"do Nothing" Meditation Technique - Loss Of Willpower

[christianblake]

Anyone else experience loss of willpower throughout the day while doing "do nothing" meditation? Did "do nothing" meditation for about 2 months now. Started meditating late 2014 , and for over a year I did "breathing" meditation. Where I focused on my breath and when I noticed my thoughts would stray away I refocus attention back on breath. Tried "do nothing" and initially it was very confusing. After I while I learned to settle down and honestly I'm still not sure if I did the meditation right. I refered back to Leo's and Shinzen young videos but I what I noticed when reflecting back on that time period was that I had a drastic drop in willpower. I wouldn't be able to overcome urges such as random internet searching, porn, daydreaming, foods, -- anything that requires willpower. 

I recently went back to the type of mindfulness meditation, similar to the breathing meditation but incorporating more senses. Shinzen young calls it "noting". My willpower has gone up just only a few days back into it.

So I just want to get some of your guys input on how "do nothing" has been affecting you. For me the biggest benefit was becoming more aware of no self and the concept that free will doesn't exist. Truly letting go made me realize how much we aren't in control of our thoughts. So I found it more useful for becoming enlightened than any other practical uses.  But didn't realize expeirence any calm or other effects throughout the day. 

I think maybe doing both would be best. I might try the "do nothing" again down the road.

Edited March 5, 2016 by christianblake

[Neo]

I don't know, I can't help you but as I have an inquisitive mind, the question arises; does the awareness of no-self and concept of no freewill affect will power detrimentally?

[christianblake]

That's a good point. I understand what you're asking. I guess "doing nothing" is exactly what the ego doesn't want therefore it can reduce willpower. So I guess improving willpower is also strengthening the ego. In a healthy way. 

[WelcometoReality]

@christianblake 

Doing nothing meditation is about dropping the control of your attention. This in other words means surrendering that control. You use the word willpower but it has about the same meaning as control.

Other meditation techniques such as strong determination sitting are used to disindentify yourself with thought. Which will increase your "willpower".

[Azrael]

2 hours ago, christianblake said:

Anyone else experience loss of willpower throughout the day while doing "do nothing" meditation?

I'd guess that this is a phase you went through. Can't really say that I experienced constant loss of willpower but I can say that I had phases in which this technique brought me in deep depressive phases full of fear, loss of will power etc. But as I say this were merely phases and eventually went away. As the ego transcends there is a lot of shit that seems to happen. For me it was this way and now after that I see how this was needed for me to go on with my journey.

However, I'd also point out that you should use the technique that fits you the best. So, for me "Do Nothing" is the best technique to deepen my meditation practice and to go about the enlightenment journey. I just really love the technique combined with strong determination sittings. If you can resonate more with mindfulness meditation, I'd say do that. If I do "noting" it drives me crazy after 3 minutes. So I don't do it as often and have other techniques that bring me further.

But yeah, I'd say it's a phase that this technique brings you through. Some are harder than others and one needs to observe this pendulum from good to bad phases for a while to finally step a little out of it and detach. Then it's okay. And that's real nice.

Cheers to you,

[Capethaz]

Accordingly with Shinzen Young, both "Noting" and "Do Nothing" techniques are designed to increase your baseline of mindfulness (concentration, sensory clarity and equanimity). In other words with time they will get you to the same place. I've been practicing with "Do Nothing" for a year and I had an enlightenment experience with it and feels that I'm growing fast. My mindfulness trought out of the day is is getting better too. About willpower, in my case, it increased because just for the fact that you are sitting still your pre frontal cortex is working not to mention the benefits that the technique provide. And remember for having success in the path be consistent and do one retreat a year or an monthly mini retreats. Thanks and sorry for my english, Im working on it.

[Majus]

@Capethaz In fact, what is it that makes you more focused throughout this technique?

I made a commitment following Leo´s instruction to go through the three varying techniques of do nothing, active detachment and awareness focus. From my experiences of do nothing (so far, I am currently practicing active detachment) I remember being equally concentrated as I now am when I practice the current technique I use, but as the do nothing technique has more to do rather with letting go of having any sort of control over your thoughs and -notwithstanding that you lose power over the control over your thoughts volitionally- not so much with actively bring your mind focus back to what should be focused and concentrated on.

I think I just found the answer myself, but I still send the message for the sake of potential new experience and insights from you^^

[Guest]

On 2016/3/5 at 4:16 AM, Neo said:

I don't know, I can't help you but as I have an inquisitive mind, the question arises; does the awareness of no-self and concept of no freewill affect will power detrimentally?

This is exactly why refuting free will exists ever, is a pitfall.

Most people don't have free will because they believe in the body-related free will.

So what about the non-body free will: The free will of the true self? This should not be refuted, in fact it cannot be refuted. In essence, what we are coming to ask by the question is: why did form arise in the first place? One can only speculate. Some say it was "Maya", some say that it was the eternal soul's fascination with it's own reflection.

[Capethaz]

On 11 de março de 2016 at 9:22 PM, Majus said:

@Capethaz In fact, what is it that makes you more focused throughout this technique?

I made a commitment following Leo´s instruction to go through the three varying techniques of do nothing, active detachment and awareness focus. From my experiences of do nothing (so far, I am currently practicing active detachment) I remember being equally concentrated as I now am when I practice the current technique I use, but as the do nothing technique has more to do rather with letting go of having any sort of control over your thoughs and -notwithstanding that you lose power over the control over your thoughts volitionally- not so much with actively bring your mind focus back to what should be focused and concentrated on.

I think I just found the answer myself, but I still send the message for the sake of potential new experience and insights from you^^

This is a deep question and I really don't know the answer. I don't know "how" it works in your system. What I know is that by practicing with this technique, with time, youll be developing mindfulness (concentration, sensory clarity and equanimity) and the results will be the same as if you for example used the Noting technique, it's a classical path to enlightenment. I use Shinzen Young's techniques  because I like of his methodical approach to mindfulness and enlightenment. All of his models were used in the past to attain enlightenment by different traditions, if you want to learn more check his work. 

[Majus]

@Capethaz Ive been already researching on this topic merely by looking up what Shinzen Young had reworked and to say about this matter^^

I will certainly continue to watch his videos, but are there any different sources a western dude can look up with regards to the theoretical framework of meditation and the meditation techniques ?

Thank you

[Capethaz]

@Majus Check Daniel Ingram work. > http://integrateddaniel.info/