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Sharing the insights I discover as I explore and experience the mystery that is our reality. Join me in my journey and share yours.




Saturday, July 21, 2012

Boredom's Abode






Recently the realization dawned on me that it's been quite awhile since I've been bored. In the past there would be periods of time when I'd be infused with a restless energy and yet see no avenue in which to channel it. Even when I seemed to have plenty of legitimate things to do. Boredom would permeate deep into my consciousness, dulling my awareness and stifling my sense of peace. I'm not sure about anyone else but I particularly don't find boredom to be a favorable condition.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines boredom as, "the state of being weary or restless through lack of interest." We are restless yet are unable to focus and become engaged on any one particular pursuit. Boredom is a condition that has the potential to breed misery as it gives rise to dark waters thick with obscure anxieties and random thoughts that infect our actions with their toxicity causing us to bear bitter fruit. I wonder how many destructive habits are first conceived in  boredom's fertile womb which teems turbulently with a quagmire of restless energy impregnated with the mundane and illusory?


I have been practicing passage meditation, mindfulness and mantram repetition for some time now and though I have had glimpses of insights and have encountered sporadic spiritual experiences and often share those here, I had not realized until recently how my whole perception of life has been altered. Not just my perception of life but how I am living life itself.  In a way much like how one would adjust the settings on a telescope to sharpen the image of the object desired to be viewed, both my gross senses-those which perceive the tangible manifestations of God's energy playing itself out in the material world and my inner senses-the receptors in my consciousness able to receive and open up to His Divine presence, have been sharpened and defined. Making life anything but boring.

To have one-pointed attention at the task in hand is part of Eknath Easwaran's eight point program . To experience life, now, as it happens, and not be caught up by fleeting thoughts, brings rise to an amazing transformation of perspective.  Nature itself brings my heart to its knees in wonder at the miracles and wonders that resound in every cell and complex process that defines our physical world. Every leaf, every droplet of water, brings a sense of awe. Even in life's most darkest moments I am finding appreciation and beauty. And  hope. For with each new breath we take is a new beginning. I am learning that to be present fully is to live fully.

Being fully present not only reaps the benefit of being able to view each moment with a renewed sense of gratitude but using that technique to apply it in pursuing our tasks helps those tasks, however seemingly banal, become more engaging. Not being caught up in non-related thoughts and being subjected to a state of "monkey mind", we are able to conserve greater amounts of energy to devote to the task at hand. This causes us to perform our actions with greater precision and devotion while noticing the details that we once might have missed. 

It is often in the intervals between specific tasks where we get swept up in thoughts that toss us to and fro like the waves of the ocean. Battering our fragile consciousnesses against merciless rocks that jut out within the landscape of our soul's interior.  It's easy at times like those to become too fragmented and distracted to ever become focused enough to be firmly situated in a state that is fixed on God or the present. At that point it's easy to become restless. What to do, what to do..and we look towards trivial and mundane pursuits to appease the restless energy that taunts us.  Times like these can get the best of anyone. I know they've gotten the best of me in the past. One common example I think that many of us can be subject to, is to eat when we are bored. I know exactly when my children are getting bored. They ask for a snack! Of course there are times when they do need a snack but if they've recently had one and I can visibly see their interest in an activity tapering off I can almost guarantee that soon I will hear a request for one! Over-eating and other unsavory habits are certainly prompted along by boredom.

This is where my mantram has saved me. I could write about it all day. It has become so integral in every area of my life. Many a time it has proven to be the savior of my sanity as it has anchored me to peace and bliss. Between moments of one-pointed attention I draw forth my mantram.  Like a sword it slices through illusion freeing me from spiritual lethargy. Depending on the atmosphere where I find myself, if I'm in public or alone, I either chant it vocally or internally. And if I am alone I often implement the aid of my japa beads to keep count and maintain focus.  Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare  Meditating on the names of God, I find myself anchored to the present and lift my thoughts and heart up to Him. In return,  a sense of clarity and peace wash my heart clean of its residual stains of attachment and I feel as if my heart is drinking the most luscious elixir, one that could only find its source from  the Divine. Such a transcendental exchange leaves boredom's abode safely tucked into the shadowy folds of the past.

In conclusion, the absence of boredom was an unexpected, albeit very welcomed,  byproduct of my spiritual disciplines. So my personal formula to eradicate boredom is a combination of mindfulness and chanting/mantram repetition. Do you have a method that helps you stay focused and attentive throughout your day? I'd love to hear it in the comments section. Thanks!

 

Thoughts? I'd love to hear them. Please share in the comments section. Thank you!



