The Astonishing Power of Nothing
I wrote this for my blog but thought it might help a few warriors here.
The Astonishing Power of Nothing
Strange New World
Life and all its demands and distractions keep us constantly occupied, or busy, or, in other words, unavailable to ourselves. Between work, browsing, texting, tweeting, multi-tasking, meetings, responsibilities, and a dozen other chores, finding time for ourselves has itself become a chore. This is truer than ever now in the "social media" age.
Everything is connected. Facebook and Instagram and Twitter instantly debrief us on each other's lives. Thanks to smart-phones and tablets and phablets, we are never away from work, even when we physically are. My friend and business partner, who is also a corporate attorney in Manhattan, New York, could hardly escape his Blackberry for fifteen minutes before duty called--on Christmas Eve.
Being connected and being on top of work are both great. The rewards are obvious. Our networks provide us with opportunities we might otherwise miss. Our solider-like work ethics arm us with the best shot at a promotion. Again, that is all great.
But what about being connected to ourselves? Are we not, like these tasks and obligations, also important and deserving of time and attention?
Claim Your Freedom
I cannot think of any advice or teaching that gave me greater clarity and hope than this bit of wisdom from Nietzsche: "The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself."
There is immense social pressure nowadays to be ultra-connected and up-to-date. Not doing so means, at least in a social sense, exile from the tribe. This fear of social separation is as real as any other. Anyone who has lost a phone and been out of touch with friends for a week, or even a day, has suffered this feeling of being lost and disconnected.
If you have ever felt this worry, or if you simply seek inner peace, my advice, now as always, is to confront and overcome your existing reality. If professional and personal and social obligations take most of your day, it's time you took some of it back.
You owe yourself at least a moment of freedom each day. Claim what is rightfully yours.
The Perfect Escape
Resist the system, and perhaps your own tendencies, by making a conscious decision to do absolutely nothing for 5 minutes each day. Turn off your phone, find a quiet place, and mute the world's noise for just a moment. Then do nothing.
At first, this might be difficult, even for 5 minutes. Thoughts and inclinations will rush to mind. Let them. Observe them. Your thoughts were there yesterday, are here today, and will be so tomorrow. Do not try to escape them.
If you are considering meditation but do not know where to begin, this conscious and calculated practice of doing nothing serves as an easy and practical first step. It also does wonders for self-discipline, instills courage, enhances willpower, and is perhaps one of the best ways to manage and reduce stress.
Above all, it is your unique way of saying NO to the system and its existing social norms.
Something from Nothing
When I began down this path of holistic improvement, I confess that my belief in many of these teachings and techniques was quite thin, if at all there. Had someone told me then that the surest way to inner peace was something as simple as doing nothing, doubt and disbelief would have ruled my judgment.
That all changed when I experienced firsthand the astonishing power of these seemingly simple practices. If you have any doubts, try this for 21 days. It will change you. Perhaps most pleasant of all, you will notice, as I did, that the best creative insights and revelations emerge in the middle of doing nothing.
I read something long ago, which at the time didn't make much sense. It does now.
There is a way between voice and presence
Where information flows.
In disciplined silence it opens.
With wandering talk it closes.
The Astonishing Power of Nothing
Strange New World
Life and all its demands and distractions keep us constantly occupied, or busy, or, in other words, unavailable to ourselves. Between work, browsing, texting, tweeting, multi-tasking, meetings, responsibilities, and a dozen other chores, finding time for ourselves has itself become a chore. This is truer than ever now in the "social media" age.
Everything is connected. Facebook and Instagram and Twitter instantly debrief us on each other's lives. Thanks to smart-phones and tablets and phablets, we are never away from work, even when we physically are. My friend and business partner, who is also a corporate attorney in Manhattan, New York, could hardly escape his Blackberry for fifteen minutes before duty called--on Christmas Eve.
Being connected and being on top of work are both great. The rewards are obvious. Our networks provide us with opportunities we might otherwise miss. Our solider-like work ethics arm us with the best shot at a promotion. Again, that is all great.
But what about being connected to ourselves? Are we not, like these tasks and obligations, also important and deserving of time and attention?
Claim Your Freedom
I cannot think of any advice or teaching that gave me greater clarity and hope than this bit of wisdom from Nietzsche: "The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself."
There is immense social pressure nowadays to be ultra-connected and up-to-date. Not doing so means, at least in a social sense, exile from the tribe. This fear of social separation is as real as any other. Anyone who has lost a phone and been out of touch with friends for a week, or even a day, has suffered this feeling of being lost and disconnected.
If you have ever felt this worry, or if you simply seek inner peace, my advice, now as always, is to confront and overcome your existing reality. If professional and personal and social obligations take most of your day, it's time you took some of it back.
You owe yourself at least a moment of freedom each day. Claim what is rightfully yours.
The Perfect Escape
Resist the system, and perhaps your own tendencies, by making a conscious decision to do absolutely nothing for 5 minutes each day. Turn off your phone, find a quiet place, and mute the world's noise for just a moment. Then do nothing.
At first, this might be difficult, even for 5 minutes. Thoughts and inclinations will rush to mind. Let them. Observe them. Your thoughts were there yesterday, are here today, and will be so tomorrow. Do not try to escape them.
If you are considering meditation but do not know where to begin, this conscious and calculated practice of doing nothing serves as an easy and practical first step. It also does wonders for self-discipline, instills courage, enhances willpower, and is perhaps one of the best ways to manage and reduce stress.
Above all, it is your unique way of saying NO to the system and its existing social norms.
Something from Nothing
When I began down this path of holistic improvement, I confess that my belief in many of these teachings and techniques was quite thin, if at all there. Had someone told me then that the surest way to inner peace was something as simple as doing nothing, doubt and disbelief would have ruled my judgment.
That all changed when I experienced firsthand the astonishing power of these seemingly simple practices. If you have any doubts, try this for 21 days. It will change you. Perhaps most pleasant of all, you will notice, as I did, that the best creative insights and revelations emerge in the middle of doing nothing.
I read something long ago, which at the time didn't make much sense. It does now.
There is a way between voice and presence
Where information flows.
In disciplined silence it opens.
With wandering talk it closes.
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