Ho Hum

In our culture, boredom means time wastes on something that is unworthy of our attention.  But in the tradition of mindfulness meditation, boredom is a portal to self-knowledge. 

Emptiness is not boredom.  We have all had the experience of serenity and deep contentment, not wishing for anything to be different from what it is.  What is coming down the pike is nothing at all.  The pipeline is void, and at the moment that seems just fine.

At such moments, our inner lives are perfectly satisfying.  But when we feel bored, we are looking for escape from our inner experience, and we seek distractions, entertainment or (most often) work to stave off the whisperings of dissatisfaction.  Perhaps we abstract ourselves with fantasy, but (more convincingly) we plan, solve problems, figuring things out.  Goal-oriented, future-directed thought can be a way of bargaining with the rumblings of dissatisfaction within, and promising ourselves relief.

Resist the urge to distract.  Examine your boredom, and learn about yourself by discovering what irks you.  Self-realization comes not by banishing dissatisfaction, but as we no longer wish for temporal relief from our experience.  Step outside of time.