On losing motivation..

[RichardH]

Re: On losing motivation..

Don't desire motivation. Just sit. Regularly, if at all possible, and without any sense of attainment.

.

If only Chris. People sit for a reason. You sit for reason. There is no-reason in sitting, but there is a reason to get to that cushion. That reason is call Dukkha, the First Noble Truth. Why do people come to Zen Buddhism, and not the casino, or another trip to the fridge?

[michaeljc]

Re: On losing motivation..

I found in the past that doing something simple like reading again some Zen material strengthened motivation and regularity of sitting. Furthermore, our lifestyles have a strong influence over reasons not to sit. My current lifestyle is very conducive to sitting. I can easily find time to sit 3 times/day. Soon that will change. What then?

In my own case motivation has changed from that relating to a living benefit to that relating to just sitting. I now sit to sit. That may change again. Who knows? In the end who here can say that any one sit in the past was a waste of time? I cannot.

m

[Kyotai]

Re: On losing motivation..

Thank you so much for your responses. I took something of value from each post, and will apply it to my practice.

Time to sit.

Good night.

Shawn

[Omoi Otoshi]

On losing motivation..

There may be is a reason. The four noble truths may be the reason, if we, ourselves, have realised them. If we have not, faith may be the reason. But sometimes we just sit down on the Zafu and don't know why, don't need to consciously think of any reason why. What else would we do? Go to the fridge? Yes, if we are hungry, maybe we should go to the fridge instead of sitting. Most other activities that we find so much more important than practice are a useless chasing after illusions, from reasons invented by our egos. Zazen is useless too. As Kodo Sawaki Roshi said, until you realise that Zazen is a useless activity, it will indeed be completely useless. The Koan of Nothing to Attain...

When we brush our teeth every morning, we don't think so much about the reason why. Once, as children, we were told why by mom or dad and realised the truth of it. Before that, we were told to just do it. Now we don't skip the tooth brushing just because we have other things to do. Even though we have a choice, we just brush the teeth without thought.

Also, a wise woman once said:

Why practice?

Why, practice!

the why shows up in the doing/not doing of practice

the question becomes its own answer

/Pontus

[RichardH]

Re: On losing motivation..

There may be is a reason. The four noble truths may be the reason, if we, ourselves, have realised them. If we have not, faith may be the reason. But sometimes we just sit down on the Zafu and don't know why, don't need to consciously think of any reason why. What else would we do? Go to the fridge? Yes, if we are hungry, maybe we should go to the fridge instead of sitting. Most other activities that we find so much more important than practice are a useless chasing after illusions, from reasons invented by our egos. Zazen is useless too. As Kodo Sawaki Roshi said, until you realise that Zazen is a useless activity, it will indeed be completely useless. The Koan of Nothing to Attain...

When we brush our teeth every morning, we don't think so much about the reason why. Once, as children, we were told why by mom or dad and realised the truth of it. Before that, we were told to just do it. Now we don't skip the tooth brushing just because we have other things to do. Even though we have a choice, we just brush the teeth without thought.

Also, a wise woman once said:

Why practice?

Why, practice!

the why shows up in the doing/not doing of practice

the question becomes its own answer

/Pontus

I agree completely Pontus. To be just doing is the way. When it is like that. ....and when it is not like that?.... when illusion holds sway, and it is compulsion instead of spontaneity?... and going to the fridge again with those words is just my zen spin?...... Nothing to do, yet something to do... there is a koan. I make no pretense of realizing it whole, but maybe the practice involves telling myself I have? All I can say is that sitting is "useless", but not sitting Dukkha.

[Kyonin]

Re: On losing motivation..

Shawn,

As you can see this is a recurring problem for most of us.

Perhaps you are putting goals on your sitting? Just sit without expecting anything and when you just don't feel like sitting because TV is much mor entertaining, SIT! There is no better time to sit that when you don't feel like it.

It takes commitment and discipline in a simple and relaxed way. Just do it.

[Ryumon]

Re: On losing motivation..

There is no better time to sit that when you don't feel like it.

Well said.

[Ekai]

Re: On losing motivation..

Great posts everyone!

We all struggle with lack of motivation from time to time and it happens to all of us so you are not alone. This comes with anything you are committed to whether it's Zazen, playing sports, attending college, your career, etc. When motivation wanes or when you feel like quitting, that is the most important time to sit. It's easier to quit sitting than to sit during the difficult times. Continuing to sit when you feel frustrated is good practice for the challenging and less inspired times in your life. The ups and downs are a part of the practice, just like the ups and downs experienced in our everyday life. So just keep on sitting!

Also, it is important to sit when we are overly driven and/or too excited. Cultivating the open, spacious awareness is more difficult when are over energized or hyperactive. During those times it's best to sit and let the excitement go to create equanimity and harmony.

