SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What does "boredom" mean to you? Can you share a personal story of a time when you challenged your thought of boredom? How do you liberate yourself from the chase of the next new thing?
Our language reflects our thinking and concepts. When there is no word in a language, the very concept does not exist. In Hindi, there is no word for boredom or being bored. If you want to talk about being bored in Hindi, you still have to use the English word for it, because being bored is a foreign concept in India. The closest Hindi idea is 'ji ub gaya hai' which literally means I have had my heart's fill of it. And what is wrong with knowing that you have had enough of something? It is time to move on to what your heart wishes for next. Get on with it. It is a terrible thing to waste life's precious moments on something your heart has already had enough of. And it is a good thing to know what your heart wishes for and how much of it, more of some things than others. That is the nature of life and wishes. Wishing everyone all their heart's desires and a full heart of it, so you can get to being bored/ fulfilled.
Boredom is aversion to neutral sensations. It can be conquered by observing those sensations with equanimity.
It is natural for the mind to seek the fresh and new. That is the way creation is, always fresh and new. Nothing is repeated in nature.
However, when we hold the mind as a private possession, as my mind and your mind, it becomes aggressive and dull over a period of time. It cannot notice the beauty that is emerging every moment and it gets bored.
The real and lasting solution is to revitalize the mind. But we seek a transient solution of trying out a new location, a new friend, a new activity and so on. We have gotten into this habit of seeking pseudo solutions. Let us stop this right now and go back to basics. Let us this very moment be part of the emerging new in all of us.
Boredom is common phenomena now a days. Boredom can be destructive feeling, leading people to zone out in meetings and classed.. and in some cases, even to alcohol or drugs. But in certain circumstances boredom can also be proved blessings..becoming the spark that starts a creative process or leading to greater self-reflection.So boredom can always be taken in positive way and start enjoying it... you will have number new and innovative ideas by involving your mind to some constructive thoughts rather complaining...
Thanks a lot to Nipun for providing such a beautiful write up...
Really excellent! I am sharing this with others. I've been looking at the concept of "letting go" for many years. (I co-authored A Rumor of Angels: Quotations for Living, Dying & Letting Go) For me, in part, letting go is submitting my day to God every morning. I keep very busy, but it's because I like all the things I'm doing, whether it be writing, designing, being with people, walking...), not because I'm looking for something to distract me from myself and keep me from boredom. Oh, how I used to have a problem with that. Thanks for your well-written piece.
I feel hyperactive mind is prone to boredom. Also dissatisfaction also becomes a cause of obsession.
I think, mostly what we do in life, we do, to get rid of boredom. We like to fill up all our time except when we are asleep, with some activity and would never l;ike to be not doing something, physical or mental. This is because of our conditioning. Idleness, mental and physical is taboo.
However it is essential that we come to terms with boredom. Boredom if understood, not pushed away can be liberating. Boredom without guilt is probably the only way we can relax.
To be without interest in the people, subject matter, project at hand is to be "bored".
My parents remedied "b" with work. If we verbalized "b", we would find ourselves scrubbing the porch, cleaning the garage or weeding the garden. This plan worked quite well! All my siblings have developed interests beyond what we have time to pursue.
How I am personally liberating myself from "the chase"? Very simply, I need to stop running! (I am a work in progress in this area.)
blessings and amen to those who have already responded. I look forward to your weekly insights!
An amazing insight with huge implications. Thank you for bringing it up.
I seem to operate so unconsciously that I am frequently unaware of boredom. At this moment I'm challenging the thought of boredom because I must often be bored since I am frequently looking forward to the "next thing." I'm surprised I haven't liberated myself more from the chase of the next new thing since I have been living for many years. and I notice that it is my desire that cause problems. Noticing my experience in the present, which is to say being aware, helps me notice my conscious and unconscious desires. When I am aware of those desires I can more readily accept them and let go of them. This was an excellent piece. Thank you for the opportunity to respond. Warm and kind regards,
beautifully written, we are drowning in distractions and yet want more. To stop and do nothing seems scary, there is not a single second left in our tomorrow that we have not planned for in our minds consciously or unconsciously, why? Not sure the cosmos intended us to be this way while they simply drift away with abandon