Do Nothing Not Working ?

[rush]

Hey guys,

Don't know if this is just me, but generally during do nothing meditation, there is alot of monkey mind but mainly to do with random stuff like things that need to be done, what I need to do at work etc... The "real" monkey mind occurs during the day when I have judgments, negative thoughts, ideas about how life should be different etc.. 

I thought that these judgments, negative thoughts, emotions etc should occur during the do nothing sessions, when your meant to let the mind completely do what it wants? Instead they occur outside of meditation sessions. Any ideas why this is happening ?

[RossE]

You can't control your thoughts. You're grasping for control it seems. It's good that you're now aware of the monkey mind, that's what meditation helps you to do.

Just be aware of them and don't get lost in the content. The content is meaningless.

Edited November 27, 2016 by RossE

[Bob84]

@rush We are designed for survival. Everything somewhat related to safety (delusional or logical) is automated. Sinse the world we live in is so diferent from lets say caveman its gotten quite screwed up. We constantly predict posible outcomes for set reason.

[Prabhaker]

13 hours ago, rush said:

Do Nothing Not Working ?

Non-doing is meditation, but when I say non-doing is meditation I do not mean that you need not do anything. Even to achieve this non-doing, one has to do much. But this doing is not meditation. It is only a stepping stone, only a jumping board. 

If I say to you, "Just relax," it is impossible because you do not know what to do. So many pseudo teachers of relaxation continue saying, "Just relax. Don't do anything; just relax." Then what are you going to do? You can just lie down, but that is not relaxation. The whole inner turmoil remains, and now a new conflict is there - to relax. Something over and above is added. The whole nonsense is there, the whole turmoil is there, with something added - to relax. A new tension is now added to all the old tensions.

So a person who is trying to live a relaxed life is the most tense person possible. He is bound to be because he has not understood the dialectical flow of life. He is thinking that life is a straight flow; you can just tell yourself to relax and you will relax. It is not possible.

First do some physical activity which makes you capable of sitting silently afterwards.

[veqsms]

Personal I thing do nothing technique did not work for me either, so I tried Mindfulness and found out more interesting, not boring and when i finish all my sessions I feel more calm and present just in the moment and it is working ( at least that what I think ). 

So I really recommend Mindfulness Meditation. 

[Elisabeth]

For me, "do nothing" is beneficial. I've heared Leos video for the first time when I was studying for my final exam and not able to relax at all. I sat down stopped controlling my attention, and I immediatelly felt a huge sense of relief. I've also had states of blis from this simple technique. Trying to do mindfullness, I stay tense (maybe not enough practice). I don't know if I can call my do nothing a meditation, but it is for sure the best way to relax for me which I have found ever.