Inertia and the zafu

[Gukan]

What do you do when you are avoiding sitting?

Years of perfecting the art of procrastination and inertia mean that sometimes the compulsion to avoid sitting (or doing many other things that are preferable to avoidance, procrastination and inertia) is so strong it feels almost insurmountable. I suppose I'm speaking of times when depressive behaviour patterns are playing a role, not just days when the sofa seems really comfy! What do you do? Do you 'sit lite' (zazen on the sofa)? Do you walk? Or do you just get over yourself and sit? (And then what if you don't?)

What do you do when the desire to not do is greater than the desire to do?!

(I am pretty sure the answer to almost everything on these forums is 'just sit' But still...)

Gassho,
Libby

Sat today. But not yesterday.

[Ryan379]

What do you do when you are avoiding sitting?

Years of perfecting the art of procrastination and inertia mean that sometimes the compulsion to avoid sitting (or doing many other things that are preferable to avoidance, procrastination and inertia) is so strong it feels almost insurmountable. I suppose I'm speaking of times when depressive behaviour patterns are playing a role, not just days when the sofa seems really comfy! What do you do? Do you 'sit lite' (zazen on the sofa)? Do you walk? Or do you just get over yourself and sit? (And then what if you don't?)

What do you do when the desire to not do is greater than the desire to do?!

(I am pretty sure the answer to almost everything on these forums is 'just sit' But still...)

Gassho,
Libby

Sat today. But not yesterday.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (which uses techniques that are very similar to Buddhism) suggests something called "Opposite of Emotion". When one is feeling depressed, lethargic, apathetic etc, opposite of emotion urges us to do the complete opposite in order to break ourselves out of an unhelpful pattern of behaviour.

Living with bipolar disorder I can sympathise with the depressive mindset. Personally I'd suggest doing Kinhin to try and bring yourself out of the rut rather than Zazen as you may well be sitting like a pudding rather than like a mountain.

Also perhaps a bit of chanting before and after Zazen/Kinhin can help bring a bit of energy; the heart sutra, verse of atonement, four vows or Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo are good, the Jukku Kannon Gyo would be good as it's short and the rhythm is pretty upbeat.

Gassho

Ryan

Sat Today

[Rich]

What do you do when you are avoiding sitting?

Years of perfecting the art of procrastination and inertia mean that sometimes the compulsion to avoid sitting (or doing many other things that are preferable to avoidance, procrastination and inertia) is so strong it feels almost insurmountable. I suppose I'm speaking of times when depressive behaviour patterns are playing a role, not just days when the sofa seems really comfy! What do you do? Do you 'sit lite' (zazen on the sofa)? Do you walk? Or do you just get over yourself and sit? (And then what if you don't?)

What do you do when the desire to not do is greater than the desire to do?!

(I am pretty sure the answer to almost everything on these forums is 'just sit' But still...)

Gassho,
Libby

Sat today. But not yesterday.

I don't avoid sitting but I am flexible with when. I think a positive attitude towards sitting is important. I view it as a time to rest, relax, enjoy, to just be. Smile into it.

Re desire. Desire is the problem. Examine it closely, it's created by you. When the time comes, you know what to do. The more you learn about yourself, the more you will trust yourself, and so yes the answer is just sit.

SAT today

[Jishin]

What do you do when you are avoiding sitting?

You already know.

Gasho, Jishin, _/st\_

[RichardH]

Hi Libby. Sitting with others at a scheduled time is very helpful. Everyone can be uplifted through mutual support. This way I am not just sitting for myself, but for other people as well. Also, in the wider sense, I sit because a more awake husband/father/son/brother/friend is better for everyone. This is one reason why my family is supportive of practice. It is in their interest to be supportive. Lastly, I can reflect on life without practice and compare it to life with practice. Life without practice slips into deeper dissatisfaction and suffering because greed, anger, and ignorance are deeply conditioned. Although I am already Buddha, I am also a creature of habit.

Gassho
Daizan

sat today

[Eishuu]

I don't know how it is with other people but I do know that when I am avoiding sitting it's usually because there is something I don't want to feel, whether it's depression or pain or just a feeling that I don't want to sit with myself and my experience. That's just how it is with me. Sometimes just realising that helps me past the avoidance.

Gassho
Lucy
Sat today

[Gukan]

Thank you all!

Sitting like a pudding, Ryan - haha! I wasn't familiar with the Enmei Jukku Kannon Gyo (Theravada background) but yes it does have a good rhythm and I did always find chanting helpful and doable.

Rich and Jishin - yes. I know what to do

Daizan - very true. I got a great deal from sitting zazenkai live last week. And yes, me + zazen is much better / happier than me without zazen.

Lucy - oh so true. Thanks - I sort of knew this I think but at the same time it hadn't really occurred to me!

All of your comments did indeed help me get my bum on that zafu. Sat today.

Gassho,
Libby

[Rich]

Thank you

SAT today

[Jundo]

It is the same story ...

Sometimes my "little self" resists to sit, and would much rather be watching tv, surfing the net or about anything, then sitting facing a wall.