* More information on mantram meditation/chanting can be found  on my previous post: here

30 comments:

  1. Boredom, to me, is a scary place to dwell. It shows a lack of vision. And it sounds like you’re saying that adjusting the telescope to sharpen and define the object of our vision is the way to eradicate boredom. Your illustration reminds me of Proverbs 29:18. “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
    Of course there are myriad interpretations to this scripture, but one I recently read is, “Where there is no prophetic vision, the people cast off restraint.” And that supports your claim that people tend to binge and fall into addictions resulting from boredom. I know that’s a serious temptation for me.
    You may have heard it said that boredom is a sin, and if you define sin as missing the mark, then it makes sense. Missing the mark, in my opinion, is missing out on our divine purpose.
    Enjoyed! See, you got me stirred up!

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  2. Thank you so much for stopping by Debra.

    "Missing the mark, in my opinion, is missing out on our divine purpose. " I'd definitely agree with that and the state of being bored would definitely qualify as missing out on our divine purpose. We weren't meant to be bored! :)

    ~ Blessings

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  3. Hmmm...I'd rather call it 'restlessness'. It's an 'alert' for us esp. that we have kids around. And it could be a pretty good indicator to put a child into a more interesting and creative task. Most of the time, it's because the child already 'knows' the lesson or is in need for something 'more' challenging things to stimulate him/her.

    I'd take it as something positive ~ the mind could sometimes go to an 'idle' mode and it pushes one back to reality and to keep moving forward even when things become a bit dull and tasteless.

    The 'more' there is a call from a Higher being.I'd take, 'Have pity one me, O Lord, a sinner,' (Abbi pieta')...or My Lord, and my God (Mio Signore, mio Dio) as mantras...

    I'd read my nieces a book when ennui sets in...

    I love the fact that we have a very creative God ~ He made us perfectly that way too...

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  4. A creative God indeed. :) Thank you so much for sharing Melissa. I am teaching my children to practice mantram repetition as well..and of course when they are bored trying to divert them to tasks which engage them more fully. I think boredom can be a state that creeps into both adult and child alike, we all can fall prey. I love your mantras you choose..beautiful choices. :)

    ~ blessings

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  5. Very nice post!

    I totally know what you mean... I used to fill days off with idle time... reading a SciFi novel, watching a favorite film on video, hanging out at Barnes & Noble or the comic book store. I filled my spare time with entertainments of various sorts. But after many years, I became very bored with all that stuff (books, movies, art, music). That is when my spiritual yearnings kicked in and I am much more happy now. Don't have to see the latest flick, buy the latest CD or hardcover bestseller.

    My interests have simultaneously opened up and became narrow, as I realize that I have a lifetime's (or more) worth of knowledge to learn, absorb and put into practice.

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  6. Thank you so much David for stopping by and sharing. I'm glad you can relate. :) That is another point I was going to bring up but figured there wasn't enough room to go into it-but the nature of the activities now that I choose in which I become mindfully engaged in has changed..definitely crossing over from the mundane to the spiritual. And you're right there's a "lifetime's (or more) worth of knowledge to learn, absorb and put into practice." I think that's true for all of us if we so choose to accept that challenge!

    So, I definitely think it's important not to only be mindfully engaged in our activities but to also choose our activities mindfully. Thanks for your insights!

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  7. "Even in life's most darkest moments I am finding appreciation and beauty. And hope. For with each new breath we take is a new beginning. I am learning that to be present fully is to live fully."
    Jessica, I believe to the depth of my soul that the Lord surrounds us in every breath we take. He has so much to reveal and show to us, if we are willing to let our minds and hearts rest, and just listen.
    It's not boredom, it's freedom - quiet, unassuming, inviting.
    He wants us to be still with Him and the devil wants us to think we are wasting our time. We are doing anything but!!!
    Your words here speak volumes to my soul. Thank you, dear one, for sharing.
    Blessings!

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    1. Thank you so much Martha for stopping by and sharing. :)

      I think it can sometimes be a natural thing, considering the rushed and fragmented pace of our modern world, to consider spiritual pursuits-whether chanting or simply sitting in silence opening our hearts to God, a waste of time...as those pursuits don't reap the material fruit that the world so highly looks upon as forms of "success and progress".

      As you point out...coming to God is anything but a waste of time! It's the most important thing any of us could ever do.

      ~ many blessings :)

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  8. Jessica, I am very seldom bored...mostly because I always keep busy with something going on. But, I would have to say my way of handling of boredom is to sleep...yes, sleep. A quick nap and I usually awake refreshed and ready to go ☺ Thanks for a great post!

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    1. I think sleep can be the best medicine sometimes for a restless mind if we find it impossible to focus on anything it's a sure sign that our minds need true rest!

      Thanks for stopping by Mary and sharing. :)

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  9. Jessica, this is very thought provoking. I personally think that boredom most times is masquerading as disappointment. In the past when I had worked very hard to achieve a goal and it didn't come to pass, I would feel as if all of life had been drained right out of me. I would feel a sense a failure and didn't want to do anything. Of course in those moments I would feel so bored.

    I now know how to manage my expectations and emotions better so I'm not sitting like a bag of bones when things in my life don't work out. As a writer I should never be bored, I tell myself. LOL!

