The art of doing nothing
Most of us are addicted to activity. At every instant of the day we are doing something. We get home from work and start making dinner. As we eat our dinner we turn on the TV. When the TV goes off we pick up the phone, and so on and so forth. We want to fill every moment with some kind of activity, and as soon as one ends we immediately look for another.
Even in times when the physical activity dies down, the mental activity continues. We enter a waiting room, there are no magazines in sight, and thus we are forced to sit still. But instead of relaxing and enjoying the experience, we begin thinking. Our minds begin planning the rest of the day, contemplating who we will talk to and what activities we will engage in. Or perhaps we relive an argument from earlier this morning, thinking how we could have played it better and so on. Therefore, while appearing to be doing nothing, the activity inside us is as great as ever.
For many of us, the only time when activity subsides comes in the form of drowsiness - “zoning out” on a bus or in front of the TV, or drifting off during a long meeting. This has a very different quality from, say, the stillness we experience when watching a beautiful sunset, or observing a magnificent view from a mountain top. That kind of alert peaceful stillness is also accessible in everyday life, but few of us let the inner activity subside long enough to notice it.
An extremely useful exercise is to practise just pausing for a moment between each activity. For just one instant, let the mind be at rest. This moment of peace can be so rewarding that we may yearn to extend it. Next time we are lucky enough to have a longer period on our hands - perhaps waiting in a doctor’s office - we may joyfully take the opportunity to be still for longer.
When each activity is sandwiched between a moment of stillness like this, we begin to live consciously. We calm down, realizing that we do not always have to be in such a rush. Our days acquire more clarity and we start to relax and enjoy life. We are learning the art of doing nothing.
