What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action.
– Meister Eckhart
In the stillness of this hot August night, I indulge in one of my beloved art forms – from the Latin contemplari, a place of observation.
Nature knows when to unleash its fury, when to pull back, when to burst forth with new life, and when to lie fallow. Animals sense to survive, but we humans programmed to pursue every facet of daily existence have distanced ourselves from this rhythm. In our wiry wisdom we have lost touch with the power of the pure, the divine and the creative spirit.
At some point, the relentless spinning beach ball appears in our psyche. No matter how many keys you press, in whatever order, no matter how many slanders you hurl, the ball just keeps on turning – unfazed. Taunting. No response. With all critical information frozen, now what? Rather than fueling the frenzy, try powering down.
Be still. Make a choice. DO nothing. You can watch the mania of leapfrogging from your place of stillness. In this land of nothing, you free yourself from influence(s), bias(es), false stimulation, distractions, (ah, the distractions) and expectations. You have the freedom now to contemplate. Contemplate what you say? Contemplate whatever you need to access.
Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear.
― Lao Tzu
CAUTION: Do not mistake this willed act of doing nothing as an excuse for inertia. Do not confuse this with a margarita-drenched vacation, imagine a 40 day fast, or an ascetic’s eternal wandering in the desert. Do not fabricate an elaborate title such as writer’s block, lack of genius, inadequate skills, or outside pressures.
How long you ask, do I do nothing? Hours, days, weeks, months? Hmm…I don’t know. Creativity doesn’t follow an outline, a schedule or a timeline. But I do know that solitude creates a milieu to seduce the questions, elicit the truths, and reveal the path. It takes as long as it takes…
Reset, align, allow wisdom to seep in, and await enlightenment.
WARNING: Do not overstay your welcome. Contemplation can be habit forming. Be wary of the quicksand trickster. You can return any time you choose.
So turn it off. Hear the nothing – kiss the silence.
Now switch it on. Ignite your ideas. And DO!
Art is contemplation. It is the pleasure of the mind which searches into nature and which there divines the spirit of which nature herself is animated.
– Auguste Rodin
Beautifully put, enticing and inspiring. Off to be mindful.
Really enjoyed and appreciated this post.
Love it!
Ah, yes. We were just discussing this. What comes to mind is Aesop's tale of the ant and the grasshopper. Ant drudges , grasshopper plays his fiddle all summer. I'm the grasshopper. Gulp. Winter is coming and I've been fiddling my brains out. Let's see what happens next? Will I freeze or fire up my engines and fly? Stay tuned.
Upon further contemplation, I am the ant and the grasshopper
Ah! The art of doing Nothing! What a wonderful thought. Your muse is beautifully written along with the pictures, which really make me think, as is so often said pictures tell a thousand words. Every now and then I am fortunate enough to be able to sit at the water’s edge and watch the ripples on our lagoon created by the gentle breeze and it makes me feel calm and relaxed so that I can do nothing and enjoy a short interlude in my busy life.