Lack Of Motivation Because Life Is An Illusion

[electroBeam]

Did anyone go through a process of deep lack of motivation due to a meditative insight/experience?

Recently I went through a really depressed state, basically because I realised how out of align I really am with what my intuition is telling me to do(my intuition/inner muse is really loud). And that made me go through a really rough existential crisis where I kind of began to realise that success and dating is all an illusion that will not fulfil me because it will never become a reality. 

I'm finding it really tough to motivate myself because it honestly looks like everything I've been striving for has just been a dream, and always will be. Even if I do make heaps of money, money is a mental construct. Money doesn't exist in the present, or more accurately, the value of money doesn't.

I don't know what to do. All I feel like doing is being in the present moment, and I can't find a way to get interested in 'the game' because it looks fake/not real. 

What would you do??

 

 

[Shin]

Waiting until it pass, because that's just your ego which tries to make sense out of the meaningless of life.

Try to reach a master, they probably have some tricks on how to resolve this faster, and you probably need to meet some people who know what you're going through (well at least it will be a bit easier to go through).

http://in5d.com/getting-through-the-dark-night-of-the-soul/

Don't know if this is what you're experiencing, but if that's the case, you have to confront it, there is no other way.

Quote

idk what im going through lol.

You don't, but the master will.

Edited March 7, 2017 by Shin

[electroBeam]

10 minutes ago, Shin said:

and you probably need to meet some people who know what you're going through (well at least it will be a bit easier to go through).

idk what im going through lol.

[Martin123]

@electroBeam oh great so isn't that an awesome chance to grt yourself back to alignment? 

[electroBeam]

4 minutes ago, Martin123 said:

@electroBeam oh great so isn't that an awesome chance to grt yourself back to alignment? 

Not when being in alignment means turning into a monk

[Prabhaker]

56 minutes ago, electroBeam said:

Did anyone go through a process of deep lack of motivation due to a meditative insight/experience?

If you move from one thought to another you remain in the world of time. If you move into the moment, not into thought, you move into eternity; you are not static – nothing is static in this world, nothing can be static – but a new movement, a movement without motivation.You have to achieve something – money, prestige, power, or God, but you have to achieve something; a motivation is there. A motivated movement means sleep.

An unmotivated movement means awareness – you move because to move is sheer joy, you move because movement is life, you move because life is energy and energy is movement. You move because energy is delight – not for anything else. There is no goal to it, you are not after some achievement. In fact you are not going anywhere, you are not going at all – you are simply delighting in the energy. There is no goal outside the movement; movement has its own intrinsic value, no extrinsic value.

To raise your energy do something active, dancing, walking,jogging, running, swimming.

Start running in the morning on the road. Start with half a mile and then one mile and come eventually to at least three miles. While running use the whole body; don't run as if you are in a straitjacket. Run like a small child, using the whole body - hands and feet - and run. Breathe deeply and from the belly. Then sit under a tree, rest, perspire and let the cool breeze come; feel peaceful. This will help very deeply.

1 hour ago, electroBeam said:

Even if I do make heaps of money, money is a mental construct. Money doesn't exist in the present, or more accurately, the value of money doesn't.

Money should not become the goal, but I am not saying at the same time that you should renounce it and become beggars -- use it, it is a good means. Money can be beautiful -- if it is not possessed, if you don't become obsessed with it. It can be beautiful.

[David1]

Same reason i refuse to play any board games or card games with my family. It's all fake and leads to nothing. It's just a huge waste of time and it's making me depressed.  

 

Edited March 7, 2017 by David1

[Martin123]

48 minutes ago, electroBeam said:

Not when being in alignment means turning into a monk

Wait what why?

If it feels good, then go for it. Be smart, but go for it. And then so what feels goos from that place. Thats the quickest way to allign yo ass.

[PureExp]

2 hours ago, electroBeam said:

I don't know what to do. All I feel like doing is being in the present moment, and I can't find a way to get interested in 'the game' because it looks fake/not real. 

What would you do??

You are experiencing detachment. (Vairagya)

This can be a fruit of your practice or can happen on its own. In any case, you have reached a stage in ripening. It is a good stage actually from the point of view of a seeker. Seekers spend decades and sweat to get to this stage.

