Do Nothing Vs. Daydreaming

[Mondsee]

Today I tried the "Do Nothing Technique" for the first time... and I discovered it didn't feel any different from the daydream happening when I don't want to stand up, and just stay lying down in my bed wandering about random stuff.

None of the weird crazy thoughts came up (at least yet), just normal stuff like what I should wear in the party I'm invited to, or what I would say if I'd meet that one person.

Is it maybe that I'm not letting the "monkey" really free from its cage? I feel like I'm controlling my thoughts and I don't really know where to start to let go of control.

Thankful for advice from more experimented users of this technique!

[Hero in progress]

@Mondsee okay, so its the first time you have tryed it, it may take you a lot more time intill the monkey mind subsides, and it may feel like you are the one thinking because, this has been your way of being your entire life, identified with thoughts, so it may seem like you are day dreaming at first. 

If you think its you thinking, then try this test, sit down for 5 mins and before you start, commit to yourself that for the next 5 minutes you are not going to think at all!

See how long last before thought comes.

You think its you thinking because there is a entire collection of concepts you have about yourself, so it creates the experience of a thinker (you)

But there is in fact no thinker, just thought.

Observe this.

[Mondsee]

@Callum A Thanks for your tips!

I'll work for continuity, maybe it starts feeling less like daydreaming with time!

31 minutes ago, Callum A said:

commit to yourself that for the next 5 minutes you are not going to think at all!

See how long last before thought comes.

I try every day after doing yoga while doing the final resting pose (savasana) and miserably fail every time! haha it's just that there, I don't get the daydreaming feeling, because I'm trying to put thoughts away... which is that "activity" that tricks you into thinking that at least you're trying to meditate...

30 minutes ago, Callum A said:

there is in fact no thinker, just thought.

Observe this.

The non-existing thinker concept gets me thinking! Haha wording fun aside, it's interesting, because after watching Leo's first enlightenment video I imagined the human body as a machine which includes a feature to think, but what you're saying, is that there isn't even that one feature, but only thoughts... do you think it is a closer conceptualization imagining the human body as a machine which includes a feature to perceive thoughts?

 

[Hero in progress]

@Mondsee See this is the thing, anything I say to you is just going to become a idea, and that keeps you in the pull of thoughts.

But I will give a concept in regards to the human body as a machine.

The human is very mechanical, running on patterns and habits, so in that sense yeah sure. But don't get to caught up on that. 

Maybe download leos self enquiry video in mp3 form, and really really look into it for yourself. Do it over & over again but each time look like its the first time your looking, look intensely. 

If you really want true liberation, true awakening! 

Like Peter Ralston, this guy is a true sage, he has such profound understanding, and that comes from being aware & enquiry, for years!

Thoughts are like little dreams that have such a illusory pull, and you just doing the do nothing meditation, isn't going to be enough if I am honest mate. Not many get enlightenment because people just dip there toe in the water so to speak.

But anything is a start.

 

[Leo Gura]

@Mondsee Before you start the session, set a background intention of: AWARENESS! AWARENESS! AWARENESS!

You're not there to daydream. You're there to be more aware. But in a passive way.

If daydreaming, happens, that's okay. Let it be. But have a background intention for awareness.

[Mondsee]

@Leo Gura I'll do so tomorrow then!

Just, to put it in practical terms... should I be aware that I'm sitting to let the mind run free? Aware of my surroundings? Aware of my breath? Aware of it all? Haha... Help!

[Leo Gura]

@Mondsee Ideally, aware of awareness itself. Awareness itself is distinct from the things found in awareness.

But any kind of awareness is good for a start.

[Mondsee]

@Leo Gura All right, I'll try it out! Thank you!

[Mondsee]

48 minutes ago, Callum A said:

Maybe download leos self enquiry video in mp3 form, and really really look into it for yourself. Do it over & over again but each time look like its the first time your looking, look intensely. 

@Callum A Thank you for the recommendation. I don't think I've watched that one. Also, I'll check out Peter Ralston.

58 minutes ago, Callum A said:

just doing the do nothing meditation, isn't going to be enough if I am honest mate. Not many get enlightenment because people just dip there toe in the water so to speak.

 I am a total newbie on enlightenment, although not on self-actualization, but I already got the sense that there is an entire universe behind that concept, and right now I'm indeed just dipping the toe in the water... But Rome wasn't built in a day, right?

[PureExp]

4 hours ago, Mondsee said:

Today I tried the "Do Nothing Technique" for the first time... and I discovered it didn't feel any different from the daydream happening when I don't want to stand up, and just stay lying down in my bed wandering about random stuff.

Ask yourself - what was aware of daydreams? what was aware of the random stuff? How do you know it happened? What was the background of it?

The essence of non-doing is not to stop what is already happening, but to shift your attention to whatever there is that is perceiving the happenings. Simple !

If you try to stop things, manipulate thoughts, memories, you are doing a lot. Don't do, just be....Finally you will see that there is no doer, there is just experience.

Edited February 9, 2017 by PureExp

[Hero in progress]

@Mondsee

From the bottom of my heart my friend, take all this seriously if you have any sense that there is more to all this. To wake up from a dream inside the dream is something so unexplainable and can only happen, if something in your heart calls you to this, I hope you can find your way home. The truth of what you are is benevolent and beauty

If there is a intuitive knowing that what I say has got some depth to it, because it comes from my heart and your heart. If something pulls you to the light of your own being, what you really are, then go for it buddy

There's worse things one can do with there life. 

If you look at all the masters who are fully awake! They all agree!

No matter from what time period, or what culture, doesn't matter they all agree they are all pointing to the same truth, you are consciousness itself! And you can only really know what thats Gona be, when you wake up to that! Its happening right now! Always.

Peter Ralston 

The book of not knowing,

That book is gona be a good start. And leos self enquiry aswell.

[Space]

Here's some advice on the Do Nothing technique from Shinzen Young. See page 40 - http://www.shinzen.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/FiveWaystoKnowYourself_ver1.6.pdf

[Mondsee]

18 hours ago, PureExp said:

If you try to stop things, manipulate thoughts, memories, you are doing a lot. Don't do, just be....

@PureExp OMG this is so true... crazy how we're used to do that during our entire lives without being aware how much of an action that is.

18 hours ago, Callum A said:

From the bottom of my heart my friend, take all this seriously if you have any sense that there is more to all this.

@Callum A Thank you so much for those beautiful and encouraging words! Although often confusing, and always hard to grasp, I do have a gigantic desire to know the Truth! I'll definitely check out your recommendations

@Reality Great!! Thanks a lot for sharing!! I'm checking it out

...and just for the record, doing nothing today felt much less like daydreaming and much more like "dafuq do I have in my mind!?" haha

 

Edited February 10, 2017 by Mondsee
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