Tonight's mission was simply to clear the space and clutter in my apartment. It was certainly not an easy one, and I found myself running out of garbage bags, to the point where I even told myself that I would need to do a second session of cleaning. Finally, I at last cleared a space, and resolved to work on clearing my desk later. I believe that this is a good start anyway. It also helped me a great deal that I was listening to Buddha's chant (Amitufuo) on my mp3 player, as this helped me to slow down my tendency to become anxious or overwhelmed when faced with such tasks as these.
Starting from 'zero' is such an important element to staying centered, and I wonder if this is not a kind of metaphor for the mind itself. Just as a room easily accumulates the clutter of the outside world, so the mind itself can hold any number of different, innumerable perspectives, much of which is deeply situated and relative. If I am not able to slow down enough to see what's in front of me and work step-by-step toward a single goal, it becomes hard to appreciate just being present. But the important thing in that piece is to know how to slow down and fully relax the mind.
Is it true that the mind has this already latent potential to relax? I believe so, but it is as though the thoughts are always ready to hijack this natural relaxation that is a kind of birthright of human beings. As soon as I resolve not to allow any thoughts or judgments really affect my equanimity, then I can contain as many thoughts as I wish, but I am not really bound to them emotionally or in any sense. Then it becomes much easier to pick up just one thing at a time, and not worry if it takes an eternity to finish the task.
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