Report On The Do-nothing Technique

[PetarKa]

I've been doing the do-nothing technique for quite a while now and I'm very disappointed. I feel like it's not doing anything at all -- like I'm just sitting and wasting my time. Before I sit down to meditate for 30 min I do 10 min of Concentration practice. A couple of months ago this helped quite a bit -- I felt like things were happening in my consciousness. Though not any more -- nothing changes for me with or without concentration.

One thing that DOES happen is that after every session I feel this kind of zoned-out feeling, like I'm in the clouds, though it's quite faint. I jsed to feel this much more in the past after my meditation sessions, not any more.

Am I doing sth wrong? Am I just not patient enough? Should I wait for years to see some real results? Those of you who use / have used the Do-Nothing technique, do you have any tips?

Thanks upfront ?

[Real Eyes]

I've recently started doing the do-nothing technique coupled with strong determination sitting and I absolutely love it.  I suggest looking up Shinzen Young's youtube videos on do-nothing, along with Leo's, they are very helpful.

[starsofclay]

I can't even do non-stop concentration for a minute, so I am not speaking from experience, but it may help if you lengthen the time of your concentration practice... of course it may take a while to get it to the right amount.  I imagine it is like the relaxation technique where you tense all of the muscles in your body and then let go, feeling yourself completely relax... perhaps if you concentrate longer, then when you switch to do-nothing you will really feel the difference. 

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[PetarKa]

@Joseph Maynor What would you say the particular benefits are from Do Nothing as opposed to other techniques? You say that the others increase tour awareness. Then what effect does Do Nothing have?

[Nahm]

@Joseph Maynor nice Jo!

[Space]

18 hours ago, PetarKa said:

I've been doing the do-nothing technique for quite a while now and I'm very disappointed. I feel like it's not doing anything at all -- like I'm just sitting and wasting my time. Before I sit down to meditate for 30 min I do 10 min of Concentration practice. A couple of months ago this helped quite a bit -- I felt like things were happening in my consciousness. Though not any more -- nothing changes for me with or without concentration.

One thing that DOES happen is that after every session I feel this kind of zoned-out feeling, like I'm in the clouds, though it's quite faint. I jsed to feel this much more in the past after my meditation sessions, not any more.

Am I doing sth wrong? Am I just not patient enough? Should I wait for years to see some real results? Those of you who use / have used the Do-Nothing technique, do you have any tips?

Thanks upfront ?

What are you expecting to happen from doing 30 minutes a day? It's great that your meditating, but don't be expecting some crazy results. Definitely combine it with strong determination sitting, and try to move up to an hour an day. Also, as Leo has said many times, go on retreat and do 70-100 hours straight. Then you'll get a taste of what meditation can do for you. 

[RossE]

I disagree with you on some of these points although you do make some very good points @Joseph Maynor, which would apply to most forms of meditation, but in my opinion NOT the Do Nothing technique.

Do Nothing is the simplest technique there is if you really listen to its instructions (this is straight from Shinzen Young): Let whatever happens happen. As soon as you are aware of an intention to control your attention, drop the intention.

This even means dropping the intention to be aware. There's nothing in the technique that says you will be aware or able to differentiate between different phenomena, whatever. It doesn't say that. It doesn't say you need to be aware of what is happening. 

Really read the instruction I've provided and contemplate the scope and depth of the instruction.

@PetarKa You're expecting the session to be a certain way. Let go of that. As long as you're following the instruction, you're doing fine. By all means, if you do it for months and notice nothing has changed, drop the technique. But keep at it for now. It's an immensely powerful technique.

[Space]

44 minutes ago, RossE said:

This even means dropping the intention to be aware. There's nothing in the technique that says you will be aware or able to differentiate between different phenomena, whatever. It doesn't say that. It doesn't say you need to be aware of what is happening. 

If you're not being aware then you're just sitting with your eyes closed. The whole point of meditation is to be aware, particularly of your thoughts.

[Arkandeus]

2 hours ago, Space said:

If you're not being aware then you're just sitting with your eyes closed. The whole point of meditation is to be aware, particularly of your thoughts.

it's still doing something though, the point of the meditation can be simply to do nothing, to be free of anything and to reconnect with flowing naturally.
we're always doing something, the difference that makes doing being is when you're not trying to do anything, whatever you do then, naturally, is being

with this exercise you can reconnect with being

[PetarKa]

Thanks guys for the advice! I will keep in mind what you said, but I have switched to mindfulness meditation. I feel like I need to change things up as I've been doing Do Nothing for several months now. After some time I'll most likely switch back.

[RossE]

@Space Of course you're aware! If you're sitting there lost in thought, you have to be aware of the thought This technique is different from many many other techniques. It seems ridiculous but it's immensely powerful.

