Meditation Makes Me Lazy!

[electroBeam]

Anyone else finds being in the present as being genuinely peacful, relaxing and fun?

I'm finding that I'm starting to really enjoy the present moment, and in a lot of cases, would prefer to just sit and do nothing instead of doing work. 

Though this is reducing the amount of work I can complete, and is reducing my work's quality. The present in a sense is distracting myself from doing the work I need to do around the house and also for work. 

Anyone got any insights on how to deal with this, thanks!

[Leo Gura]

Well... it is true that you are complete already without needing to do an ounce of work in this life.

This can seem threatening because most of your actions and work has been motivated by a sense of lack or externally enforced motivation. So it can feel like your entire foundation for work has been undermined. Which is true. But this is a great thing in the long-run.

Now you're opening up to authenticity.

Now you can start to ask, "What is worth doing?"

This will ultimately probably point you towards a new kind of work.

There is tons of work to be done once you become highly conscious. It's just a different kind of work and it's done for different kinds of reasons.

Imagine doing work out of a higher calling, rather than lack or need. Imagine becoming a vehicle of divine inspiration.

But it will take time to figure out how to make the transition and make this actual. In the meantime, stick with your existing work as you make plans for your new work.

[heisenburger]

@electroBeam why do you need to do work? If you're happy now you only do work because you think work will lead to happiness in the future, but it doesn't it just takes away the happiness you have. When echkart told first became enlightened he kept having thoughts of needing to do work. But if he did this he never would have continued with spiritually and written the power of now. He did more by spending several months in bliss sitting at a park bench which led him to write his book and help thiusands than he would have just working in same teaching job with  minimal impact if he gave into his thoughts saying you should work. Also notice how when you feel good you bring yourself down by feeling guilty 'I shouldn't feel this way' or 'I'm worried something will happen'. Next time this happens why not replace t with a mantra like 'I'm becoming more and more ok with happiness every day'.

[eputkonen]

@electroBeam, being present is great...but sitting and being present (meditation) is not the only option.  You can mow the lawn while being present, wash the dishes while being present, etc.  You can do work while being present.  There is no reason why you could not do things (even work) and not also be present, peaceful, relaxed, and having fun.

Sitting and doing nothing (i.e. meditation) for periods of time can be done too, but you can eat while being present, shower while being present, get dressed while being present...and continue on the whole day being present while doing things.

Edited May 15, 2017 by eputkonen

[electroBeam]

@eputkonen I know but you can more easily get sucked into things while doing that, which is ultimately painful. Like doing hard calc homework while being present is hard as.

[eputkonen]

13 hours ago, electroBeam said:

@eputkonen I know but you can more easily get sucked into things while doing that, which is ultimately painful. Like doing hard calc homework while being present is hard as.

You just need to be 100% devoted to the experience you are having while doing the task at hand.  Not self-reflecting on its difficulty or that you don't want to do it.  Not commenting, critiquing, or judging the experience you are having while doing the task at hand.

In Zen, there is a story that goes...

Someone asked a Zen Master, "How do you practice Zen?"

The master said, "When you are hungry, eat; when you are tired, sleep."

"Isn't that what everyone does anyway?"

The master replied, "No, No. Most people entertains a thousand thoughts when they eat and scheme over a thousand plans when they sleep."

So, when you are doing calc homework...the only thing you are doing is calc homework.  If the only thing you are doing is calc homework...that is being present.  Like a great dancer...when they dance...the only thing they are doing is dancing.  Just do your calc homework...nothing else.  Perhaps put in pauses from time to time...so there can be breaks with no-thought and just feeling the body and experiencing the environment.

 

Edited May 15, 2017 by eputkonen