Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Countdown to Contentment ~ Day 23


Loving ourselves and life from where we are ...



I’m counting down to contentment — to the starting date of my new sacred journey course,Creating a Life of Contentment,"  which begins Sept. 15. For one entire year we will travel together as intimate companions: to relax, let go and rest into Love; to discover the bliss of our own life. You can learn all about it here. 

 
Day 23

The Joy of Doing Nothing

Sometimes you just have to do nothing—absolutely nada—to experience contentment.

I have a sentiment posted on my refrigerator that reminds me of this:

“Nothing to do,
no place to get to,
just this perfect moment.”

(penned by my friend, Mari Gayatri Stein)

When I’m in a bit of a hurry, or the voice of ‘What to do next’ is making itself heard, I can pause, take a breath, and remember to be present. Even stop what I am doing and sit for a while.

As delightful as this sounds, many of us simply cannot give ourselves permission to stop and do nothing.

Doing nothing doesn’t feel useful or productive. It might even whisper ‘lazy, pointless, wasteful’ in our ear, but that’s only the voice of the ego. We can get beyond that. “Thank you for sharing but I think I will take time for me right now.”

We can silence that voice and give ourselves permission to have moments of pure nothingness, because in that sacred void we'll relax, let go, and get back in touch with our true nature—the essence of peace, happiness, love ...

All of which leads back to contentment, of course.

The author M. Scott Peck (The Road Less Traveled) once said,

“I have a very full and busy life and occasionally I am asked, “Scotty, how can you do all that you do?” The most telling reply I can give is,“Because I spend at least two hours a day doing nothing.”

Will you give yourself permission to do nothing for a while today? Resting into the present moment, be satisfied, be well.
  
Let the contentment begin!

∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

"The heart is the hub of all sacred places.
Go there and roam in it."
~ Sri Nityananda


2 comments:

Sheryl said...

I'm a pro at this these days! Ah, love it ...

Jan Lundy said...

And I imagine your are mind-full rather than mind-less in your beingness, Sheryl. Savoring the experience. En-JOY-ing.

This is not about being lazy or running away from things that need to be done but finding time to just be with our precious self without being pulled in a million directions, yes?

I am so glad to hear notes of contentment in your voice!