Hi all,

I don't know, but my "mojo" is gone for the mo and i realised has been for about 5 years now. I would like to ramble on but i found a blog entry from a sangha member that perfectly matched my scenario. I have not taken their permission but I hope to use their post, but hope they forgive me coz i'm looking for answers too, tho effort on my part is what is required. It's not helped that i have not done a sit for at least about 10 days now.

Lost my job (in finance) due to credit crunch, so slightly frustrated, but actually kinda happy. No really happy.

Anyway, scene from another that is exactly matching my own:

After I took my vows in xx/xx/xx, I felt on top of the world. My life had purpose and direction again. As time passed the excitement faded and I was back in my normal rut. How could that be? What changed? I think it comes down to the fact that nothing actually did change. You can make vows all you want, but if you don’t live them and you don’t practice everyday, then it doesn’t really matter. So when I say that nothing changed, it’s because something needed to change, but didn’t.

I have never been good about keeping routines. What’s funny is that I actually enjoy repititious, routine work. It doesn’t bother me. I like the familiarity, knowing what is coming next and not worrying about what to do.

Okay, so I just realized something. I know why I like repitious and routine work.

I like that kind of work because it doesn’t require me to have to expand outside my comfort zone. It doesn’t require me to work past my issues and push beyond my fears. I like that kind of work because I’m afraid. I am afraid of failure. I am afraid of success. I am afraid that I will never be good enough. I am afraid that if I do too well at something then I will be required to do more when I already feel overloaded. I am afraid that if I fail, no one will love me.

I actually believe everything I think.

I love moments like this, because everything seems so clear. What I hate however is that 5 minutes later I’ve left the moment and fall back into my delusions and habitual patterns. I have these moments of clarity and I feel like I can see the naked truth. I see it and say “well of course, it all makes sense now” and the next moment I say “oh, well that’s too bad, I guess I’ll never change. I just don’t know what to do.”

What the hell is my problem?

Why is it that I can analyze a situation and see the solution, or even have someone hand me the solution…but then I drop the ball and do nothing? I truly baffle myself sometimes, and I know I baffle my wife. She frequently says to me, “You know what you have to do to change things, why don’t you just stop thinking so much and do it?”. That’s a valid question, right? What is my answer you ask? Well, my asnwer is this, “I don’t know”. The thing is though, that I do know. Deep down, or maybe even not that deep down, I do know. I believe that. I know that all the answers to my questions lie within myself, but why can’t I seem to find them? Maybe I have found them, but don’t recognize them. Maybe I see the answers, but don’t like them so I delude myself into thinking that I don’t know so that I can continue my habitual pattern of avoidance.

.....I go in circles like this over and over and over again, never doing anything different, but expecting different results. Is that not the definition of insanity? (atleast according to Einstein).

I feel so stuck, yet no one can get me out of the rut by myself.

Great, now my head hurts…but thanks for listening.
This part below occurs to me frequently, but all in all the exact situation is the same. I guess it is an unrealistic expectation (borne out by results and experience anyway) that I would realise something and I would not act with the same fears and limitation but yet what occurs is that realisation is not permanent and old distractions and habit patterns continue. It's part of trying to stay with whatever one experiences and be patient in not expecting anything in particular but simply observing. Any suggestions or views are most appreciated.

I love moments like this, because everything seems so clear. What I hate however is that 5 minutes later I’ve left the moment and fall back into my delusions and habitual patterns. I have these moments of clarity and I feel like I can see the naked truth.
Primarily I have lost a "mojo" that i had when i was younger and have come to act in distractions (computer games, tv, eating etc....), not tackling my own views - only habitually reacting, beholden to fears that limit doing the tasks to get on with the simple challenges in life. It is funny to look back again and again and see that i needed to do something (basic like sitting, studying, getting ready etc) but yet for some fear (especially in relation to study or work) do not do the simple task.

Also just to eliminate some scenarios, i'm not at all worried about losing my job bcoz i can find another one or retrain and don't have huge worries about finances. It's a lot bigger and about the whole way I'm operating. But the simplest way i can put is about a combination energy, "mojo", fears and habitual reacting or behavioural patterns and frustration at the inability to make behavioural changes.

Mettha.

Aswini.