Wordly hobbies

[Tad]

Dear Mystics,

what do you think about maintaining a wordly hobby? In your opinion and experience, is it better to drop all worldy hobbies or can it be healthy to be engaged in something as long as it is not too obsessive?

[Rodan]

It depends on my schedule. If I were busy with a job with little time to do not much else but work and socialize with loved ones, I'd abandon all other hobbies but keep up meditation. I don't think maintaining worldly hobbies is a bad thing. They can supplement your life and become a way to express the results of your contemplative practice; I say this because meditating has brought more clarity to my mind and awareness when performing activities.

[Jhanananda]

Thank you Tad for posting your question. Rodan's advice is wise. I keep a garden when I have the opportunity, and I do a fair amount of scientific research related to my research interests, and my medical condition while still maintaining a rigorous, self-aware contemplative life, and I advise other who wish to reap abundant spiritual fruit to do as well.

[Tad]

Rodan,
thanks for reply. Definitely smart approach of yours. What kind of hobbies do you have if not a secret?

Jhanananda,
gardening sounds like a very healthy hobby. I think I should get some plants. Plants are probably my favorite living organisms out of all on this planet earth.

My skillful hobbies would be running, working out, and hiking/walking. They tend to support my practice well. Morning run is like my morning meditation. I also have one hobby that is probably somewhere in the unskillful spectrum. I collect certain items from WWII period. Its been my hobby since I was a kid. It requires some money but it is more like an investment since those items maintain value and can be sold at any time to other collectors. So money does not go down the drain. I considered dropping this hobby. But then my mind tells me, "you already have pretty much zero worldly interests  left so why not keep this one for a little bit just to feel human once in a while". So I use this hobby to preoccupy my mind from time to time. 

[Jhanananda]

Jhanananda,
gardening sounds like a very healthy hobby. I think I should get some plants. Plants are probably my favorite living organisms out of all on this planet earth.

I also look at gardening as a source of healthy, organically grown food, as well as the idea of a victory garden which could sustain me and my family during a famine.

My skillful hobbies would be running, working out, and hiking/walking. They tend to support my practice well. Morning run is like my morning meditation.

I look at health and fitness is a wise lifestyle that enriches one's life and a good foundation for the contemplative life, so I have been a hiker and cyclist most of my life until the present level of decrepitude has eliminated exercise altogether.

I also have one hobby that is probably somewhere in the unskillful spectrum. I collect certain items from WWII period. Its been my hobby since I was a kid. It requires some money but it is more like an investment since those items maintain value and can be sold at any time to other collectors. So money does not go down the drain. I considered dropping this hobby. But then my mind tells me, "you already have pretty much zero worldly interests  left so why not keep this one for a little bit just to feel human once in a while". So I use this hobby to preoccupy my mind from time to time.

One just has to avoid "hobbies" that undermine one's contemplative life.  Also, I happen to own a Vietnam era surplus military vehicle which I had bought because those engines were designed to burn almost any liquid fuel.  You may not know, but one of my "hobbies" in the last 12 years has been turning recycled waste oils into diesel fuel. 

And, I also see utility in maintaining older technologies which are often part of the reenactment community, because if you look into the Carrington Event you will see the industrial revolution depends upon a quiet sun. So, maintaining technology that is strictly mechanical to operate during a direct hit of a coronal mass ejection of the sun might be critical for survival.

[Rodan]

Rodan,
thanks for reply. Definitely smart approach of yours. What kind of hobbies do you have if not a secret?

At the moment not many besides going out for walks and taking photographs. I used to play weiqi. I guess programming would be a hobby now though it should be a career soon. I used to play video-games regularly but I dropped that as a regular practice as it was not productive or enriching as a hobby.

I would definitely continue your historical collection hobby, besides being personally enriching you're saving a piece of history. 

[Rodan]

And, I also see utility in maintaining older technologies which are often part of the reenactment community, because if you look into the Carrington Event you will see the industrial revolution depends upon a quiet sun. So, maintaining technology that is strictly mechanical to operate during a direct hit of a coronal mass ejection of the sun might be critical for survival.

That's something I want to get into when my life settles down as well. I used to be into primitivism as I found the logistics of day to day life >200 years ago to be interesting, before the industrial revolution. I enjoyed looking up guides on how bows and arrows were produced for example.

[Jhanananda]

That's something I want to get into when my life settles down as well. I used to be into primitivism as I found the logistics of day to day life >200 years ago to be interesting, before the industrial revolution. I enjoyed looking up guides on how bows and arrows were produced for example.

I found camping in remote areas conducive to deep meditation, so I often retreated in the wilderness, and while I was there I also explored wild edibles, mostly edible plants, which is far more challenging than learning how to hunt and fish, but hunting and fishing are important skills to learn to, because history shows all civilizations collapse in ruin due to the greed of a few against the collective, which drives the collective against the wealthy few.

[KriyaYogi]

On my current full-time reteat if I had to classify anything as a hobby I would say walking.  I try to walk 20 miles a week around town.  Sometimes I can take a backpack and walk to the local grocery storefor food without using a car or gas, although it is a 2 mile walk each direction.

   Other than that movies and tv shows as well as reading news articles sometimes.  I can only meditate 40 or 50 hours a week, more and I 'burn out' so I try to watch tv shows and movies to rest after my meditation.  Currently watching The Office and Star Trek the Next Generation.

-David