Gassho,
Jodi/Ekai

[Omoi Otoshi]

On losing motivation..

....and when it is not like that?.... when illusion holds sway, and it is compulsion instead of spontaneity?

I'll let a teacher answer that one, because honestly I don't know.

Personally, I don't want to force myself to sit. To me, practice is not about ascetism, willpower or discipline, but putting down, letting go, being, accepting. Continuing practice is important, but I wonder if some people don't quit permanently because they push themselves too hard. A quiet, steady, natural practice may be key here. Life and practice go hand in hand. During rough times, I feel the need to sit. When life is completely balanced, sitting comes naturally, spontaneously. A while ago I quit practice. I felt confident I would be back soon and I was. In retrospect, it was good for my practice, but I couldn't be sure beforehand. Maybe my practice needed a reboot!

But there is also the too-lazy-to-get-up-from-the-sofa type of not wanting to sit, which is more like not wanting to get out of bed in the morning... Adults drag their comfortable asses out of bed in the morning and comfortable Zen practitioners drag theirs to the Zafu.

/Pontus

[Marek]

Re: On losing motivation..

Practice or go to hell.

I love it !

I' ll use it before every zazen now

[Omoi Otoshi]

On losing motivation..

Zen T-shirt?

[RichardH]

Re: On losing motivation..

Zen T-shirt?

Maybe that would be "Practice like your hair's on (hell)fire".

I just listened to a 12 CD biography of Thomas More, and have a 15th century ear worm. :lol: .....though one popular reading of the time was the contemplative text.. "The cloud of unknowing", interesting.

[Kyotai]

Re: On losing motivation..

To your point Seiryu, I do from time to time, forget about "just sitting with it." I often view rising distractions as negative, and then judge my self for following those distractions. Your message, and others, were a good reminder that the good, and the bad, they are one in the same. Just sit with it.

I have kept this in mind during the last few days of practice. I am realizing that sitting does not require motivation, it just requires action..

Michaeljc, regarding your comment about wanting results, that has really been a big part of my approach to zazen. The positive results of my practice are quite evident in my life, but wanting results and staying present at the same time has just lead to attatchment.

Thanks again

Shawn

[michaeljc]

Re: On losing motivation..

Another assistance to making that decision to sit is to plan beforehand; “tonight I will come home, run with the dog, have a shower and sit 40 m”
An extremely common reoccurring thought I experience relates to the moment immediately before I sit. On approaching the cushion: ‘Wow, this is just so simple and easy’, Just one cushion representing a doorway into the entire universe - past present and future. What a miracle.
A subject relating to all this is the influence of our state of mind when we sit. On occasions I sit with the attitude ‘to sit for ever’. It is very powerful. We cannot control our attitude. It is what it is, so therefore it is not a technique but rather an influence.
Over the last month or so I have been sitting without a timer. I have come to prefer it.
Kind regards
m

[Keishin]

Re: On losing motivation..

Hellos to all posting here!
Shawn -- this is one of my most favorite posts ever--
I very much appreciate the sharing of all who have contributed comments.
As is plain to see, this practice is very individual
No one can do this practice for me. That leaves me

I have used times when I have not sat, but thought about sitting, or rather thought about my not sitting.
I have considered if these 'thoughts about sitting' are a kind of form of sitting.
Whatever it is I am doing when I am 'not sitting:' staying in bed, taking a shower, fixing my decaf, getting my clothes on and driving to work: none of these is 'sitting,' But on days I 'don't' I find that I spend moments in my regular routine in a 'sitting' mental frame of mind.

Zazen does come off the cushion, it grows two legs and goes at my same speed, arrives with me at the exact same moment and is with me at all times, maybe it isn't YOUR lack of 'motivation' as much as it is zazen's 'motivation' to enter the mainstream of your life. Maybe it is zazen's way to say--hey, no cushion for you for a while buddy--not 'till you zazen up your daily morning routine for starters--

This seed planted within me, this karmic seed of practice...there is no denying it will continue to continue to continue

so there it is: my faith


how we each get to express and experience our faith in our own practice/in ourselves is highly individualistic

I hope I am not leading anyone astray here. I am not playing games with myself or saying that 'thinking' about something is the 'same' as something.
I present here an aspect of open inquiry: the wall is sometimes my shower sitting is sometimes soaping up and rinsing off. When I sit, zazen is like giving my brain a bath: leaving that tell tale dingy ring of thoughts behind when I step off my zafu with my freshly washed mind!
Not sitting zazen doesn't make sitting 'go away' it becomes another form of 'sitting,' albeit a non-sitting form.

At least this is what I have found in my own personal experience.