Best Ever Albums

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Facetious — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 14:31:45 GMT

Author: Facetious

Posted: 06/30/2015 18:31

Kiki wrote:

I feel like I am broken now. Nothing got better. It's still gone.

Don't you have any other interests?

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 18:45:58 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/29/2015 22:45

I feel like I am broken now. Nothing got better. It's still gone.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Anti — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 22:38:39 GMT

Author: Anti

Posted: 06/20/2015 02:38

sethzzzzz wrote:

Do other things, take walks, relax, read. Consider other mediums until something sparks your interest again. Websites like this shouldn't force you into a cycle of listening to and sharing music for the sake of it, you need to enjoy it! Don't stress over it, hope you're happy! :D

I think this guy put it the best. I probably have the lowest listening rate on this website, with plenty of well-known/common albums that I still have not heard or do not even plan on hearing. But I don't really let that get to me. I listen to stuff at my own pace and interact on here whenever I have time available!

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

sethzzzzz — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 11:04:20 GMT

Author: sethzzzzz

Posted: 06/19/2015 15:04

Do other things, take walks, relax, read. Consider other mediums until something sparks your interest again. Websites like this shouldn't force you into a cycle of listening to and sharing music for the sake of it, you need to enjoy it! Don't stress over it, hope you're happy! 😁

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 15:16:08 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/18/2015 19:16

ButterThumbz wrote:

Erm... I don't believe there's anything particularly mystical about what I've suggested.

We've probably done more than enough already to hijack poor Kiki's thread. If you want to elaborate on how you're distinguishing different types of awareness, I'll read with interest, but it's probably best to do it in a new thread in the Lounge or R/P forum.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Muslim-Bigfoot — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 13:35:43 GMT

Author: Muslim-Bigfoot

Posted: 06/18/2015 17:35

I'm doing little for music right now.

Also let's not use the word "philosophy" too liberally. 😁

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

craola — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 12:33:33 GMT

Author: craola

Posted: 06/18/2015 16:33

i love how quickly this turned into what it did. you guys are heady.

we trippy, mang.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

ButterThumbz — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 12:21:15 GMT

Author: ButterThumbz

Posted: 06/18/2015 16:21

sp4cetiger wrote:

Eh... probably best we stop here. Alternate forms of awareness and higher planes of consciousness (from Ollie's post) don't seem like things I'm likely to buy into. Glad it works for you guys, though.

Erm... I don't believe there's anything particularly mystical about what I've suggested.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 12:00:10 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/18/2015 16:00

ButterThumbz wrote:

This is because you are equating consciousness with awareness. Consciousness is only an aspect of awareness. When you are thinking, you are making judgements about your experience. Self-awareness can be increased by choosing not to automatically identify with those thoughts. It's not a case of trying not to think.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

goeie-oko — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 11:52:59 GMT

Author: goeie-oko

Posted: 06/18/2015 15:52

sp4cetiger wrote:

But then that's just theory,

A game theory!

Thanks for watching.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

creator — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 09:37:57 GMT

Author: creator

Posted: 06/18/2015 13:37

Kiki wrote:

I don't want to listen to favorites or find new music right now. For weeks I have been slowing down with and now there are times I don't want to listen to anything. After 10 years music is begining to do very little for me. It makes me feel sad as it could mean I am losing my identity unless I create a new one so I am able to like music like I did before.

If I were to wait and hope an interest comes back and nothing does I would be sad because it would feel like a part of me has gone missing.

I think you're just burnt out. We spend so much time listening to music and sharing it with others that it eventually becomes habitual. It becomes saturated and it doesn't feel special anymore. But that feeling will return. Just occupy yourself with other hobbies or interests - I like to cycle between listening to music, playing music, video games, drawing, and reading. As soon as I feel burnt out, I move onto the next interest. Eventually I'll hear a song on YouTube or the radio that reignites my music phase and I'm once again glued to my headphones.

Cheer up! 😁

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Anti — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 09:23:29 GMT

Author: Anti

Posted: 06/18/2015 13:23

Kiki wrote:

Been feeling the same... I've been taking a breaking listening to music by focusing on my summer job. Working makes me take my mind off things. Hopefully by the end of the summer my love of albums will be rekindled.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

ButterThumbz — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 08:34:41 GMT

Author: ButterThumbz

Posted: 06/18/2015 12:34

sp4cetiger wrote:

The way I understand thinking, to experience anything without thinking about it is to not be conscious of it. Sometimes I have experiences that are relatively unpolluted by tangential thoughts, but I never stop thinking.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 07:29:11 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/18/2015 11:29

Ollie wrote:

sp4cetiger wrote:

"Physical sensation", "paying attention", "awareness"... all of these things are acts of the mind, so I would say they're thoughts.

Awareness is interpreted by your brain, but it is not a a thought or an act of the mind. For instance when you're having (good) sex, you're not thinking about it, separated by a layer of thoughts. You're feeling it, seeing it: experiencing it in the moment. Your mind isn't clouded by thoughts: the words, pictures and sounds you see in your mind's eye. In fact, your mind is silent, and you're experiencing the moment.

