who have learned TM have dropped the practice – but if whatever practice you’re doing is enjoyable, you shouldn’t have any trouble doing it regularly. Like eating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Thank you. Great suggestions. I have become much more aware and know that these practices are important and work. Something inside me struggles with it however once I start it is effortless. I just have to get there and my mind can come up with so many other distractions to keep me from getting there. I do need to get back on a regular schedule and do it first thing after showering. Ammachi , " daughterpranada " <daughterpranada wrote: > > Om Namah Shivaya, > > Oh boy, do I struggle with this one too! Something in me is > convinced that I would rather do something else (check my email, > knit, read the news, sleep in, etc). > > Please keep in mind that I am speaking as someone who has not at all > mastered the struggle (I think you're doing better than I am), but > here are some thoughts: > > - Are you doing your sadhana at the same time every day? Amma has > emphasized the importance of setting a schedule and sticking to it. > This has the advantage of getting you into a rhythm of " six o'clock - > time to be at the altar and light the lamps! " . When you build up > that habit, it becomes more comfortable and automatic to just plunk > down at the altar and do the sadhana. > - It was suggested to me recently that it's a valuable sadhana just > to become more aware in every moment of whether I am feeling rooted > and expansive, or checked out and constricted. When I stay tuned in > in this way, I am more able to feel a genuine hunger to go and do > IAM meditation or chant the names, and enjoy the experience. > - I have also found it important to remember that Amma's love for us > is unconditional and that She wants us to experience real happiness. > If I am at my altar and I'm doing IAM and experiencing drudgery, > thinking of myself as lazy, and thinking that Amma will only approve > of me and love me if I can check off the sadhana to-do list for the > day, I'm not doing myself or my practice any favors. Instead, I'm in > such a constricted place that I'm only getting a fraction of the > benefit I could be getting from the practice. I might get more > spiritual nourishment from scrubbing the toilet, if while scrubbing > the toilet I'm singing bhajans and feeling real joy in my heart! > > So, in a nutshell, I would say be gentle and loving with yourself, > and keep working on being mindful of what gives you joy and > spiritual nourishment, witnessing the thoughts that arise that try > to tell you that sadhana is not candy and you would rather be doing > something else. With me, the thought pattern sometimes boils down > to " I'm not worthy to feel that kind of joy, so I'll go and do > something more mindlessly entertaining. " I think we all have > variants on that sort of thing. > > As you become more aware in the moment to moment, perhaps you will > find the place within yourself that says sadhana is the sweetest > candy of all! > > > Wishing you ease and joy in your practice. > Jai Ma, > Pranada > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Thank you for the ideas. Once I get going it is effortless and I enjoy it. It is almost like the " practice does me " if that makes any sense. The struggle is getting started and in the past I have found that if I get up early, shower and just do it before doing anything else that that is the best for me. If I give in to distractions like email, then it is a struggle to get started. OK thank you as I am seeing things and know how to address this! Ammachi , " Rick Archer " <rick wrote: > > Ammachi [Ammachi ] On Behalf Of > lmsanders51 > Tuesday, October 21, 2008 1:18 PM > Ammachi > Spiritual Practices > > > > Although I do my IAM and chant the Names every day, it is still an > enormous struggle to get myself to do them. Not only do I not look > forward to doing them, but I can think of at least 108 other things I > would rather be doing! Every time I complete my practices, I do feel > much better than I did before starting but still that is not enough to > motivate me to do them. And then I wonder why bother doing them at > all. > > Amma says something to the effect that we should look forward to our > practices like a child looks to candy. Well hands down I would prefer > candy. I have done the obvious, asking Amma for help with this and am > waiting. Meantime, any comments/suggestions are welcome. > > Are you straining in your practice? I learned Transcendental Meditation in > 1968 and I've done it for at least ½ an hour – usually more - at least twice > daily since – never missed a one. I was not known as a consistent person and > when I learned it. My friends all joked that it was a fad and I'd be on to > the next thing soon. But I was in such dire straits at the time and felt > such great relief and benefit that I had no trouble sticking with it. Almost > every meditation these four decades has been a charming, enlivening > experience, so I've had plenty of positive reinforcement. Strictly speaking, > I don't do TM these days, because I'm using Amma's mantra, but I use it > TM-style, which is to say, I think it effortlessly, don't resist other > thoughts, don't try to enunciate it clearly in my mind. IOW, I think it as > effortlessly as I think any other thought. If I find I've drifted off the > mantra, I just come back to it, again effortlessly. No struggle or strain. > Inevitably I " transcend " – or settle into subtler levels of awareness or the > Transcendent itself. > > I'm not tooting my own horn here – just trying to give you an example of how > it can be. Certainly you have to have some modicum of stick-to- itiveness – > most people who have learned TM have dropped the practice – but if whatever > practice you're doing is enjoyable, you shouldn't have any trouble doing it > regularly. Like eating! > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.