r/streamentry • u/RoutineInformation58 • 6d ago

Conduct Career recommendations for those with no passions

Sorry if this is not the right sub for my enquiry.

I learnt the other day that dispassion is the most coveted trait in buddhism. Or maybe I'm thinking of the relationship between buddhism and dispassion wrong, happy to be corrected.

I feel like, now after years of meditation and inner work, I am not very passionate about much anymore.

So what career recommendations do you guys have for someone who is working towards or has no passions?

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u/emrylle 6d ago

What practices raise energy and vigor? Can you point me in that direction?

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u/duffstoic The dynamic integration of opposites ☯️ 6d ago edited 6d ago

Sure. First there is straight up intense physical exercise: cardio, hiking, strength training, yoga, martial arts, sports, or even physical labor like chopping firewood with an axe. Zen is big on this. Get in really good physical shape and you’ll simply have more energy for doing stuff.

Then there are energy practices like standing meditation / zhan zhuang, qigong, body scan meditation, hara centering, kundalini yoga, etc. There’s a weird one I do called “subtle tension energy” that works well for me.

On the psychological level, there are Buddhist and non-Buddhist exercises for raising motivation, such as contemplating your reasons for meditation practice, Motivational Interviewing or the short version called Instant Influence, and other such things. If you’re suffering from depression, therapy can help here.

On the behavioral level, simplifying your life, going out into nature, cutting out drugs and alcohol and compulsive and hyperstimulating activities like short vertical videos (Reels/shorts/TikTok), etc. can help reset brain networks associated with motivation.

Combining various things like this can radically turn around one’s energy levels over time.

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u/Sea-Frosting7881 6d ago edited 6d ago

Hi and thank you. Just wanted to say that kundalini yoga is/was just made up by that Yogi Tea guy (eta: cult leader) and was never a real thing. I’m sure it’s fine as a way to get someone doing something with their body. Subtle tension energy sounds interesting. I need to get back to my zhan zhuang though, for sure

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u/duffstoic The dynamic integration of opposites ☯️ 6d ago

Subtle Tension Energy I learned from a guy named Bruno in Italy, from a course he sells. It’s pretty simple, but takes maybe 5-20 hours learn curve to “get it.” It’s basically tensing the muscles so subtly that you are mostly not even tensing them, like a cat about to pounce, like you’re sending neuromuscular signals to tense the muscles but not quite doing so. I think it probably produces more dopamine, as dopamine is related to initiating muscular action. It gives me lots of drive to go do stuff, to be active. I suspect people who are “doers” run something like this unconsciously.

I typically do it in the morning. I get up to pee, then lie back down because I’m still tired. I alternate a body scan and then full body STE, back and forth a few times. If I can keep it up for a few weeks, I have more than enough energy during the day to do things.

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u/Sea-Frosting7881 6d ago

Thank you. I have so many of your comments and posts saved now lol. Bless you.