Attachment and the Nature of Motivation

[Fireside_Hindu]

Namaste everyone,

I was thinking today about our motivation for doing certain things and how it relates to attachment. As some of you know I've been learning Hindi for the last 4 years. I really enjoy it. It has its frustrations and days when I don't feel like studying, but overall, it's been one of the more fulfilling things I'vedone in my life.

If you set out to learn a language you'll find all kinds of articles on motivation. All of them say it's important to have the right motivation to learn, or else you're likely to give up. They say, don't have shallow motivation, such as "I want to learn a new language to impress people!" or "It would be really cool!".

Instead they advice so called nobler motivations like learning to understand a different culture or because you plan to work or travel in the country of that language.

I've had two opportunities to use Hindi in India, but what if a person studies a language for many years with the intention of visiting that country, but for whatever reason, they never get the chance? Understandably, they would be very disappointed and let down that all the work they had done did not get them where they wanted to be. They were effectively attached to the result of their motivation.

So how does one keep noble pursuits alive when motivation itself can so easily lead to attachment?

I can say to myself - I will learn Hindi for the Goddess's pleasure, but if I'm being honest with myself, that's not really very compelling at this stage in my spiritual development. Because unless I use Hindi in the service of the Goddess or others, I have a hard time believing the Goddess gives two figs whether I speak Hindi or not.

What are your thoughts on this? How do we stay motivated to a task without being disappointed in the final result if out initial motivation turns out to be void?

 

[Tabu]

To stay motivated,
"Take pleasure in the journey , not just the destination"

I really enjoy it. It has its frustrations and days when I don't feel like studying, but overall, it's been one of the more fulfilling things I'vedone in my life.

 

[Aupmanyav]

I have a hard time believing the Goddess gives two figs whether I speak Hindi or not.

What are your thoughts on this? How do we stay motivated to a task without being disappointed in the final result if out initial motivation turns out to be void?

The Goddess understands English, French, Spanish, German, Russian just as well. You want to learn Hindi to be able to talk to Hindus to know their views on religion and enjoy the various answers they are likely to give. Interesting enterprise. Why should you be disappointed? Why did not you talk to people in Hindi, Hindus and Muslims as well, during your recent India visit rather than in English? I think you were here for quite some time. Why just two times? Why not now in US at the temple?

 

[SomeRandom]

Hmm, I often find myself falling into this trap. I often read the Western Canon, not to broaden my horizons, but because I just get curious about things spoken of in the popular consciousness. I do not study them seriously, only read them with my own paltry limited brain power.

But having grown up Hindu I guess I often tend to think of such pursuits as ultimately honoring Ma Saraswati, simply because that was how I was raised to think. Even unconsciously.
But if you are learning a language out of genuine intellectual curiosity, then I think your pursuit noble. What better way to venerate the Goddess of knowledge than increasing one's own knowledge of something?
Why wouldn't she give two figs? I'm sure she's happy when people are genuinely learning something, even if informal.

Take a deep breath. I think that by focusing so hard on trying to please our Gods and Goddesses that we forget that we are still humans. Yes we need to rise above that, but I do not think even the Gods will take too much umbrage in humans being humans. Maybe that is a setback in the long run, but we are still growing and learning.

 

[Vinayaka]

Namaste everyone,

What are your thoughts on this? How do we stay motivated to a task without being disappointed in the final result if out initial motivation turns out to be void?

I think the motivation should be in the pleasure of the activity itself. How many writers or artists or musicians do we know who do it out of the satisfaction they get out of creating?

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

The Goddess understands English, French, Spanish, German, Russian just as well. You want to learn Hindi to be able to talk to Hindus to know their views on religion and enjoy the various answers they are likely to give. Interesting enterprise. Why should you be disappointed? Why did not you talk to people in Hindi, Hindus and Muslims as well, during your recent India visit rather than in English? I think you were here for quite some time. Why just two times? Why not now in US at the temple?

