All of men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone
Blaise Pascal
Many of us will do just about anything to avoid a state of boredom. Alone in an empty room staring into the ceiling and doing nothing but examining our thoughts seems dreadful. Faced with this situation we quickly turn to our mobile phones scrolling aimlessly, browse the internet or watch television.
Any distraction will suffice to avoid boredom.
We pride ourselves on outward achievement, on constantly having something to do. Consequently, being busy has become a status symbol in our culture. It demonstrates to others that you are important and have achieved some level of success.
However, not all cultures think of this matter with the same perspective. Eastern philosophies emphasize the importance of introspection and stillness. The practice of meditation asks us to sit alone with the contents of our mind and thoroughly examine them. In doing so, we can watch what emerges.
Are we acting on our impulses?
Are we processing our emotions?
Are we thinking through our actions and goals?
The answer is not retreating from society in a Buddhist monastery, but rather incorporating the practice of stillness in our day to day lives. To be frank, not everything is as urgent as we think. We don’t have to respond to many of our text messages or social media notifications immediately. Things can wait.
Modern day society constantly fills our minds with information 24/7, and it is unsustainable to think we can consume it all.
So today, spend some time with nothing but your you and your mind – in stillness.
There is a crack in everything , that’s how the light gets in
Leonard Cohen
Beyond the tides of cynicism and depths of despair
Past the grim ramblings of the evening news
Therin lies a possibility, an opportunity for hope
It comes to you like waves passing by
Like clouds parting, making way for the crisp blue sky
Illusive and temporary, a light shines forth from above
It arrives in many forms, an invitation, a sign which gently awaits
Hope - the spontaneous ecstatic laughter of a child
Hope - the wonder and awe evoked from gazing into the seemingly infinte cosmos
Hope - the beauty of the morning sun radiating through the blossoming trees in the spring
Subtle glimpses of transcendance
Hints of the sublime
Unveiling the divine
All point towards new paths and emergent possibilities
As new horizons dawn upon us
Hope arises
It is through the gaps, that light shines through
Light shines through
I am going to start recording some of my poetry to accompany the text with audio. Here is the audio version of this poem on Spotify.
