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Buddhism doesn't always "feel" good for me?

BeachHouseGuyBeachHouseGuy
edited October 2011 in Buddhism Basics
I try to practice the 4nt and the 8fp, yet I find it doesn't always... I don't know, it just feels a little bit dull at times. I know it doesn't make sense, is there something I'm missing other the those 2 things? precepts, the 3 poisons.. anything else?

Comments

  • seeker242seeker242 Zen Florida, USA Veteran
    How is your meditation practice going?
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    what exactly are you looking for?
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited October 2011
    Open to that dullness and don't try to make it go away. Just relax. This could be the ego's way of telling you that it would be afraid to awaken??

    See if the teachings make sense? If you don't examine them then you really can't have true confidence can you? But you also have to give them a chance or in that case you also have no basis to think on the matter.

    I wish I could give a clearer answer and I feel sad and dull myself at times. But remember things come and go. Feelings need not dictate your life, they are just passing phantoms. Yes try meditating and see this for yourself.
  • cabossimncabossimn Veteran
    agreed with above
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    what exactly are you looking for?
    I'm wondering that too.
  • ClayTheScribeClayTheScribe Veteran
    I find the more expectations I have on what Buddhism should be or what I want it to be, the more I feel disappointed when it doesn't manifest how I want because I've been clinging to the feeling of happiness and chasing after it.
  • possibilitiespossibilities PNW, WA State Veteran
    The way I see it is you're supposed to live your life and apply the teachings - not the other way around. If it's boring, you need to find more interesting things to fill your day :-)
  • driedleafdriedleaf Veteran
    Once you have seen the worst, you will learn to appreciate the little things. It's nice that there is some peace out there however little there may be.
  • BeachHouseGuyBeachHouseGuy
    it's strange, to focus on not wanting anything, sometimes doesn't feel good, you have to want.. uhh. What of the 8 seem to be the most important or help you out the most?
  • BeachHouseGuyBeachHouseGuy
    edited October 2011
    @taiyaki very good point, I had forgotten about that :)
  • vixthenomadvixthenomad
    It's amazing what tricks your mind will pull to hang onto its old way of thinking. Mine has run through the whole gamut. First it made the meditation experience actually frightening...all that letting go and just being, it turns out, wasn't what my mind thought it wanted. Then, just as I was coming to terms with that, it (my mind) produced pains in my legs whilst meditating (soon remedied by doing a bit of exercise before sitting). Then it told me that 'all this religion stuff is STUPID' and the like, and that I had managed perfectly well in my old ways for so long and why change. Then, when I didn't submit to that, I started experiencing depression symptoms. It's been a rough ride, and I've only considered myself a Buddhist for about 2 months!

    It seems to be a hard path to follow. Not complicated hard, but taxing hard. It's not all meditative bliss, and just because Buddha nature is your natural state doesn't mean that it comes naturally.

    All 8 parts of the Path are important, but to my way of thinking it seems that if you can secure Right Livelihood, a lot of the rest will become easier just because you're spending the majority of your time doing something that you feel benefits others.
  • abhishek_laserabhishek_laser
    The Buddhist practice is something that is designed to produce stillness and peace and freedom from suffering not something that is going to provide you lots of excitement.

    To overcome dullness, the strategies used are to not have aversion to the dullness and practicing lot of walking meditation. Eventually you'll reach a stage where the meditation practice will produce a lot of bliss and happiness provided you follow the Buddhist path in it's completeness without if's and but's.
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