“Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” Zen proverb

I‘ve been talking about these non-steps that move us, in a mysteriously non-linear way, towards expanding our awareness. How meditation and mindfulness create a spaciousness within that transforms our inner and outer worlds and the way in which we respond to them. They form the basis of how we gain understanding of our self, our world, and those around us. It takes a bit of practice doing these non-doing non-steps, in order to create a more complete sense of who we are. After all we are not just errand girls (or boys), doing and consuming all the time. There is so much more to life, it’s important to incorporate these non-doing moments that open our interior world up to us. We can become so focused outwards we don’t even notice what’s happening within ourselves. Meditation and mindfulness gives us some well deserved and much needed attention to the inside, to the essence of who we are.

This third non-step is something we need in everything else we do. It’s discipline. It’s a non-doing element that let’s us do everything. What we choose to do tells the tale of the life we live. Discipline keeps us coming back for more even when we’re tired, or don’t feel like it, or would rather sleep. Discipline is what keeps us on track. It’s a reboot, the foot on the gas. Discipline is what helps us focus on these ephemeral steps that bring peace and fullness to our life.

I’ve been talking about some techniques that can cultivate a deeper awareness of ourselves, our life, and how it interrelates to others. I call it enlightenment in the title, which is a term practically impossible to wrap our brains around. After all what does that really mean? We see all, know all. I think if you read the lives of mystics it has more to do with really being plugged into life. It’s about having the capability of being fully present and really participating in life and all it’s aspects, as they present themselves to us moment to moment. These non-steps cultivate being fully present, instead of just letting life slip by. It helps us face the difficult questions head on and with tenacity. Discipline is how we find out what we’re made of, how we dig deeper, and how we find authentic meaning in our lives.

It’s a secret ingredient. Discipline is the difference between getting things done or sleeping though life. If we don’t have it at all the other tools won’t matter much because they will just sit there gathering dust. There are a million ways to waste out time, and our life. The path to deeper meaning is narrow and twisty, we have to have the courage and determination to stay with it. This is where discipline is absolutely our greatest asset. But again it is ephemeral, how do we nail it down, what is the choice we need to make, the state of mind we need to have, to get us motivated to see it through?

I don’t know.

But, I’m willing to find out. 

Perhaps it begins with the willingness and curiosity to discover something new. Then we add the passion we have to grow and expand our thinking, to cultivate deep peace, or to live for something more. Walking this path has its rewards, cultivating that expansion and understanding breathes life into us. Discipline helps us expand the limits of what we think we know. It helps us do our  real job, the job of finding our soul.

We have dreams that need to be realized, and choices to make that will define our lives.

How much determination do you have to discover what lies hidden within?

kb