Functioning of a human being
Why do we feel bored? This is a question which has been bothering me for quite some time. The reason being that I never felt bored even when I did nothing for 3 months during my holidays but felt extremely bored the day my quizzes got over. I got the answer last night while I was in bed.
The functioning of a human being can take place in 4 ways depending on the activities in his mental and his physical level. I define the 4 ways thus:
Mental Activity Physical activity
The functioning of a human being can take place in 4 ways depending on the activities in his mental and his physical level. I define the 4 ways thus:
Mental Activity Physical activity
- High High
- High Low
- Low Low
- Low High
By mental activity, I mean the amount of thoughts that arise in the mind.
Most people function in the first category on most occasions where the level of mental and physical activity is pretty high. When there is a balance between the level of physical and mental activity, life seems to run in a normal fashion. But when the level of physical activity demanded of man becomes higher and higher, the mental activity too increases resulting in stress and tension and physical tiredness. On the other hand, if the level of physical activity goes very low when no work is demanded of him and if still the level of mental activity is high, it results in ennui. In this state we feel like doing something but we don't have anything to do. I realized that this is what happens to me after every quiz. Immediately after a quiz, there is no work demanded of me but my mind is very agitated with a lot of thoughts. Soon boredom sets in.
The third condition is a condition which many people have not tried to experience or attain- a condition of low mental activity or in other words blankness of mind. A low mental activity can be attained with a certain amount of spiritual practice with the help of a proper guide. When I am at home, I am somewhat in this condition when my mind is not very active and obviously have not much work to do. In this condition, there is no feeling of boredom because the mind does not want to have any activity. It likes to remain silent and enjoy the calmness. But when some physical activity is demanded it can result in disturbance in the mind.
The fourth condition is a very difficult condition to attain. Saints are mostly in this condition. Their mind is always in a state of blankness but they have a lot of physical activity demanded of them. They are mostly guided by intuition and their physical activities are guided by Nature. When the mind is always in a state of blankness no matter what occurs, they can take in any load of work and no tiredness or stress sets in.
None of the conditions mentioned above are permanent. It is always possible to shift between one another. But the best condition is the last one. If any one is able to lead a life in the last condition, one can experience bliss and at the same time discharge his duties in a righteous manner.
Most people function in the first category on most occasions where the level of mental and physical activity is pretty high. When there is a balance between the level of physical and mental activity, life seems to run in a normal fashion. But when the level of physical activity demanded of man becomes higher and higher, the mental activity too increases resulting in stress and tension and physical tiredness. On the other hand, if the level of physical activity goes very low when no work is demanded of him and if still the level of mental activity is high, it results in ennui. In this state we feel like doing something but we don't have anything to do. I realized that this is what happens to me after every quiz. Immediately after a quiz, there is no work demanded of me but my mind is very agitated with a lot of thoughts. Soon boredom sets in.
The third condition is a condition which many people have not tried to experience or attain- a condition of low mental activity or in other words blankness of mind. A low mental activity can be attained with a certain amount of spiritual practice with the help of a proper guide. When I am at home, I am somewhat in this condition when my mind is not very active and obviously have not much work to do. In this condition, there is no feeling of boredom because the mind does not want to have any activity. It likes to remain silent and enjoy the calmness. But when some physical activity is demanded it can result in disturbance in the mind.
The fourth condition is a very difficult condition to attain. Saints are mostly in this condition. Their mind is always in a state of blankness but they have a lot of physical activity demanded of them. They are mostly guided by intuition and their physical activities are guided by Nature. When the mind is always in a state of blankness no matter what occurs, they can take in any load of work and no tiredness or stress sets in.
None of the conditions mentioned above are permanent. It is always possible to shift between one another. But the best condition is the last one. If any one is able to lead a life in the last condition, one can experience bliss and at the same time discharge his duties in a righteous manner.
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