How Do You Allocate Your Time Dedicated To Consciousness Work?

[Vercingetorix]

Right now most days I have at least 3.5 hours to dedicate to consciousness work, I divide my time as follows:

1 Hour meditation

1 Hour self Inquiry

1 hour "research" (forums, youtube, mainly exposing myself to new teachers, ideas, questions)

1/2  Hour reading (mostly Leo's spirituality book list and zen stories)

I feel that I need to change the balance, focus more on self Inquiry and reading, maybe something like:

1.5 hours Self Inquiry

1 hour meditation

1 hour reading

of course anyone, depending on his/her circumstances and place on the path will have a different balance, but IMO it would be fruitful for all to know what other people's balance is, so please share 

Also some days I have more free time, like 10 hours a day:
I would think 5 straight hours of Self inquiry can be really powerful, have any one tried?
gonna try it in my next free day.
what would You do if you had full free days dedicated to consciousness work?

 

[Hero in progress]

@Vercingetorix

Well if your putting in that much work a day that is going to be very beneficial For you, those moments of spare time can be used for some serious contemplation and enquiry, 

How many see it though is that there spiritual work is separate from there daily life. And doesn't have to be.

When you are buying something at The shop for example make it a practice to interact with the shopkeeper as consciously as you can.

Or when you are on the train, sit there meditative, when you are eating, eat each mouthful consciously.

When you are talking to your spouse, observe how you are with them.

There is so much people miss, when they are living in the paradigm of thinking that there consciousness practice is  apart from their daily life.

They do some meditation for a hour and after they are done go back into egoic consciousness, and miss so much chance for more growth.

Edited February 15, 2017 by Callum A

[Vercingetorix]

@Callum A I totally agree  I try to be as conscious as I can throughout the day and practice mindfulness.
I see meditation just as a training ground for unconditioning the mind from it's usual habits (averting pain and craving pleasure) and transforming us from reactive creatures (slaves to our emotions) to active creatures who can act freely.

 

Edited February 15, 2017 by Vercingetorix

[Hero in progress]

@Vercingetorix

Well you got this then

Best of luck.

[Vercingetorix]

@Callum A Thanks I'm in a period  that I don't have much work so I try to make the best of the free time that I have.

[Hero in progress]

@Vercingetorix absolutely any free time is well spent enquiring and raising consciousness, I don't know if you've heard of Peter Ralston or read his books before but if you haven't I can't recommend him enough, his books will definitely b a great aid.

[Dodo]

I have one hour of meditation a day in the evening and sometimes I sit for 10-20 min in the morning if I wake up earlier for work. 

I find myself trying to distract myself with other things during the weekend and I dont use all the free time for a separate consciousness work, but I do self enquiry always throughout the day almost with any action.  

I find the activity which makes me lose consciousness the most is watching a movie or playing a computer game. I lose the sense of being, because I get too drawn in to the storylines and action.

I should provably take your example and do separate self enquiry session too.

I started each of these paragraphs with the word I.

 

 

Edited February 15, 2017 by Dodoster

[Vercingetorix]

@Callum A thanks, Am reading the Book of not knowing just now 

@Dodoster what I found very helpful is on the free days to wake up early and do straight one hour of meditation and an hour of self Inquiry, treat it like work.

[Steph1988]

@Vercingetorix I am very curious how is your progress? what is the difference in you before you did this?

because u put in so much effort and i can have only respect for that very impressive  

But i am a little skeptical about spending this much time on it because it seems to be become an end in itself which of course no problem and just a personal interest.

But is this just an exercise in self control to get the stuff u want? Or are you doing this as an end in itself?

if it is the first would 20 minutes of meditation not be better? so u can spend the rest of your time on action for lack of a better word (because what you do is taking action as well i get that )

enlighten me please .

 

[Vercingetorix]

@Steph1988 emotionally, I feel that I am much less effected by negative emotions, I am much less afraid to enter situations in the past I would fear and constantly think about how to handle, now I trained my self to know nothing can really harm me. I still have a lot of work to do in this regard but I see a big improvement. Also I have many more moments of feeling peace and love. I am much more honest and communicate with much less "ego", In the way to mastering being sincere but in a way that does not upset others or triggers their ego. So life feels more harmonious and free.

As as see it, meditations teaches you to Be with what is, there in no end goal, no way to succeed, you just learn to accept and enjoy what is in your experience and the mind slowly weakens. So in that regard meditation teaches you to live your life much more harmoniously.
But It's true that ultimately you have to take action and mediation is largely a tool for that but I feel that even an hour per day is not enough.
maybe A zen master with 30 years experience don't need to sit silently to meditate and can take action all day but for most people even one hour is barely enough, our monkey mind is so strong  

@Maorice cool, any "must watch" videos that blew you away?

[Neo]

You and Maorice are hardcore man.  Respect.

[Dodo]

2 hours ago, Vercingetorix said:

@Callum A thanks, Am reading the Book of not knowing just now 

@Dodoster what I found very helpful is on the free days to wake up early and do straight one hour of meditation and an hour of self Inquiry, treat it like work.

Thats a great idea! Thank youuuu

[Vercingetorix]

wow thanks a lot, gonna check that stuff.
Listening to tony parsons, he's good!

[Ramu]

@Vercingetorix im usually doing self inquiry while I walk around, when I'm on the bus, etc.  At least 2 hours a day give or take a few hours here and there.  My meditation habit could probably use a boost.  Occasionally a side effect of meditation is irritation, verbal aggression or obnoxious behavior towards anyone around me.  Paradoxical side effects, although it doesn't happen every time.  Strange isn't it?  However longterm effects of meditation is calmness and less reactivity.  I don't get stressed with assinine behavior like I used to.  That's been a permanent change.

[Martin123]

@Vercingetorix I find this allocation thing almost funny and anti-life haha let me explain.

Practices like meditation are for sure needed to wake up from mundaine existence. At first.

After some time, any type of rigid routine becomes unnecessary and counterproductive.

Consciousness is fucking life, its everything, it's you. Doing consciousness work = making conscious choices that make you feel the best.

So the way I do "consciousness work" nowadays is:

What do I feel like doing the most? And from here sky is the limit. 

Reading, meditation, breathwork, masturbating, playing videogames, socializing, bathing, music, planning, visualizing, purging etc...

One thing I despise about Zen is how rigid it is. Dont be rigid. Creates a boring ass life and a boring ass collective.

Lets create JOY and creativity and connectedness and love beauty art abundance.

Embrace the life. 

Edited February 22, 2017 by Martin123

[Vercingetorix]

@Martin123 I agree on theory, but my experience is that yes I can meditate and self inquire doing other activities which is great, but to really become aware of all the subtle sensations and strains of the body I must sit still.

And the quality of self inquiry is different while sitting still, I actually think it's necessary to inquire both alone and when we are interacting with other people! 

Celebrating life is great, but if you are avoiding boredom be careful to not to avoid part of yourself, your true self may be hiding behind the boredom 

[Martin123]

@Vercingetorix Indeed defense mechanisms need to be looked out for

[Vercingetorix]

@Martin123 for both of us