I don't really see this distinction, tbh. The way I understand thinking, to experience anything without thinking about it is to not be conscious of it. Sometimes I have experiences that are relatively unpolluted by tangential thoughts, but I never stop thinking.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Ollie — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 07:04:40 GMT

Author: Ollie

Posted: 06/18/2015 11:04

sp4cetiger wrote:

"Physical sensation", "paying attention", "awareness"... all of these things are acts of the mind, so I would say they're thoughts.

sp4cetiger wrote:

I'm not too big on the idea of casting judgement on the ego (i.e., selfish thoughts are bad), but ego can be a demanding mistress nonetheless.

Nothing is objectively bad, even identifying with the ego and being selfish. All meditation and enlightenment does is take your consciousness to a higher level so you can access more peace and less suffering, if you want to.

This is all as far as I have discovered so far, I'm open to other points of view.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 06:27:34 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/18/2015 10:27

SquishypuffDave wrote:

Not quite. According to Eckhart, the thoughts arising from our experiences constitute the egoic self, and this egoic self can be a prison. This is why mindfulness exercises are about disassociating from the sequence of thoughts that arise in consciousness and focusing on raw awareness, trusting the intelligence of the body, experiencing sensations without labeling them, etc.

I find his philosophy pretty useful. The presence of negative thoughts does not preclude the presence of good in myself. I am that which experiences my thoughts, and I don't disappear when I stop thinking. Saying "I am my thoughts" is like saying "I am my physical sensations". Our sensations and our thoughts about those sensations compete for our full attention, and thought seems to win most of the time because thought is a selfish asshole. It is also an option to pay attention to neither.

"Physical sensation", "paying attention", "awareness"... all of these things are acts of the mind, so I would say they involve thoughts. Perhaps it's just a semantic objection, but to me to say that we are not our thoughts is to posit some external entity that defines us.

But then that's just theory, what really matters is how it works in practice and I can certainly understand the usefulness of philosophies that encourage us to take breaks from egocentric thoughts. I'm not too big on the idea of casting judgement on the ego (i.e., selfish thoughts are bad), but ego can be a demanding mistress nonetheless. I could stand to do a little meditation, myself.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Ollie — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 01:33:51 GMT

Author: Ollie

Posted: 06/18/2015 05:33

Regarding Eckhart, I totally agree with SquishypuffDave. It's easier to think of it in terms of form (thoughts, feelings, lamps, teacups, your body, everything in reality) and the consciousness that underlies it.
In mindfulness/meditation, you stop identifying with certain forms and resisting certain forms (for example identifying with your thoughts and body, and resisting someone telling you that you're a dumbass fool). Instead you accept all forms as they are, and you identify with the consciousness that underlies it, rather than any particular form.

Regarding OP, if you've understood everything I just said, then you know what to do. Accept this form (this feeling of dissatisfaction and boredom of music), fully embrace that you're currently feeling music'ed out, instead of resisting it because you feel threatened because you identify so much with being a guy who listens to loads of music. Accept it, take a break, maybe go around listening out for all the sounds you can hear in day to day life (you'll be amazed at what you miss, listen for close and far away sounds). Maybe watch some films instead, and let their soundtracks draw you back in to music.

The biggest thing I'd recommend doing if you haven't already done, is to meditate before listening to an album. You'll be absolutely amazed at how much of the album you can access in one listen once you quieten the constant thought noise in your head. All my most intense listening experiences ever have been after meditation.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

SquishypuffDave — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 00:30:43 GMT

Author: SquishypuffDave

Posted: 06/18/2015 04:30

sp4cetiger wrote:

That's interesting, I took it to mean just the opposite, that the thoughts that arise from our experiences are all that we are and that we should stop trying to define ourselves beyond that.

Not quite. According to Eckhart, the thoughts arising from our experiences constitute the egoic self, and this egoic self can be a prison. This is why mindfulness exercises are about disassociating from the sequence of thoughts that arise in consciousness and focusing on raw awareness, trusting the intelligence of the body, experiencing sensations without labeling them, etc.

Link

I find his philosophy pretty useful. The presence of negative thoughts does not preclude the presence of good in myself. I am that which experiences my thoughts, and I don't disappear when I stop thinking. Saying "I am my thoughts" is like saying "I am my physical sensations". Our sensations and our thoughts about those sensations compete for our full attention, and thought seems to win most of the time because thought is a selfish asshole. It is also an option to pay attention to neither.

Also Kiki, the not enjoying music thing happens to me all the time. The joy usually comes back after a while. I should resist offering you platitudes but worrying about it is definitely not the answer; whatever you fight, you strengthen, and what you resist, persists.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

ButterThumbz — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 17:53:59 GMT

Author: ButterThumbz

Posted: 06/17/2015 21:53

sp4cetiger wrote:

I don't think we can choose to not define ourselves at all... but we can certainly moderate what influences that sense of self.

I completely agree. I just mean that it's worth asking ourselves why we choose to define ourselves the way we do. There's always a choice.

Re: Music is doing little for me right now.

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 14:16:57 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/17/2015 18:16

ButterThumbz wrote:

Why stop there? Why define yourself at all?

Well, I can't speak for Tolle, but I'd say that a sense of "self" is present in any conscious being. What's more, I tend to think that we develop an identity for that self automatically by virtue of the way our brains process the world, even if we don't explicitly spell out that identity in our thoughts.

So I don't think we can choose to not define ourselves at all... but we can certainly moderate what influences that sense of self.