"On a deeper level, I’m always practicing being done, in every sense—because birth, death, love, and life’s turning points arrive unannounced, their timing held close in the hands of the universe." Such a gorgeous line, Alex.
I'm savouring this post and resonating with simplifying and streamlining my input/inbox. Sometimes reading other people's writing helps me to create, and other times it takes me away from listening to my own voice and what it wants to say.
Here's the paradox. In some ways a zen master would be very productive right? They would be no hesitation, they would set a goal and work diligently and appropriately until they were done.
But I imagine there would be no anxiety either or thoughts that it 'could have been done better' or more 'effectively' or 'I could have been less obsessive about these tasks'. Which might make them.. I guess less productive? :)
Absolutely, the master is extremely productive when they want to do be because their concentration, clarity, and equanimity are off the charts. And to your second point, when awakening is unintegrated it can produce a decrease in motivation, sometimes of the existential variety, but that usually smoothes out with time. Thanks for this
I have been struggling with this as well! I used to think that just because I would stop physically working at a certain point that I had good work-life balance. Now I realize that the mental is even more important to turn off. Work can be endless if you allow it to be. You have to consciously tune out of work and in to the present moment.
Sounds like your son will get the attention we all so desperately need as children! Your priorities are aligned appropriately!
"On a deeper level, I’m always practicing being done, in every sense—because birth, death, love, and life’s turning points arrive unannounced, their timing held close in the hands of the universe." Such a gorgeous line, Alex.
I'm savouring this post and resonating with simplifying and streamlining my input/inbox. Sometimes reading other people's writing helps me to create, and other times it takes me away from listening to my own voice and what it wants to say.
An incredibly important distinction. Thank you for this reminder and such a beautiful note.
Sounds like a complaint, so a split personality, a biological split of self to be two people.
Authenticity, I wonder?
Maybe one a future self, the other the present function.
Not unique, but questions I can’t answer quickly.
I think I get the split self, but complaint?
Well of course ‘complaint’, as with poetry, an effort to attach results before the message in the bottle is received.
A hard days work of putting messages in bottles?
Why not hand delivery?
Love the Hydra comparison about creative tasks, I feel that
Today there are so many other elements involved with "making it" in creative work, it can feel endless
And a killer goddamn ending
Endings sometimes are my struggle bus, thank you DIA
Here's the paradox. In some ways a zen master would be very productive right? They would be no hesitation, they would set a goal and work diligently and appropriately until they were done.
But I imagine there would be no anxiety either or thoughts that it 'could have been done better' or more 'effectively' or 'I could have been less obsessive about these tasks'. Which might make them.. I guess less productive? :)
Absolutely, the master is extremely productive when they want to do be because their concentration, clarity, and equanimity are off the charts. And to your second point, when awakening is unintegrated it can produce a decrease in motivation, sometimes of the existential variety, but that usually smoothes out with time. Thanks for this
I have been struggling with this as well! I used to think that just because I would stop physically working at a certain point that I had good work-life balance. Now I realize that the mental is even more important to turn off. Work can be endless if you allow it to be. You have to consciously tune out of work and in to the present moment.
Sounds like your son will get the attention we all so desperately need as children! Your priorities are aligned appropriately!
Entirely with you, the true practice begins after the physical work ends. Especially for our work-centric minds. Thanks so much, Kade, major preesh
“Cat’s in the Cradle” by Harry Chaplin!
Listening now :)
I remember reading in a biography of Suzuki- roshi that when he woke up in the morning he immediately got up.
Didn’t matter what time it was. If he was awake, he got up. No dilly dally daydreaming lounging around in bed all day. Hmmm….