Art of Doing NO Thing

 

  

Rest and laughter are the most 

spiritual and subversive acts of all.    

Laugh, rest, slow down.

                             

 -  Anne Lamott, Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith

I've spent years perfecting the Art of Doing No Thing - one of the most difficult things I've ever had to learn to be.

First, I thought doing no thing was taking a day off work and lounging around the house - watching TV, reading a book, catching up on household chores.... I realized I was still doing something.   

I incorporated napping into my schedule.  I would lay there on my bed and while my body was at rest, my mind was running thousands of miles an hour.  Feeling guilty for all the things I should be doing. Not giving myself permission to just be.

I incorporated guided meditations during naptime - listening to someone's voice take me on a journey of the inner recesses of my mind - focusing on a mantra and tuning into the musical soundwaves.  Gradually, my mind slowed down.  Emptied out a little bit.  I realized that I didn't need to sleep.  I just needed to be still.

My dog encouraged me to go outside.  We would sit on the grass doing no thing - listening to the wind blow.  Feet naked in the ground - watching the tree branches sway.  When thoughts would come up, I would watch them and bid them peace and farewell.  Taking a deep breath and focusing on my environment - the luscious grass, the cool earth, the trees providing me with shade.

Laying back on the ground, watching the clouds dance.  Turning over on my stomach, observing the ants marching up and down grass stalks. A whole ecosystem below me - holding me up and providing me comfort.  Connecting my nature to Mother Nature.  It felt so peaceful and energizing.

I realized that slowing down and resting gave me more energy and stamina when I shifted into being a human doing again.

I began to seek other ways to find this delicious peace of resting - this pleasureful sensation of feeling loose and present in my body - relaxed yet aware.

I found it in laughter.   When I have a good laugh, it's like I shaHAhake all my cells up and down.  Everything jiggle and joggles and gets moved about.   A delicious chaHAhaos of breath erupts resulting in peace and pandemonium within.   

In the beginning, to have a good laugh laugh, I watched funny movies or listened to a comedian.  While that helped, it kept my mind going with all sorts of stimuli.   Laughter Yoga - laughing for no reason - brought me the stillness of mind I was seeking.  Engaging my body to function in a way that was pleasure-full to my soul. Creating a sensation of mirth within that would overflow outside of me and make a wonderful sound.

We live in a culture where we are taught to do, do, do - rest is seen as being lazy.  We live in a world of seriousness and stress.  Laughter is not the norm.  Both of these birthrights - Rest and Laughter - taken away as we grow up to fit into our society.

Yet - we seek it.  We crave it.   The pleasure of stillness - of being, resting, laughing.  When we hear it and experience it, it lightens up our soul.   Yes, Anne Lamott, I am a subversive, a pleasure Revolutionary to my core.   Woohoo!!!

OUR STORY - PATIENCE

I love praying and setting my intention for what I desire in my life.  Last week's JOY prayer was a powerful request to the Universe to amp up the volume and make me an instrument of shahaharing.    Which makes me a A LOVECat as defined by Tim Sanders, a people-centric business expert.

What is a LOVECat?  A person who shahahares their INtangibles - knowledge, network and compassion.   By shahaharing my joy this week, my energy level increases.  My stress diminishes.  My body relaxs and I feel peaceFULL.  I shahahare what I know  - I contribute what makes me hahahappy - I cheer what brings joy. I am I am a LOVECat.

Today, as I celebrate Loverboy's birthday, I feel blessed to be his wife and part of his life.  I feel blessed for this computer which allows me the freedom to express myself and the electricity that runs this device and the wires that connect me to friends and family all over the world.

This week I pray for PATIENCE with myself.  This week I pray for PATIENCE with my process as I shift from what I do to who I be.  

Last week I prayed for JOY and what I got was a week full of opportunities to be joyFULL.  Monday morning, I visited with my SoulMama and practiced yoga.  I got a Thai Massage (also known as yoga for lazy people) by MamaGoddess Kan. To perfect the trifecta of women, I met SisterGoddess Barbara for a swim and laugh in the ocean.  I got to stretch and laugh and hug some OMazing women.

On Tuesday,  I laughed under the trees with Loverboy and his father and some Wild Succulent Men who held the space sacred for the HAHA.   Blessed to be in the presence of my OMazing trainer DonnaMadonna, I worked out twice.  I kicked, I punched, I crunched, I danced.  I sweat out my toxins and felt my cells jump for joy.  I connected with two OMazing healers via telephone  Brother from Another Mother Ubi and SisterGoddess Mary(my fertility coach) helped me clear my thoughts and focus on my path.  I laughed, I cried and I sweat with some OMazing peeps.

On Wednesday, I spent time in the park under trees with GingerMama.  I hugged my laughing peeps and then whisked myself and SisterCroneGoddess Margo to the FontaineBleau for some pleasure research.  I laughed, I hugged and I relaxed in OMazing company.

On Thursday, GingerMama and I walked 5 miles in the early morning.  We laughed with our peeps by the ocean and came home just in time for a fabulous sunset walk with the GingerMama. In the presence of dog/God energy and laughter - what a day!!!

On Friday, it was time with my Sisters of Light as we prepared and created sacred space and an agenda for our Goddess Circle.  A dip in the ocean and a nap and a sing along at my neighbor's to prep me for date night with LoverBoy.  Singing and dancing with my Sisters and my Elders and in the Sea.

Saturday Gentle Yoga with SisterGoddess Yolanda and a drive to Coconut Grove with LoverBoy for some raw food goodies.  Birthday dinner for LoverBoy with his parents.   What a gentle loving day with OMazing Goddesses and family.

Sunday swim at the ocean with SisterGoddess Camille and SisterGoddess Barbara, produce shopping at the Farmer's Market, Dance Church with SisterCroneGoddess Margo, and then a Goddess Circle with SisterGoddess Zayna and SisterGoddess Carole and 12 other SisterGoddesses - woohoo.

This is my life.  It is simple and delicious.  Exercise, fun, beach, nap, girlfriends and family.  Yum.   I am so grateful for these opportunities to play and heal my body.  I am so grateful for all the hands that touch me or ears that hear me.  I am so grateful for LoverBoy and our families.  I am so grateful for the women in my life who help me love me more.  The deeper I delve into my gratitude, the more I receive. 

I ask.  It arrives.  I set forth an intention.  I create a reality.

All these opportunities to connect and be and play and appreciate what is my reality - this Heaven on Earth right here right now.

Meditating with Oprah and Deepak, I feel this need for PATIENCE.  The Universe is asking me to take a gentle PAUSE.  To GO SLOW.  To BREATHE and LEAN INTO my life.  Feel more.  Be more.  Do less.   Take the time to do the things I do well and master what I do. That is how I have excelled at my marriage, 16 years of love and laughter with LoverBoy.  

PATIENCE is also about seeing the big picture.  It is not all ways apparent - in fact, sometimes we only get what we need to proceed and take a baby step forward.  More is revealed as we put in the time and effort to ease in.

This week, I pray we have the PATIENCE- an expectant gratitude for what is about to be.

I pray we have the PATIENCE to explore our lives with compassion -  blessing our hahahabits and behaviors for getting us where we are right now.

I pray we have the PATIENCE to celebrate who we have BEcome.

I pray we have the PATIENCE to laugh at our lives and takes ourselves lightly and enjoy the process.

Because it's all about the Bass....