Originally Posted by brozen
Do things because you enjoy the process of doing, just as you may think because you enjoy the process of thought.
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Do and enjoy along with think and enjoy; the enjoyment coming in both cases from the process. A profound and quite stimulating assesment of a way to be on the path. But what is enjoyment and what is process? And how does this relate to apathy and contentment?
First on doing and thinking.
Both revolve around mindfulness. Mindfulness is the deep awareness, knowing and present sensation of the five senses and thought. Actually thought is also a sensation. Sensation is the contact of the senses and thought to the consciousness of the mind. The contact of light waves is collected by the retina and touches the mind. Sound sensation is air vibration contacting the ear drum and touching the mind. Touch, smell, taste and thought in the same manner touches the mind. Mindfulness is the consciousness of all of these.
We tend to focus primarily on refined thought and a tendency to discount the other five. Mindfulness allows more of a balance to be observed. With more balance and mindfulness the pushes and pulls of the ego (which by using thought acts as the play by play commentator, critic and judge) are diminished and the natural state of enjoyment comes to the surface. So enjoyment is the natural sensation that we become conscious of when it is not overshadowed by the whims of the ego.
Process is the actual moment by moment actions that we are doing. In writing part of the process is to press down on each key and watch the letters appear on the screen forming into words and hopefully coherent sentences. The process of creating thoughts and analogies and words with differing shades of meaning involves mindfulness and attention to each detail. In making my breakfast the process involves placing steel cut oats in a pan with water and heating it. To do either mindfully, creatively, with attention as if for the first time with attention to the process of the doing, contains natural enjoyment. Hence the process of what we do, and the process of what we think, contains enjoyment.
You might compare this to refined sugar. Although most natural fruits and vegetables contain sugar we have a tendency to take the sugar out of these foods and refine it into a "purer" form. We are trying to extract the sweetness and take it in all at one time. We do get a quick jolt of "sweetness" but it disipates as rapidly. Included in this rapid loss of "sweetness" is a gap, a void in which we lose contact with mindfulness and sometimes opens up into apathy. We become disconnected from the natural sweetness of enjoyment and enthusiasm. Allowing the natural sweetness to be found and enjoyed in each food has a longer lasting benefit without the rocky road (no pun intended) and detour of apathy.
In art there is a tendency to do the same thing. We tend to look for the best of the best in pictures, movies, books etc and overlook the natural beauty that exists in many or all other places.
As more mindfulness ensues a greater ability develops to see and feel the "sweetness" or beauty in more and more of the things we do or the thoughts we have or those of others. Like riding a carosel that revolves around a central axis it does not matter how far out you are standing you are always connected to that central core. In addition with more mindfulness you may move closer to the core and help create a wider path that others may be able to follow along.
By staying within the guidelines of the precepts of not harming anyone or anything while holding the intention of enjoyment the road of contentment or apathy can be steered through. A lofty goal to have along with an enjoyable path to be traveling on.
Michael
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