Dear Family,
Just a quick note on empty space, silence and allowing the creative expression of our Beings. I had a really interesting session with a client last week, who I had guided to carve out a lot of time and space for sitting in silence in nature, meditating, listening.
It emerged in our conversation that while she was enjoying the space, solitude and the relaxation of “doing nothing”… but she had an urge to create more, to express more and to do more.
In her mind had formed an idea of “Beingness” as an inert, vegetative state… of a kind of passiveness, idleness or even laziness…. And she was hearing that voice in the head that reminded her that being idle is bad.
It was groundbreaking for her to have the direct realisation that this is not the case… and to directly perceive the message of the ego-mind as false… and to realise that the opposite in fact true... that Beingness is the only place from which our true creative potential can emerge.
So I thought I’d share with you some truth on this, because I reckon it’s really important for us all to challenge this idea that is reinforced in this culture, that keeps humans endlessly running on hamster wheels to nowhere.
The Danish Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard wrote:
“Far from idleness being the root of all evil, it is rather the only true good.”
This is something of a riddle for many who I share this with. How can idleness be good? I love that Kierkegaard cheekily challenges all the religious conditioning around idleness and productivity by using the words “the root of all evil”.
Not only is he helping us collapse all those delusions and stories around productivity as a measure of “goodness”… but he is also suggesting that being idle is the source of “goodness”.
For many, there is a strong resistance to idleness, to sitting in a forest doing nothing for an hour, for days spent doing nothing but feeling our bodies and listening to the birds. As technology increases and the information and narrative war ramps up in intensity… this resistance to space seems to increase also.
Learning to cultivate “intentional idleness” is a wise response to the onslaught of cultural conditioning that results in us feeling guilt or shame for simply Being. There is a stage in this process of “rewilding” ourselves and cleaning ourselves from the detritus of this sick culture where we must take radical action to re-learn how to simply be.
This probably has to involve intentional time and space where the “action of no action” is the focus. (Quick note, If you have not read the Tao Te Ching, consider this your invitation to enhance your life by absorbing its timeless wisdom).
There is a divine paradox when it comes to living in the flow of life that must be integrated if you are to deeply understand what I am saying.
Consider these words:
“The Way is ever without action, yet nothing is left undone.” [Tao Te Ching chapter 37]
“The highest virtue does nothing. Yet, nothing needs to be done. The lowest virtue does everything. Yet, much remains to be done.” [Tao Te Ching chapter 38]
“When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.” [Tao Te Ching chapter 48]
___________
Learning how to Be… this may well have to involve some intentional training, a 10 day silent meditation retreat, digital detoxes, vision quests and other radical moves to remove stimulus and fast from the familiar distractions. It may involve a phase of literally doing nothing. Because we have been so entrained to live in a way that prevents us from knowing the divinity, wisdom, intelligence and creativity that can only emerge when not in mental busy-ness.
This type of “divine idleness training” is useful to remember or rekindle this foundational state of living in pure presence, as a channel of life force energy.
Beingness is not inert…. Beingness is the place from which your true creative potential can only emerge. To be is to radiate love, to be a channel of divine intelligence. Being is wildly creative, expressive… and yes you could say productive.
Life force flowing through a human being is what has created all wonders of the world, the arts, the miracles of human innovation and artistry…. just as Beingness in nature is what has created rainforests and a wild diaspora of life on Earth.
When we do the “warrior training” required to channel life force, for source energy to flow through us we truly understand the action of no-action…. we dance in the divine paradox of effortless effort.
We create, we build, we innovate, we invent, we make, pray, sing, mix, combine, mould, shape and go to work… not from the desperate striving of our fear borne mind-identity-stories… but from the majesty of all creation.
I’ll close this little post with one of my favourite reminders of Lao Tsu and I invite you to really let this one sink in.
“Those who flow as life flows know they need no other force.”
Much love family… Im off on a retreat for a week, to sit with some teachers and to just be. Catch you in the astrals.
:: Jiro
p.s In 9 weeks I’m going to be in full new father mode. Before then is a sweet little window, where Im inviting 1 more human into my life, to work together, privately. If you are going through Metamorphosis… a shedding of layers, a death of old identities… and you want support to navigate this journey with full commitment depth and grace… feel into whether you want help from me. You’ll know.
The Action of No-action
Very good, Keep going! "George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950 said, people are always blaming their circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them." Source: Chapter 8 of T.A.G.R. OR "Life isn't finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. - George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950"
Beautiful thoughts beautifully written. Thankyou.