Art of Doing Nothing

This whole way of life is extremely satisfying. I joke about having a PhD in doing nothing but it is not far from the truth. The art of doing nothing in concept is ridiculed with guilt and shame but very few people can actually do it. It has taken me a lifetime to understand it and practice it. From being a business woman without boundaries, to being a mother without setting limits on her time, this is definitely a new way of life. It is hard for people to do nothing. They can’t get a hold of their emotions. There is constant guilt lingering about what things should be done; shame for not doing them and anxiety for fearing that there won’t be enough time later to finish those things. We grab onto the illusion that time can slip away from us. It is exhausting. Our society has been programed to believe that the person who accomplishes the most is a hero.We go-go-go in an inhumane frenzy. We wonder why blood pressures, cancer, and heart conditions are on a rise. The list of maladies goes on and on without justification or understanding. We don’t associate it to our constant busyness. We relate it to genetics, poor diet and stress. The simple pleasure of taking an hour or two to raise our feet up and be in the moment has been shun as an irresponsible act.Of course, we lie in front of a television and pretend to relax as the tube is hypnotically filling our senses. It’s a way of life and we think it’s a form of relaxation. The real relaxation comes from doing absolutely nothing. Sitting with yourself and just being in the moment and letting go. Call it meditation, prayer, or contemplation, but it is the wonderful art of just being.I love to sit on my deck and watch over the pond. I am spoiled because I do have a fantastic scenery. But truly it wouldn’t matter if I didn’t have the landscape. It is about being with yourself and allowing the self to expand freely while letting go. My hammock puts me in a major trance of relaxation. A hot bath does the same. Even a walk in nature and finding a comfy spot under a tree calls for me to do absolutely nothing but be in the moment. Doing nothing is about abandoning all responsibilities and taking in the moment. We all need it. We have to make space for it otherwise we are being swallowed by internal factors that manifest into physical and external monsters.I think anyone can acquire a PhD in the art of doing nothing. It’s all a matter of just finding the place within to escape, lighting a candle and following the light.