To-Do/To-Be

I wake up each morning with a list running through my mind of what needs to be accomplished in the day. I want to pay attention to this thinking and to accomplish all of the presenting tasks but then I say, "ssshhhh! Can't I just be for a moment?" This was one of my biggest obstacles during my time at the ashram. Given that we practiced meditation for at least an hour a day, one quickly got an idea of what sort of thoughts tend to swirl around, incessantly taunting the owner of the mind to 'do something' rather than 'just sitting there'. For me, this came in the form of ideas. I would plan what to write in an email, entire chapters of books I wanted to write, names of companies I wanted to start...grrreat! Why is it that when we are trying so hard to 'just be' that we (or I) can't stop thinking about what to 'do'? Well this is likely the biggest obstacle in yoga, in life. If one definition of yoga is the cessation of thought waves, then the mind that is constantly planning is quite the opposite.

This morning was no different. Sit quiet, the list starts. "Write a blog about this, email that person, run to the bank, pick up those forms." And then I think, "wait...here I am rattling off a list and I can't even write it down. So does this mean I will forget everything that is coming to me right now? Or can I trust that it's all 'in there' and that those reminders will come back into play once I'm not trying to sit and meditate or do my yoga asanas?" This can all make for a very short meditation or asana practice if the mind believes those tasks are more important that sitting quietly and stretching out.

I am figuring out that a sure sign of progress along the spiritual path is when one can brush off the 'To-Do' and replace with 'Just-Be' when appropriate. This certainly takes planning, organization, and faith that what needs to be done...will be done.

A strong mind knows To-Be is just as important as To-Do!

Om tat sat.