You are naturally changing paths, from a worldly path to a path of your heart. Yes, its natural to feel stupid chasing after a mirage, no sane person will do that. Do not try to get back to the old and rotten, let go of it, simply change your goal, build up motivation to pursue that new goal.

What is the new goal? You need to decide it yourself. You cannot walk on someone else's path. Your goal needs to be according to your current needs. You surely do not need worldly stuff except the essential stuff that makes life comfortable and cozy. You do not want your life to become a struggle for mere survival again. So then which goal remains? Usually it is in the direction of more freedom, absolute freedom. Be free.

[outlandish]

 

Quote

Recently I went through a really depressed state, basically because I realised how out of align I really am with what my intuition is telling me to do(my intuition/inner muse is really loud).

What is your intuition/muse telling you to do? 

Quote

 

I kind of began to realise that success and dating is all an illusion that will not fulfil me because it will never become a reality. 

Do you mean that it won't fulfill you because dating and success itself is an illusion and therefore not reality, or because you think you can't achieve that reality?

Investigate for yourself whether you are feeling disillusioned with dating/success/money because of your own disappointments in these arenas, or if it's because of something deeper.

Guessing from your profile picture, you look like a young man, maybe early 20s and I'm going to assume hetero, pardon me if these assumptions are incorrect. Some young men at your stage really are monk types who are ready to cast of their worldly attachments and pursue a spiritual life. But it's likely you're going through the same thing that most young men go through, where you still have a lot of growing to do, and it's really hard to date because women don't find you super attractive *yet*.

A lot of women are at their peak attractiveness in their early 20s, whereas men are just at the beginning, so the game is tough. As you get older into your 30s, the whole thing flips around. 

If you take a deep honest look and find out that dating etc *is* actually something you want, you probably need to work on yourself. If you want the princess you have to be the prince.

Or maybe you really are a monk and ready to move past all this. I'd just caution you if you think so, to make sure you're not fooling yourself that you're over the game because of frustrations you've had playing it.

Or maybe your path lies somewhere in the middle.

In Thailand and other buddhist societies in SE Asia, young men usually take time out, maybe a year or two, to live life as a monk. Traditionally, it's not until after this phase that men are considered suitable partners by women. So that's an interesting model as well.

[NormL_is_boring]

6 hours ago, PureExp said:

You are experiencing detachment. (Vairagya)

I am/have gone through this. I just can't seem to be bothered to engage in so many things like socializing  because after a while I can't stand being in the presence of feeling fakeness because I know it's an illusion.

 

6 hours ago, PureExp said:

You are naturally changing paths, from a worldly path to a path of your heart. Yes, its natural to feel stupid chasing after a mirage, no sane person will do that. Do not try to get back to the old and rotten, let go of it, simply change your goal, build up motivation to pursue that new goal.

What is the new goal? You need to decide it yourself. You cannot walk on someone else's path. Your goal needs to be according to your current needs. You surely do not need worldly stuff except the essential stuff that makes life comfortable and cozy. You do not want your life to become a struggle for mere survival again. So then which goal remains? Usually it is in the direction of more freedom, absolute freedom. Be free.

I can see myself changing paths and yes I feel stupid sometimes and it's depressing not really knowing what a new goal would be. 

[Shin]

I would just add that, it's not because nothing else than spirituality makes sense to you anymore that you should be a monk.

There is plenty of paths to follow and ways to raise your consciousness and those of others (if that's what you are into):

- Working in an association related

- Translator of spiritual books

- Spiritual teacher/blogger/youtuber

- Writer with strong spiritual influences

- etc ...

Actually, being a monk is probably one of the worst way to contribute, (unless you're high ranked) because you'll just meditate and doing practical stuff for the dojo.

There is nothing wrong with that, if your intuition really makes you understand that's what you have to do,

But for most people, I don't think that's what we really want, we feel an urge to practice more and to be the truth yes, but you really don't need to be a monk for that, don't make this confusion.

