The confusing nature of boredom

music

It is not pleasant, but neither is it painful. Yet we try to get away from it. So what exactly is boredom? Many philosophers describe boredom as an even greater hell than pain or sorrow, while others relate it to existential angst. People in solitary confinement say that having nothing to do was the worst experience, more so than actual physical torture.

In this context, I find zen fascinating because its starting point seems to be boredom rather than the usual stuff about suffering, uncertainty, liberation etc. its whole practice itself is geared toward enduring boredom moment to moment. Maybe, they feel that it is better to understand a more fundamental state rather than a state like sorrow, which is caused by various factors.

Jeffrey

Yes, we crave stimulation. Boredom can be when we are not letting go into the nothingness out of which the new thing will emerge. So you get bored of one thing and then there has to be a space before a new direction emerges. Boredom is related to spaciousness or emptiness.

still_learning

I rarely find myself bored. When I have nothing to do, I meditate. However, when I'm stuck hanging around my girlfriend's friends, I'm bored. They've mastered the art of speaking without really saying anything. And what they say sounds like lines I've heard from tv sitcoms, commercials, and reality shows. When that happens, I play with my smart phone, the new socially acceptable thing to do while bored.

RebeccaS

I can't remember who it was... Terry Pratchett maybe? I think it may have been Death... He said, I have no idea where people get this idea of boredom from. Even locked in the cupboard under the sink with no stimulation whatsoever other than you're mind, the fact that you have a mind at all should be enough to keep you occupied for a lifetime. I'm paraphrasing, obviously, but I've never forgotten that.

LostLight

The issue I have with boredom...is that I am unsure whether stimulation itself is bad, or a practical means of entertainment. (Books, movies, music, interaction are just a means of delusion?)

Is spending your time learning to play instruments/writing works of literature/creating art simply an unwholesome way to get away from our mind? Is it a waste of time?

Is boredom simply your brain telling you it is unhappy with you? I know many people who are content with doing nothing, while others go insane.

lobster

To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
And eternity in an hour.

Poetry from William Blake

Jeffrey

LostLight said:

The issue I have with boredom...is that I am unsure whether stimulation itself is bad, or a practical means of entertainment. (Books, movies, music, interaction are just a means of delusion?)

Is spending your time learning to play instruments/writing works of literature/creating art simply an unwholesome way to get away from our mind? Is it a waste of time?

Is boredom simply your brain telling you it is unhappy with you? I know many people who are content with doing nothing, while others go insane.

Just let yourself sink into the boredom. How can you know what it is? If you don't experience the boredom directly you will just tell yourself stories such as "I could be doing art". Instead just just feel the boredom once and see what it is. Go full force. In these dichotomies of two decisions we always say 'should' to ourselves. Instead just choose A or B. It doesn't matter if you choose to do art. Whatever you do GO Full force.

People want to have your mindful cake but also eat art. Ok. Go for it. Go full force. See what the cake is. Taste it. Do the art.

There is no experience whether it be art or meditation where the nature of mind is not there. Just as there are clouds in the sky the sky is always there. Some clouds are good. Some are bad. Don't fear the clouds and remember that the sky is always there. No matter how many clouds you fill the sky with you can never remove the sky. Eventually you may get curious about the sky.

how

Bordom for me is
- the sign that says that I'm not willing to pay close enough attention to something,
- a lack of acceptance for what is,
- a teacher worth bowing to.

still_learning

LostLight said:

Is boredom simply your brain telling you it is unhappy with you? I know many people who are content with doing nothing, while others go insane.

Reminds of an article about an acoustics testing room that is extremely quiet. It is so quiet that being alone in there for a little while could cause a person anxiety.

I wonder if a Buddhist monk, who's used to meditating, could handle it.

person

I think from a Buddhist point of view that boredom is craving for stimulation rather than some seperate emotion. Much like lust is craving for sex.

taiyaki

Quite simply its an aversion to what has arisen.

It is desiring something other than what is appearing.

taiyaki

Also if one wants to get rid of boredom, work with the conditions.

For instance try to create more boredom or more intense boredom.

This drops aversion as a condition, which in turn takes away the fuel in the construction of boredom. Thus pop it goes away.

Try it out.

lobster

I find zen fascinating because its starting point seems to be boredom rather than the usual stuff about suffering, uncertainty, liberation etc. its whole practice itself is geared toward enduring boredom moment to moment.

I have never thought of Zen or any form of meditation in this way. Boredom, frustration, agitation, resentment, turmoil, anger etc may arise (maybe that is just my afflictions) but they are the mind wriggling . . . This is grabbing the tail of the ox, learning to control the mind chariot. What did the Buddha go through - lust in the form of mayas daughters and all sorts . . .
. . . how the mind dances . . .
Smile, look for the essence of these arisings. No matter how intense, there is Nothing in them. It is just your mind ranting :rant:

driedleaf

Boredom is the mind affected by certain conditions resulting in a feeling of dullness or lack of interest. Our mind may see something as lacking interest, but this could be because we crave something to interest us. Even when our mind gets quiet we try to think of something to keep us from falling into boredom. This is because we feel that there is something lacking, and we have a craving to fill in what is missing. We wish for a continuation of something than to realize that there is no more of it or the end of it. It is almost like our mind dreads the idea of boredom, but we are unaware of it.

It is because of cravings that our mind is put into this state. Meditation can help us see clearly into our true nature. When we see clearly, we will know why we feel a certain way, then we can avoid doing something unnecessary just to comfort ourselves. Boredom is nothing that our mind should worry about. It is actually an opportunity for us to meditate and find liberation from suffering.

skullchin

Paul Gilbert, a researcher who studies compassion, organizes "compassion focused therapy" around three emotion regulation systems: 1. drive, excite, interest; 2. threat, anxiety; 3. safety, soothing.

He posits that when 1 & 2 decrease and 3 does not increase that boredom arises. I began noticing my personal experience with boredom and that seems to be a pretty accurate insight. Whenever I am bored there is some accompanying "should" statement about what to do doing in the present moment or how I should be doing it, how I am lacking in some way and should be better, etc. When I meet these thoughts with some form of compassion (either for self or other) my boredom goes down.

So my advice is that if you get bored a lot practice more metta!

federica

"Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck."

.
George Sanders' suicide note, (with his signature under the writing).

Boredom's a killer.....

RebeccaS

federica said:

"Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck."

.
George Sanders' suicide note, (with his signature under the writing).

Boredom's a killer.....



Erk

vinlyn

federica said:

"Dear World, I am leaving because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool. Good luck."

.
George Sanders' suicide note, (with his signature under the writing).

Boredom's a killer.....



Glad to see there's someone ancient like me here who remembers George Sanders!

federica

Mr. Sinister smoothie...... Yeah, he played to cool calm and collected man about town, admirably, no?

ThailandTom

When you investigate such things in meditation, you see that boredom for example is merely boredom and transient, it changes and non-self, not permanent. It is a creation of mind, you make the boredom not anything outside of yourself.