15/40

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The 77% Weekly
The 40/52-weeks-a-year,  quick-reading, thought-lingering, spiritual-religious newsletter.

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Not Do
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# 15 / 40 – May 2008

Not Do.                      

Stop!

Part of the human condition seems to be that we try to improve everything around us – that we are infrequently content with the realities of life.

We try to improve things… but why?

Often it’s because it makes us feel important and involved.

We needn’t do so much.

Really.

It’s important to take some time off the proverbial hamster wheel so that we can see life as it is – and so that we can get some perspective on the rat race we often find ourselves living.

There is a Zen term called WuWei which is applicable in this situation. It translates as non-striving. There is also a Jewish concept called Shabbat that translates similarly.

We need to not-do.

We need to rest so that we can get some perspective on our doing.

We need to take a break from/a time-out from our instinctive need to improve.

I’m making a challenge to myself this week to “not-do” for seven hours. (Just an hour a day…)

And I challenge you to make a similar commitment.

How you spend your not-doing time is up to you – it’s your spiritual-religious life after all. (If you’re stuck, here’s a web-link with some ideas)

For the love of God, stop!

 

With love,


Rabbi Brian

A web version of this article is available here.
This article was also posted at Street Prophets where it received a few comments.

The 77% Weekly


The 77% Weekly: The Religion-Outside-The-Box Newsletter
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77% Weekly Newsletter
77% Weekly Newsletter