Doing
If you grew up the way I did you know our
elders were forever pressuring us to work hard if we wanted to
succeed in life. We always had to be DOING something.
We live in an action-oriented society today. Even during our
so-called "leisure" time, we have to be doing something productive.
We work hard at relaxing. After all, working hard is the only way
we'll ever achieve anything worthwhile.
Right?
I used to think so. But no longer.
The Taoists have a concept called "wu wei." It has various shades
of meaning, including doing without doing, acting without action.
But it does not mean doing nothing. Sounds like a
paradox, doesn't it?
Chief Joseph often talks about be-ing as opposed to
do-ing. But, as with the Taoists, he does not advocate
doing nothing -- becoming lifeless lumps of clay. Quite the
opposite.
Here's Chief Joseph.
Chief Joseph
Friends, you cannot live in your physical world without taking
action. Even a choice to take no action is, in a sense, an "action."
Where the imbalance lies is in the pressure your society puts on
you to always be doing something. To do nothing is a mortal sin. You
feel guilty even when you take time from your busy schedules to
relax and enjoy a little "down" time.
Often you act almost out of desperation, doing something --
anything -- as opposed to doing nothing.
That is almost always counterproductive because it's forced. It
feels uncomfortable. Whenever your force yourself to do anything,
especially for the sake of avoiding inaction or to please others,
you're getting yourselves way out of alignment with your higher
selves.
That is our real point here today.
When you stay aligned with your higher selves -- that is, when
you feel good -- your actions will be productive. You
will find yourselves able to do much more in far less time.
We call that inspired action.
Any time you do anything that does not feel good to you, you are
going to feel frustrated and will accomplish little or nothing.
Inspired action springs from that quiet center of power within
you. It springs from your alignment with your higher selves, with
the God you all are.
So it behooves you to take time from your busy lives to "do"
nothing -- meditate, watch a sunset, sit in silence with a loved
one, pet your dog or cat, listen to the birds or the wind, and so
on.
"Doing nothing" is good for you. Then you will find all your
actions easy and effortless. You will create what you want in your
lives in the quickest, most powerful way.
Enjoy your "doing." But enjoy your "being" first. Then all will
be well.
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This
Week's
Newsletter Reflection Questions
News Updates
1) Chief Joseph
& John Cali at Crimson Circle's Midsummer Conference
-- we now have audio
CDs and MP3
Files available of Joseph's and John's presentation on
July 17, 2009.
2) We're now doing regular
podcasts with Chief Joseph. You can now download them free.
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