Edited March 7, 2017 by Shin

[outlandish]

@Shin Totally agree with your clarification. Wasn't obvious in my post above, but I meant "monk" figuratively - of course being an actual monk is an option, but I meant it more as a general label for a life of spiritual pursuit. Anyways, your broader idea is a helpful middle ground.

[electroBeam]

2 hours ago, outlandish said:

 

What is your intuition/muse telling you to do? 

Do you mean that it won't fulfill you because dating and success itself is an illusion and therefore not reality, or because you think you can't achieve that reality?

Both.

Dating and success is an illusion and therefore i cannot achieve that reality. Ever. It will always be in my head and it will never leave it.

I would love to say that I'm just disappointed about not getting women, but thats not the case.

This has been going on for some time now. My intuition would tell me to just be present and to take things slowly at a reasonable pace, to be kind to everyone unconditionally, to volunteer at something for example,but my insecurities about success and dating would push me to be ultra neurotic, to try and make the world's best startup, and to date the greatest women.

But deep down i always knew that this pursuit wouldn't fulfill me, and that it was just satisfying egoic problems i have had.

This isnt the first time ive had an existential crisis involving the same problem, ive had at least 5 in the past.

But this one is one that I cannot ignore anymore. 

I can keep chasing success and women, but the value of success(feeling successful, powerful, etc) is all in my head now, and when it is achieved it will still be in one's head. It never leaves your head. Its literally impossible to be success.

I feel deeply dissatisfied with life, because of what these insecurities have done. And i really dont feel like going back to chasing. Maybe in the future but right now im jaded about it tbh.

But i need to find a way to love the game again. Because i cannot just keep going like this. 

@Shin yeah definitely. I was being metaphorical about being a monk.

I meant more like living a life that most people dont desire (non material). But this is just a reaction and phase im going through. Hopefully.

 

Edited March 7, 2017 by electroBeam

[PureExp]

1 hour ago, NormL_is_boring said:

and it's depressing not really knowing what a new goal would be. 

Yes, one needs to learn to live elegantly with not knowing. The goal will appear on its own.

So far the goals and ambitions were fed in by the genetic programming,  society and parents etc. and now those simply disappear. Now the goal has to appear out of your innermost core.

I simply do whatever my heart tells me to do, while being highly aware of consequences. Simply put, do what you like most till a higher goal appears. I can suggest things like hanging out with people who are on a path, listening to teachers, sharing with and helping others, even teaching (not for money or out of superiority complex, but just because you love to share). And I also recommend finding a teacher who can suggest something better.

 

[Vercingetorix]

 

1 hour ago, electroBeam said:

 

Dating and success is an illusion and therefore i cannot achieve that reality. Ever. It will always be in my head and it will never leave it.

 

2

You have to understand that the fast road to enlightenment goes through our daily obstacles. it's true that they are an illusion bus as long as you are not free from them, not having any resistance and negative emotions towards those things, you are living in fear and resistance towards what you wanna do, you suppressing your need so you are getting far from enlightenment. It's true that if you will now meditate for ten years all the subconscious stuff will surface and you could deal with it and finally maybe get your enlightenment, but the much faster route is to confront all your demons directly: feeling and dealing with all the negative emotions, watching them and conquering them.
So even if all those obstacles are "imaginary" to the mind, body and unconscious they are very real and contain the energy to make us whole again.

So don't the mistake of dividing the world into spiritual and "illusory" mundane, they go together. 
All in all, I'm saying that this realisation should boost your motivation because mastering the domains of life you have problems with will also advance you the most spiritually, if mastered correctly 

Edited March 7, 2017 by Vercingetorix

[Loreena]

There are lot of resources available on motivating oneself. One that I found interesting was 100 ways to motivate oneself. 

[Toby]

Another good video

 

[Leo Gura]

You are not going to enter nonduality until you deeply realize that duality produces suffering by design. Sounds like you're being shown this important lesson, but are sort of discounting its importance. The trap would be to sink back down into your old materialistic paradigm. The challenge of course is facing the truth head-on, without deflecting it. Chasing material objects will never satisfy you. This would be true even if you never started on the path to enlightenment. At least you know what to do about it if you are serious about ending suffering. Otherwise, suffer away and enjoy it.

BTW, nonduality does not preclude success, money, sex, or relationships.