Let me clarify -I did a lot of speaking in Hindi while in India! =) I was more referring to "What if" someone was say, learning Japanese int he hopes of one day speaking to Japanese people in Japan, but never got the chance?

 

[Vinayaka]

Let me clarify -I did a lot of speaking in Hindi while in India! =) I was more referring to "What if" someone was say, learning Japanese int he hopes of one day speaking to Japanese people in Japan, but never got the chance?

Heck, FS, half the stuff we learned at school we never use. It's the chance you take I suppose.

 

[Aupmanyav]

"What if" someone was say, learning Japanese int he hopes of one day speaking to Japanese people in Japan, but never got the chance?

What if my study of Sanskrit stopped at a certain point? "Ishvara Ichha" Que sera sera. What will be will be. Tatah kim? Te pher ki hoya? You will perhaps still be able to read Japanese literature, enjoy a Kabuki performance. Don't nurse regrets. Move on.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

I think the motivation should be in the pleasure of the activity itself. How many writers or artists or musicians do we know who do it out of the satisfaction they get out of creating?

I certainly do many things for the simple pleasure of it - Hindi, Gardening, going for walks.

How does one adjust if one's unable to do something even for pleasure? For example, I'm an artist, but what if one day, I lose my sight? Then I am unable to do a thing I once enjoyed simply for what it was, and now this label I had once - "artist" no longer applies in the present.

I have read many stories about people who became suddenly and severely paralyzed, to the point that they could only blink. While devastating at first, many describe their new life as full of purpose and meaning regardless of their ability to "do".

Going back to my thread on contentment, perhaps that is why adding more things to my plate doesn't bring satisfaction - I'm doing without being.

And now I am rambling all over the place.

 

[Aupmanyav]

"Ishvara Ichha". I always enjoyed music hugely. Now I am hard of hearing. Even with hearing aid I cannot enjoy it. It was nice that life gave me the opportunity to enjoy music for some 60 years. Perhaps some day kababs will be out for me or even posting in forums. 'Ritam chara', go with the flow. Again, do not nurse regrets. Move on. Accept what come to you. To rebel (complain, not accept) will only cause one sorrow. Remember the three things that Buddha saw and what Channa said to him.

 

[Sw. Vandana Jyothi]

I certainly do many things for the simple pleasure of it - Hindi, Gardening, going for walks.

How does one adjust if one's unable to do something even for pleasure? For example, I'm an artist, but what if one day, I lose my sight? Then I am unable to do a thing I once enjoyed simply for what it was, and now this label I had once - "artist" no longer applies in the present.

I have read many stories about people who became suddenly and severely paralyzed, to the point that they could only blink. While devastating at first, many describe their new life as full of purpose and meaning regardless of their ability to "do".

Going back to my thread on contentment, perhaps that is why adding more things to my plate doesn't bring satisfaction - I'm doing without being.

And now I am rambling all over the place.

Hi, Maa
Know I sound like a broken record but once again I urge you to examine this "I" you keep mentioning, the one which insists on identifying itself as a "this" or a "that," e.g., a Hindi (or Japanese) linguist, an artist, a woman, a Westerner, a sighted (or not), physically able (or not) human. No wonder your sweet Self is restless (not content); you keep trying to affix a label to it, cram its Infinity into a basket, convince it that it's something it already knows that it's not.

Your problem (if it is one! I think not), is that you've already scraped away enough gunk, surrendered enough ego, that you can actually hear the soul's lament. Keep listening! When your practiced "ears" only cock themselves for instructions from that and the rest of your instruments swing into line to obey, the whining of one's ego to have this or do that or avoid the other mercifully diminishes. Whatever pleasures and pains come your way, offer to your Beloved. That is the only source of anything nearing contentment I have found. Truly speaking, it is not you doing the enjoying anyway; it is God acting in His capacity as bhokta, the Enjoyer.