Why "do nothing"?

[Tim R]

Why do so many spiritual teachers tell you that there is absolutely nothing to do in order to become enlightened? 

I  mean, I get it; you don't have anything to do in order to be the infinite, all-inclusive awareness that is the ground of the entire universe which you already are, but: 

doing nothing won't exactly lead to the realization that this is so. 

So, why do they do this? 

 

 

[Someone here]

Because you've got a crazy drunk monkey in your mind that won't shut up and let you realize this. 

[Ananta]

1 hour ago, Someone here said:

Because you've got a crazy drunk monkey in your mind that won't shut up and let you realize this. 

? Funny...and true!

[Exystem]

The ego is the only thing which appears to do something, everything else just is.
The ego seems to have the unbelievable important job to make the world a better place.
So by either not identifying with the ego or by just observing it, by putting the breaks on it, not fueling it with your attention, you then starve it to death, so the theory. So the impression of doing something arises through the ego, it claims ownership for the movements your bodymind creates. By withdrawing your attention/energy the ego breaks down as if you pulled the plug of your computer.
It's like standing on a boat in the middle of a see trying to constantly flatten the waves with the paddle. That's what your ego does in order to create peace and harmony. So just stop it. Rather do nothing, the waves will stop by themselves if you give it some time.
It's like murky waters. Don't whirl around in order to see clear. Just do nothing and watch the dirt settle on the ground.

[Yarco]

Doing nothing silences everything else so that you can pay attention to more subtle things.

Which is going to be easier:

- Trying to listen to a cricket chirp in a silent field at night

- Trying to listen to a cricket chirp on a crowded subway platform with trains flying past

Which is going to be easier:

- Trying to focus your attention on one object in an empty room against a white wall

- Trying to focus your attention on one object while there are multiple strobe lights going off behind it

Which is going to be easier:

- Tasting a single spice in its 100% pure form

- Tasting a single spice in a complex recipe that includes a dozen other spices

Right now there are thousands of sounds, sights, smells, tastes, and feelings you're experiencing at once. Like you're trying to focus on something while there are 20 different conversations and 5 different songs playing around you. You can't even start to become aware of how distracted you are unless you stop and do nothing.

Edited September 1, 2020 by Yarco

[VeganAwake]

Because Enlightenment is the collapsing/death of the sense of 'self' that believes it can become enlightened.

In that regard, seeking is often seen as futile because it only reinforces the belief that there is a separate individual that will one day attain something called enlightenment.

[Ry4n]

Because "doing" is the primary mode of operating for the ego; by doing nothing and letting go more and more the ego has a chance to fully dissolve. Whilst doing is the primary function of the ego, BEING is the primary function of non-dual consciousness. Surrender more and you'll realise this. 

[Spaceofawareness]

I have a feeling it is because any form of effort will be the wrong direction from where you need to go, and leads you away from what you are. What really needs to happen is a relaxation. When you are calm and relaxed, the clouds clear and you have the opportunity to see your sky like nature. From there, you can realise this more and more, until you become the sky in which clouds pass, then you will never miss it because you are it.

Turn the light around.

[Farnaby]

I think they say that because doing something requires an intention, and this reinforces the idea of an "I" that has an intention and does something. Also, having an intention takes you away from the present moment. This "I" will then claim the achievements and failures when doing something, further reinforcing the notion of an independent "I".

As you can see, this hinders you realizing your true nature and non-duality. 

However, I think when you're starting this journey there is nothing wrong with learning some meditation techniques (doing something), even if there is an intention that comes from the ego.

But personally, I find "doing nothing" the most direct way of becoming aware of your awareness. Unless I'm having an hyperactive mind. In that case, focusing on sounds, etc. works better to calm the monkey mind.

 

[SriSriJustinBieber]

Non-doership is a realization, not a an action. People apply this concept as an action; the act of not-doing, which is still a doing. And it can create a vicious mental loop-trap that has a debilitating or pacifying effect on one’s ability to awaken to the true realization of Reality, in which non-doership is but one of many facets of the diamond that is realized.

Therefore, avoid the trap of false non-doership and apply yourself to self-effort in the direction of the desired realization. The mental act of non-doing is like a man staring at a lifeless picture of the Grand Canyon from his living room, believing he is in the actual Grand Canyon. Thus he will lose all desire and energy to take the effort required to travel to the actual Grand Canyon.

[Breakingthewall]

20 hours ago, Exystem said:

The ego is the only thing which appears to do something, everything else just is.
The ego seems to have the unbelievable important job to make the world a better place.
So by either not identifying with the ego or by just observing it, by putting the breaks on it, not fueling it with your attention, you then starve it to death, so the theory. So the impression of doing something arises through the ego, it claims ownership for the movements your bodymind creates. By withdrawing your attention/energy the ego breaks down as if you pulled the plug of your computer.
It's like standing on a boat in the middle of a see trying to constantly flatten the waves with the paddle. That's what your ego does in order to create peace and harmony. So just stop it. Rather do nothing, the waves will stop by themselves if you give it some time.
It's like murky waters. Don't whirl around in order to see clear. Just do nothing and watch the dirt settle on the ground.

True, but repressing the ego have a price. The ego have a function, without ego you can't manage in the material world. Fortunately nowadays it's another way to reach the true, another tool: the psichodelics

[Exystem]

@Breakingthewall
You're right, ego repressing will backlash on you. But it's rather about letting it do what it needs to do and just observe it without judging. The ego has its perfect place within this world, but it claims the throne of god. It's about knowing what the ego belongs to by letting go what belongs to the ego. Seeing through the veil is only possible when the curtains fall.The upholding of the curtains is a quite exhausting process, so we should get used to sometimes do nothing, in order to see clear and invest the energies more properly.

[Farnaby]

@Breakingthewall @Exystem I've actually thought about this a lot and still can't decide whether the ego is really necessary or that is just another belief of the ego lol

I feel like you need some sense of "I" to pursue anything in life, but at the same time, I've experienced states of sitting in the ever-present awareness and things just happened naturally without the need of an ego.