The art of Doing

In the chaos of the modern world, there is beauty in simply doing.

We're distracted constantly by whatever emails, conversations, news, events, demands that are going on around us. Our minds are a constant deluge of thoughts dwelling in the past, worries of the future - distractions pulling us in every direction.

But all of that melts away when we focus on doing.

It doesn't matter what the doing is: sitting, walking, writing, reading, eating, washing, talking, snuggling... By focusing on the doing, we drop our worries and anxieties, jealousies, and anger, grieving and distraction. There is something profound in all that simplicity. Something that is heart-rendingly breath-takingly beautiful!

You're in the middle of your day to today, and you're caught up in a sandstorm of thoughts, feelings, to-do's, meetings, readings, communications.

Pause. Breathe. Let it all fade.

Now just focus on one thing. Right now. Just choose one thing, and clear away all the other distractions. One more time, clear it all away. Turn off the internet. Stop reading this article (wait, read a couple more sentences then close the browser).

If you're washing a dish, do it slowly, feel every sensation. If you're eating a piece of fruit, taste it, feel the texture, and be mindful of your hunger or lack of. If you're writing something, pour you heart into it, become that writing - inhabit the words.

Just DO.

The rest of the world becomes meaningless. It's just you, and your doing.

And you realize: this is all that matters. In this, there is everything.

When walking, walk. When eating, eat. - Zen proverb.

M.