Many years ago, a spiritual teacher gave me what seemed like a simple assignment: Do nothing for five minutes a
day.
That’s it. Do nothing.
It was the most difficult assignment I’ve ever had.
It didn’t mean to meditate or look at the flowers in the garden or count my breaths or take a nap or strategize about what color I’d paint the bedroom. It certainly didn’t mean planning what I would wear to lunch with friends next week or bemoaning the profusion of weeds in the garden.
It also didn’t mean to complain to myself how difficult it is to do nothing.
It is unbelievably difficult to do nothing. Try it. Go ahead. Stop reading for a moment and try for five minutes of nothing.
My mind that bounces from one thing to another with astonishing speed. I call it my “monkey mind.” I‘m guessing many of you experience the same thing. Even trying to focus on one thing for five minutes is a huge challenge for me.
I’ve been a persistent but more or less unsuccessful meditator for years. Yes, I’ve tried counting breaths, staring at candles, putting all my attention on my hands or the tip of my nose.
Then my meditation teacher recommended something so simple it finally sank into my monkey mind and coconut hard head: Stop beating yourself up over your lack of ability to focus on one thing. Or nothing, in my case. Just carry on.
Instead, just accept the interruption and move on. Stop beating yourself up for completely human failings. What a profound realization!
Somehow my struggle to get focused disappeared as I became focused on nothing. Of course, my monkey mind jumped right in and disrupted the nothingness by indulging in a self-congratulatory distraction. LOL
Literally LOL. I just laughed at myself and went on with my quiet time rather than divert myself farther with a stream of self-criticism. Nevertheless, I was able to Do Nothing for at least a couple of minutes.
Over time, the monkey mind chatter slows down. Does it ever completely stop? Probably not, at least not in my experience.
I have to admit that now, decades later, my teacher’s instruction to Do Nothing for five minutes a day still remains a challenge. It helps if I sit outside and close my eyes and take a little break and maybe feel the sun on my face.
It’s probably the best self-care I can do, regardless of how successful I am, in these turbulent times.
I urge you to give it a try.
As always, I love to hear your experiences!