But the moment butt hits cushion, that resistance quickly drops away. This is the place one belongs.

I will say this too (maybe a little controversial in the modern western Zen world, although maybe not as rare a proposal as one might think if one actually looks at the history of Zazen in the Zen world) ...

... there is a time to sit for 30 or 40 minutes (as we do at our weekly Zazenkai) or to sit for whole days (as at our upcoming two-day Rohatsu Retreat) or even weeks or months of Retreat sometimes in life ...

... however, if one does not feel totally at home sitting 20 or 30 or 40 minutes at a shot (some people feel right at home doing so), then it is fine to sit 10 or 15 minutes, and do not force yourself to sit longer.

10 or 15 minutes is fine, provided that one can sit such beyond all measure of the clock, attainment or goal (in fact, if you are concerned with the clock, attainment and goal, then even those months of Retreat may be a waste). Sit just a few minutes, but sit beyond time! (Again, I am not speaking to folks who are perfectly at home with longer sittings)

(So, if sitting beyond time, would not even 1 minute or 1 second be sufficient? In fact, it would ... However, the reality is that it takes at least a few minutes for "beyond time" to sink into the bones). I speak more about this here, and other aspects of "sitting off the cushion" as well, here:

"The 15-Minute Sit"

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?9281-Sit-a-Long-with-Jundo-Zazen-for-Beginners-%28Part-XXI%29

Gassho, J

SatToday (at Zazenkai)

[Jiken]

I couldnt agree more with this. On workdays I get up at 3:45am in the morning and with the kids and a working spouse I don't finish my day until 9:30pm. On these days I sit zazen for 10 minutes. On the other days I sit longer. Length of time does not always equate to positive or negative value.

Gassho,

Jiken

SatToday (10 min)

It is the same story ...

Sometimes my "little self" resists to sit, and would much rather be watching tv, surfing the net or about anything, then sitting facing a wall.

But the moment butt hits cushion, that resistance quickly drops away. This is the place one belongs.

I will say this too (maybe a little controversial in the modern western Zen world, although maybe not as rare a proposal as one might think if one actually looks at the history of Zazen in the Zen world) ...

... there is a time to sit for 30 or 40 minutes (as we do at our weekly Zazenkai) or to sit for whole days (as at our upcoming two-day Rohatsu Retreat) or even weeks or months of Retreat sometimes in life ...

... however, if one does not feel totally at home sitting 20 or 30 or 40 minutes at a shot (some people feel right at home doing so), then it is fine to sit 10 or 15 minutes, and do not force yourself to sit longer.

10 or 15 minutes is fine, provided that one can sit such beyond all measure of the clock, attainment or goal (in fact, if you are concerned with the clock, attainment and goal, then even those months of Retreat may be a waste). Sit just a few minutes, but sit beyond time! (Again, I am not speaking to folks who are perfectly at home with longer sittings)

(So, if sitting beyond time, would not even 1 minute or 1 second be sufficient? In fact, it would ... However, the reality is that it takes at least a few minutes for "beyond time" to sink into the bones). I speak more about this here, and other aspects of "sitting off the cushion" as well, here:

"The 15-Minute Sit"

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showthread.php?9281-Sit-a-Long-with-Jundo-Zazen-for-Beginners-%28Part-XXI%29

Gassho, J

SatToday (at Zazenkai)

[Kyonin]

Hi Libby,

I know I might be a little tough with myself here, but when I discover I don't want to sit, I force myself to do it. To be honest, other than wanting to have fun, there is no reason to avoid sitting.

More often than not, I see that resistance is just my ego wanting to go play a PC game or watch X-Files or whatever. Then my zazen goes smoothly and I feel great when I get up the cushion.

Sometimes when I have to much to do, I sit at night before bed.

And if I simply can't sit, I just let go and sit the next morning.

Gassho,

Kyonin
#SatToday

What do you do when you are avoiding sitting?

Years of perfecting the art of procrastination and inertia mean that sometimes the compulsion to avoid sitting (or doing many other things that are preferable to avoidance, procrastination and inertia) is so strong it feels almost insurmountable. I suppose I'm speaking of times when depressive behaviour patterns are playing a role, not just days when the sofa seems really comfy! What do you do? Do you 'sit lite' (zazen on the sofa)? Do you walk? Or do you just get over yourself and sit? (And then what if you don't?)

What do you do when the desire to not do is greater than the desire to do?!

(I am pretty sure the answer to almost everything on these forums is 'just sit' But still...)

Gassho,
Libby

Sat today. But not yesterday.

[Shoki]

Libby,
When I get like this I think, there are 24 hours in this day. I can probably find a mere 20 minutes to sit. As for your mental state, Shunryu Suzuki said if you have not sit under mental suffering then you are not a zen student. Take it easy on yourself. Breathe.

Gassho
Sat Today
James

[Meian]

When I get like this I think, there are 24 hours in this day. I can probably find a mere 20 minutes to sit. As for your mental state, Shunryu Suzuki said if you have not sit under mental suffering then you are not a zen student. Take it easy on yourself. Breathe.

This response is enormously helpful for me. Thank you.

gassho
All Who Wander

walked