    Also, I do have several positive affirmations that I chant and say to myself. One is a little funny and kind of juvenile, but it works for me:

    "Puppies, kittens and rainbows!" When I say this to myself I immediately feel a calm come over me and a sense of peace because visualizing these images reminds me of the love God has for me and for us as he created these things for our comfort and enjoyment.

    Another one I use is, "I'm a winner, I'm winning, I've won!" This reminds me of past success and that if I achieved great things before I can do it again.

    I've also seen a shift in my perception of what success looks and feels like and that has helped tremendously when I start feeling bored, which hardly ever happens anymore. We are supposed to have quiet moments and down time and it doesn't have to feel like failure.

    What a great post! Thanks! :-)

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  10. Thank you for stopping by Tameka. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. :) I think the idea of positive affirmations is a great one. From what I've read about them, which hasn't been too much yet, they can be a very powerful way in staying focused and positive.

    Thanks again for your reflections!

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  11. I don't recall a time when I was bored. I get restless if stuck somewhere without a book. I remember my mom telling me as a kid that only boring people get bored, which was just another way of saying to us kids to go find something to do, which we did. To answer your question, I don't have an exact formal and sometimes wish I did. My mind wanders and can easily get stuck in a moment. I am never at a loss to write but if I have a mental barrier about something I will write around it or tackle something else until my mind resolves its conflict. I remain a work in progress in the focus department. Strong post.

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  12. Thanks for stopping by Brenda. I think all of us remain " a work of progress in the focus department"...Perhaps one of the biggest challenges there is, is to train the mind and learn to still it's seemingly ceaseless chattering. :)

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  13. My siblings were much older than me, so as a young child I often had to play alone. My mother taught me that there is no such thing as "boredom," that there is always something to do. Good strategy on her part to keep me from complaining, but it also helped me develop creative ways to pass the time. Meditation seems like a great way to combat boredom as it can engage the mind or else give it a much needed rest.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by Adriene. Sounds like your mom had you develop early on habits to counter boredom. I think that's so great. Thanks for sharing. :)

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  14. Jessica,
    I often think there is never a day I am bored, but often it is because I am so busy, I don't have time to just let life soak it. I realize there is a different between between being bored and being reflective. Sounds like you have well discovered that. I enjoyed the post.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by Kathy. I'd say that one can be both busy and allow life to soak in by being both busy and present. :) I agree that there is a difference between being bored and reflective. Thanks for your reflections! :)

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  15. As I've grown older and found myself, I find it hard to be bored! I do believe that boredom is an indication of a deep restlessness inside that we must overcome not by being busy but by introspection and meditation. I can see that happening within you too, Jessica. Thank you for sharing so meaningfully.

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    1. "boredom is an indication of a deep restlessness inside that we must overcome not by being busy but by introspection and meditation"

      What a great reflection Corinne! I agree! Thank you so much for sharing. :)

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  16. My daughter observed that my headstone on my grave should read "She was never bored!" I loved it and made my kids promise that if I have a headstone, it has to say that!

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    1. Glad that you don't struggle with boredom Galen..That's great! What a revealing thing to one's nature for a headstone to say. I'm glad that you are making use of all your minutes...they are indeed precious. :) Thanks for sharing!

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  17. Jessica, I am so happy I got to read this. On this specific day when I felt bored, it was a case of not being present fully. Thank you so much for writing this!

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    1. Thank you for stopping by Nelieta. That is exactly my malady when I am feeling bored..not being fully present. Happens to all of us..or nearly all of us, from time to time. I think you made some productive use of your time while in that state though by taking those great pictures!
      ~ blessings

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  18. Dear friend,
    This is well written. A spiritual person will never be bored, in my opinion. Thanks for sharing my dear.

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    1. Thank you Andy. :) I think even spiritual persons can get trapped by maya/illusion and become complacent or restless once in awhile. Thank goodness for our disciplines that help re-center us in an awareness of the eternal..keeping life from being anything but boring. :)

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  19. A great deal of my adult life has been driven by what I've always dubbed "low boredom threshold". I use this in a positive manner, as it's a tendency I have to always want to be inspired, always want to be learning something new, always want to be pursuing knowledge. I'm currently in one of those inevitable in between stages where I am assimilating past achievements, processing the knowledge and deciding where I want my next focus to be. In the midst of all of this, I am constantly living in the moment. Living consciously. Checking in with myself, sometimes on a moment by moment basis, to see what feels good, what no longer serves, what needs to be embraced, what needs to be confronted and recognized.

    This level of awareness is what has always worked for me. I honestly don't know where I learned it; most likely it is habit cobbled together from all the years of learning and pursuing knowledge. It's when I get lazy and allow life to just happen to and around me that I begin to feel discontent, frustration, and other negative emotions attempting to slink in and set up housekeeping.

    My immediate goal is to get back into daily meditation, and to create a meditation space within my home.

    Lovely article, as always, Jessica! <3

    - Dawn

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  20. thanks for the comment and now following right back. Can't wait to read your past posts and get to know you.

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