Many people have heard of David Allen and his book and teachings “The Art of Getting Things Done”. Allen writes about productivity and work. He writes about the opposite of the state of not needing to do anything.
As we read Allen’s book, even though he has a whole system of ways to organize and guide our activities where apparently we’re interested in “getting things done”, ultimately the core of it all points back once again to a central place where there is no stress.
The way to get a grip on the piles of things you have on your to-do list, and get meaningful things done with minimal effort, is to work with the mind.
“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything“–Shunryu Suzuki (renowned for opening the first Buddhist monastery outside Asia and writing the popular book on zen practice Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind).
When I read David Allen’s book several years ago, it’s the first time I heard the term “mind like water”.
Water just goes where it goes, always down, or to the most natural easy place. It just runs that way. Mind can be like water, knowing there is a naturally easiest flow to any activity. Especially if I’m not holding the thought that it should go up THAT way, which is uphill.
Byron Katie speaks about the fear some people have when they start to question their thinking, that if I really “love what is” then I will lie down on the floor and let people walk over me, doing nothing.
But I love discovering that doing The Work actually creates more energy, action, joy, and creativity than I ever had before. Action comes. Getting things done is something that happens.
The more mind is like water, after questioning beliefs, the more I find that these things I want done, they are all fun to do. No procrastinating or waiting because I believe they will be hard, boring, or stupid.
And I also don’t have to worry about being a doormat or a lazy slug or never achieving anything of value or not accomplishing anything…..it turns out that after I question my thinking, action just happens.
Roshi Bernie Glassman, another interesting zen buddhist, talks about seeing himself take action, get involved with projects and change. He says it’s natural to take action. “If my hand is bleeding, I can’t sit around watching it just bleed and say, ‘I don’t know what the hell to do.’ If your hand is bleeding, you’re going to do something about it.”
I love Katie’s story of hearing a voice which said “brush your teeth”. That’s it. Nothing big, fancy, amazing. It didn’t say “get everything done that you could ever imagine doing”. It was just one thing, then another. Right and perfect timing for it all.
“Act without doing; work without effort. Think of the small as large and the few as many. Confront the difficult while it is still easy; accomplish the great task by a series of small acts. The Master never reaches for the great; thus she achieves greatness. When she runs into a difficulty, she stops and gives herself to it. She doesn’t cling to her own comfort; thus problems are no problem for her.”—Tao te Ching #63
All those things on your to-do list, what would they all look like to you if your main job was to relax with the list, do the one on top, not worry, empty your mind of the beliefs about what will happen if they aren’t done.
Question the thoughts like “it’s too much”, “I’ll never get there”, “I don’t have enough time”, “I hate doing that”, “I would be happier if…..”
With love, Grace