I was talking to a client the other day. We were talking about sitting still. She, like many, has experienced specific training to get her to often be “doing”. She stated that she’s been told,“If you’re just going to stand around I’ll give you something to do.”
Do. Do. Do. Our value as a person is usually wound around action, doing, and performance. I like it and it will provide lots of benefits, just like pain and suffering will too. But it’s not the whole package. We also need to be, simply just be. Somewhere along the way many of us forget how to be. How do be still and truly enjoy “idle” time.
The people I work with in corporate jobs talk about the inside celebrations and pride in not using the vacation that was available to people in their industries. I get it. Go. Go. Go. And again, imcomplete picture as a human being with the full spectrum available to us along the do and be spectrum. Yeah, you can wind yourself up but how are you winding down, chilling the fuck out, and doing nothing.
It was years ago that I heard someone say that we’re human “be”ings, not human “do”ings. It was a clever little saying and it has always stuck with me. There’s a big difference between doing and being. I believe I was taught how to be from the development of my mediation practice a hundred years ago. I have forgotten many times in my life how to be but if I slow down it always come back. It the thirty five years that I’ve been meditating I’ve fallen off the mediation wagon a time or two, sometimes for a short period of time and sometimes for months.
We require spending time in stillness to be the best versions of ourselves. Instead of hurry up, get busy, I say, slow down and do nothing.
The bustle of the “holiday season” is coming. It’s like a cab driver in Rome or New York City. (It’s fucking crazy). You can slow yourself down though. You can remember what life is all about and come from a beautiful, elegant place of joy, love, connection, and appreciation. I’ll meet you there.
The opportunity:
What is a common event that gets you all out of sorts time after time?
How can you prepare yourself for that event better the next time?
How is your meditation/prayer practice?
Where can you slow down?
When can you do “nothing” more in your day?
Thanks for your time, have a great day!