Nothing has puzzled me like Zen. I've grabbed every title i can lay my hands on. Yet it eludes me. Yes, i know. Zen cant be explained, taught but still you buy. The problem is that its radically simple for the complex nuts that we have become. The tools of comprehension you've sharpened over the years are the bottlenecks. Well, let's save Zen for another blog.
Infact, I have come to realize that Zen reveals itself more through simple 'mindless' daily chores than books. Though, I still buy :)
Ironing!
Next time you need to iron your shirt or anything for that matter, save enough time for it. You must'nt rush through it thinking about the ppt you need to dash off soon after or how good you gonna look in that attire once done. No. If you use to iron your shirt in 5 mts, i would recommend 20. Yes. 20 mts.
Observe the shirt for a moment. Lay it down gently on the table. Run you palm over it slowly as you caress and smoothen the fabric.
Go through your routine style (it's different for each one of us) but when you apply, be deliberately slow and gentle. Take time to observe what you were doing till now unconciously. Never apply pressure like rushing it in one stroke. Let it glide like a yacht on those curly waves on hot summmer lake. You caress. You observe the waves destroyed as the iron leaves behind a spanking neat trail. Feel the warmth with your palm. Observe and feel as you play out the style you have mastered. Observe closer and closer. Leaving no room for the mind to flutter. This physical involvement gets involved, then it goes deeper. All your sensory inlets gets fully loaded. Eyes keenly following the iron and enjoying the order being created from the chaos of wrinkles. Your hands should feel the heat, touching, caressing. The ears should pick up the russle of the fabric and the steam. Nose should sense the fragrance of the hot fabric. The physical act becomes totally integrated and indulgent. There is no duality anymore. Like the iron and you, the artist. They have fused into one. You become the very 'act'(i.e. ironing)in fact. Completely engrossed. It becomes an art and the experience cannot be measured in time because there is no observer. No one keeping time. There is no mind here. It's only because you have an external clock, you end up realizing you 'lost' 20 mts. But when every action becomes an art and you are lost in it like children. There is no self. There is no time or space.
I know it is difficult. The only thing we know close enough is sex. Sex is poor man's zen. Have you wondered why sex is so fascinating ? Hmmm. Because you are able to lose yourself completely in it. Have you noticed your mind is not there at all. You dont think abt that ppt anymore when you are in the act. Because it's so physical. It's so ancient, so carnal, yet, so scared an experience that we inherited from our forefathers, that anyone can attain it by losing himself. And it's absolute joy. Thats precisely what it is when the yogis talk about enlightment (well that's in another dimension) but this is the best,lesser mortals like us, can afford. So we play back it again and again. Though it pales, it's never lost.
I hope you see it, it is not just ironing. When any simple action is performed with full attention. I don't mean concentration here. That's like making your mind think about one thing only. I meant keeping it completely open. Observing everything though your five senses. You live in the present. Every action becomes an art. A pleasurable experience. And more importantly each time it is a new experience.
The problem is that once we learnt to iron. We develop and leave it as a programmed reflex. It's now executed in the background while your mind starts to multiplex your favourite past time. Jumping from one worry to another. Suddenly everything is a labour. And Ironing becomes a routine where there is nothing new to be observed or learnt.
The secret is in remaining a child. Refusing to learn. Cut out the mind. Feel your body and iron with it. Not just your hands and mind alone.
Feel it. Taste it. Indulge. Thats the Zen of Ironing.
When you do all that you do, like this. You have attained Zen. That's what i think.
Infact, I have come to realize that Zen reveals itself more through simple 'mindless' daily chores than books. Though, I still buy :)
Ironing!
Next time you need to iron your shirt or anything for that matter, save enough time for it. You must'nt rush through it thinking about the ppt you need to dash off soon after or how good you gonna look in that attire once done. No. If you use to iron your shirt in 5 mts, i would recommend 20. Yes. 20 mts.
Observe the shirt for a moment. Lay it down gently on the table. Run you palm over it slowly as you caress and smoothen the fabric.
Go through your routine style (it's different for each one of us) but when you apply, be deliberately slow and gentle. Take time to observe what you were doing till now unconciously. Never apply pressure like rushing it in one stroke. Let it glide like a yacht on those curly waves on hot summmer lake. You caress. You observe the waves destroyed as the iron leaves behind a spanking neat trail. Feel the warmth with your palm. Observe and feel as you play out the style you have mastered. Observe closer and closer. Leaving no room for the mind to flutter. This physical involvement gets involved, then it goes deeper. All your sensory inlets gets fully loaded. Eyes keenly following the iron and enjoying the order being created from the chaos of wrinkles. Your hands should feel the heat, touching, caressing. The ears should pick up the russle of the fabric and the steam. Nose should sense the fragrance of the hot fabric. The physical act becomes totally integrated and indulgent. There is no duality anymore. Like the iron and you, the artist. They have fused into one. You become the very 'act'(i.e. ironing)in fact. Completely engrossed. It becomes an art and the experience cannot be measured in time because there is no observer. No one keeping time. There is no mind here. It's only because you have an external clock, you end up realizing you 'lost' 20 mts. But when every action becomes an art and you are lost in it like children. There is no self. There is no time or space.
I know it is difficult. The only thing we know close enough is sex. Sex is poor man's zen. Have you wondered why sex is so fascinating ? Hmmm. Because you are able to lose yourself completely in it. Have you noticed your mind is not there at all. You dont think abt that ppt anymore when you are in the act. Because it's so physical. It's so ancient, so carnal, yet, so scared an experience that we inherited from our forefathers, that anyone can attain it by losing himself. And it's absolute joy. Thats precisely what it is when the yogis talk about enlightment (well that's in another dimension) but this is the best,lesser mortals like us, can afford. So we play back it again and again. Though it pales, it's never lost.
I hope you see it, it is not just ironing. When any simple action is performed with full attention. I don't mean concentration here. That's like making your mind think about one thing only. I meant keeping it completely open. Observing everything though your five senses. You live in the present. Every action becomes an art. A pleasurable experience. And more importantly each time it is a new experience.
The problem is that once we learnt to iron. We develop and leave it as a programmed reflex. It's now executed in the background while your mind starts to multiplex your favourite past time. Jumping from one worry to another. Suddenly everything is a labour. And Ironing becomes a routine where there is nothing new to be observed or learnt.
The secret is in remaining a child. Refusing to learn. Cut out the mind. Feel your body and iron with it. Not just your hands and mind alone.
Feel it. Taste it. Indulge. Thats the Zen of Ironing.
When you do all that you do, like this. You have attained Zen. That's what i think.
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