Dealing With Boredom

We have gone far on technology dependence, and that is not talking about the efficiency and effectiveness that technology promises us.  I am referring to the dependency on mobile phones and gadgets.  The constant and immediate access to information and entertainment has meant that we can no longer live on for too long without sensory stimulation, leading to intolerable restlessness once without it.  And that boils down to the essence of the topic -- boredom.  Simply put, boredom is an emotional and psychological state that constitutes dullness.  It may sound trivial and mild but is nevertheless an irritant.  In more intense cases, boredom proneness can even be associated with attention lapses and depressive moods.  Whatever the extent is, boredom always indicates a loss in stillness and a discontent with a situation.  Whether it is attributed to a boring activity or company, one is simply not happy with what is being presented in front of him or her.

We can never truly escape boredom.  And in a world where we have unlimited choices of mental arousal within our finite 24 hours a day, it is almost unacceptable to have time wasted in banality.  But is it really true?  When you next become jaded and feels dull, invite yourself to understand the nature of boredom and befriend it.  Boredom is just a state of mind, albeit unpleasant.  Now that we have begun to investigate, we have created the space to address the root cause.  The inner resource to do this is the energy from within that allows us to remain accepting and curious with the present moment.  Whether it is a boring person or a mundane activity, we can start to focus on what is presented right in front of us and cease the craving for someone or something else.  It is by means of this strong connection that you do not let your mind wander and follow its wish to be in another place in a future time.  If we can break the natural habit of labelling it as boring, there is always something new to explore about your reaction or the situation.  We can never satisfy the appetite of our minds but we can tame it by changing the conditioned reaction of the mind and how we relate to boredom.

Contentment, after all, is peace.  

Pull and Push Factor

We as a society interprets "good" behaviour as positive.  For instance, people who are friendly and helpful are more well received by us than the opposite.  Then there are those who have established themselves from humble beginnings and are gloried because their willpower is a determinant of their "success stories".  There are also health freaks who are praised for being conscious and meticulous with their physical well-being.  If that sounds like you or someone you know, then have you ever explored which one of these camps that you or your friend may belong to -- "pull" or "push"?

There is an intent behind every behaviour of ours, and a motivation behind every intent.  Such motivation are driven by our beliefs from past experiences.  Naturally we make close association with what our behaviour might bring us.  We might have gone through a negative experience or trauma in the distant past and not consciously knowing that it has moulded us to become who we are now.  A simple and straightforward forward way to detect this is to see whether there is a pull factor (fear) or push factor (love) behind the action.  Are you kind because you are a loving individual or are you afraid that you will not get the approval from others otherwise?  Are you driven because you are scared of poverty or are you truly passionate with your work?  Are you treasuring your body and nourishing it as you age or are you working it hard because you are afraid that it is no longer as fit and healthy as it once were?

Good behaviour and acts are certainly encouraged, but it is worth you to do some self-discovery so that you can be loving, healthy and abundant not only on the outside but inside as well.  

Is Enlightment Real?

For eons and galactic years, an enlightened being is like a mystic behind the black veil.  Many perceive enlightenment as a transformative experience that promises not only revelations but also answers to scientific riddles and access to divine intelligence.  But despite what gurus and masters have claimed, enlightenment may not be as dramatic or mysterious as it might sound.  There are a few aspects that are of relevance.  First, enlightenment or hell is more a psychological state even if one does experience differences in the external world.  After all, if the outside is a projection of our minds, why would enlightenment not be a reflection of what is deep inside your psyche?  Given that our minds are not static but impermanent and constantly creating, it follows that enlightenment can only take place moment by moment.  To add on, enlightenment is higher consciousness and transcends our normal state of awareness.  Physical beings are dense matters that are tactile and visible to human eyes, but it is hard to have concrete evidence to claim what the "ultimate" level is and what can be perceived beyond this 3-D reality.  At the end of the day, the nature of enlightenment is one of oneness and purity whether you want to call this transcendental potential pure light or divine consciousness.  And if emptiness is the ultimate nature of all phenomena that is beyond time and space, then how can enlightenment be described in concepts and words that will get us trapped in duality again?

Nevertheless a lot of people are intrigued by what enlightenment might bring, most appealing being the deep bliss and profound inner peace that it implies.  But enlightenment cannot be an aim or a goal.  While it might give you a sense of purpose, we should not lose sight of what is the most important for us in any spiritual journey we embark on - our human experience here and now.  True enlightenment is being the master of your own mind, unwaivered by whatever that is going on outside.