[Viking]

8 hours ago, Arkandeus said:

it's still doing something though, the point of the meditation can be simply to do nothing, to be free of anything and to reconnect with flowing naturally.
we're always doing something, the difference that makes doing being is when you're not trying to do anything, whatever you do then, naturally, is being

with this exercise you can reconnect with being

so who is right??? i was sure i understood that in the do nothing technique i should be aware and now people are saying different stuff

[Arkandeus]

1 hour ago, Ilya said:

so who is right??? i was sure i understood that in the do nothing technique i should be aware and now people are saying different stuff

both are very valid techniques that explore different things, we're both right! the paths to enlightenment are infinite

[RossE]

@Ilya Read the instruction I provided and really try to grasp what it's pointing at. There's only so much that words can do.

[perlita]

Hello, could someone please help a newbie? I started the do nothing meditation and here is what's happening: at some point I fall into a "thoughtless state" which initially felt like "it" was projecting from my throat/chest but today it felt like floating. Now, all that said, I have a VERY vivid imagination and I am afraid that  my mind is playing tricks on me after hours spent watching Leo's videos. Or is that what they call "zoning out"?  What is it??

[Nahm]

@PetarKa It’s less like something will happen, more like you stand to experience what is actually happening aside from ‘your involvement’. (Not literally true).  This might help. You probably already saw it but....

 

 

Do Nothing Meditation

Many respected spiritual traditions, including Buddhism and Hindu Advaita just to name two, claim that the highest state of spiritual communion is actually present in our minds at all times. And yet many meditation techniques focus on  creating some special state that wasn't there before the meditation, and which goes away at some point after the meditation. If the highest state is actually present all the time, shouldn't it be possible to simply notice it without inducing some change, or special state? 

That is exactly the purpose of the Do Nothing Meditation. This technique (which is really an un-technique) will allow you to contact the highest spiritual state without actually doing anything. Each time you notice an intention to control or direct your attention, give it up. 

1. There is no need to get into any particular posture, unless you feel like it.
2. Do not position your attention in any particular way.
3. Let whatever happens happen.
4. Any time you notice yourself doing anything intentionally, stop. 

Doing anything intentionally means something you can voluntarily control, and therefore can stop. 
If you cannot stop doing something, then it's not intentional, and therefore you don't need to try to stop doing it. 
So. Anything you can stop doing, stop doing. 

Some examples of things you can stop doing are:
* Intentionally thinking
* Trying to focus on something specific
* Trying to have equanimity
* Trying to keep track of what's going on
* Trying to meditate
Let go of doing anything like this.

5. Keep doing nothing for at least 10 minutes, or as long as you like.

CAUTIONS:
It may be difficult for some people to notice any difference between the Do Nothing meditation and gross "monkey mind," that is, the ceaseless, driven and fixated thoughts of the everyday neurotic mind. If this seems to be the case for you, it may be helpful to do a more structured technique. 

[Jamie Universe]

@Nahm Can you describe a little more about what you meant about...

2 hours ago, Nahm said:

CAUTIONS:

It may be difficult for some people to notice any difference between the Do Nothing meditation and gross "monkey mind," that is, the ceaseless, driven and fixated thoughts of the everyday neurotic mind. If this seems to be the case for you, it may be helpful to do a more structured technique. 

I'm doing the do-nothing technique, and I feel successful in not controlling things.. But I don't know what you mean by the "difference between 'monkey mind' and do-nothing meditation" not to say that I don't notice what the difference is.

I just don't know what you mean by "Do nothing meditation" (I mean I know the technique and what your supposed to do). But you say it as if there's a 'special' state or distinct difference. And me not knowing what your referring to, might be my problem. 

But I might recognize it, if you can describe what you mean.

[Nahm]

@Jamie Universe You notice what the difference is. That’s all that matters. What I think / my meaning really doesn’t matter and would just muddy it. 

[Jamie Universe]

@Nahm That's confusing as shit, but I'll take it thanks! 

[Lauritz]

Much of the confusion in this thread is actually addressed by Shinzen Young in the video at the end of this post. I have linked to the specific time where he mentions the point I want to make.

If you have already done concentration meditation, awareness meditation or mindfulness meditation in the past, you have likely build up momentum. We could also say a mental habit has developed to be aware of certain things. So when you are not new to meditative practices and you start to do the Do-Nothing technique, part of your experience will involve the habit to do these practices you have done in the past. If this happens automatically, you do nothing about it. That means the technique might be doing itself. You will then come to realize that nobody is doing it. You remain as the awareness of it all.

Here he talks about this:

https://youtu.be/cZ6cdIaUZCA?t=755