Dear Diary,
There is an unspeakably easy way to bring a pinch of peace, lightness, some wisdom and perhaps even love into your life. For that, it’s enough in some ordinary daily activities to activate within yourself an ability accessible to everyone – the ability to observe oneself. While watching a sunset, slightly refocus your attention and encompass with it yourself, watching the sunset. While sitting – observe the one sitting, while walking – observe the one walking, while talking – observe the one talking.
Observe without analyzing, without criticizing, without controlling. Simply be alert like some border guard. Perhaps, I’d say, there shouldn’t even be any particular tangible observer at that time – only a background observation of the current activity remains, through which not even the smallest detail, the slightest flutter in the body, slips.
From my own experience I know perfectly well what a cardinal difference separates the states when I work directly and when not quite directly, but simply calmly observing the activities of mind and hands. In the first case it’s stresses, low-quality inner monologues, complete energetic and psychological burnout within a maximally short time. In the second – a several-fold jump in productivity, great mood, a Buddha smile in the corner of the lips and barely noticeable fatigue at day’s end. It seems what sensible person would return to the first state, having tasted the second – yet it’s enough for an everyday question from the side – “What did you do? What are you planning to do?” and you again from the observer’s position plop down to the very bottom, to our familiar minister of affairs with all its possible stresses and burnouts.
Perhaps here the entire philosophy shines through that each of us has that light dual presence – the quiet, calm and wise big SELF, in whose epicenter writhes the little self, curled into a ram’s horn with all possible sufferings and sins (such as envy, coveting what isn’t yours, the desire to climb over others’ heads, etc.). And as long as the big SELF through the observation method keeps an eye on its little friend, the latter causes no greater problems either to itself or to those around. It’s enough for it to turn away, enough to lose the ability to observe oneself if not in every, then at least in every fourth activity and… Well you foolishly know such examples both in international political arenas and perhaps some in your work or other environment.
So, with Saturday arriving, we have a wonderful opportunity to practice this. Today, let yourself do absolutely nothing. Nothing at all. Simply calmly observe how your hands, without your help, easily cope with light and slightly more complex tasks – prepare lunch, wash dishes, tidy rooms, tuck in sleeping loved ones. And after all that, spend two more minutes noticing yourself, standing by the window and observing the stars… :-)
Have a peaceful weekend!
