Wednesday, February 9, 2022
The practice of non-distraction has an inherent peacefulness to it. Many call it being in the zone or being in flow. Musicians, dancers, and athletes speak of this mysterious zone in which mind and body merge with the concentrated effort of the experience itself. This kind of focused concentration is saturated. It’s saturated in pure awareness, uncontaminated by thoughts or distractions. Do you make time to saturate yourself in awareness, or do you flit about from one thing to the next, pick up the phone obsessively, and say and think whatever pops into your mind? The more scattered your concentration, the more pointless your life is. However a life with a point has a sharper focus and an undivided attention. In an undivided attention, you learn that existence can take care of itself without your obsessive thinking, worrying, and controlling. All of that “thinking” is a distraction to the peace of a sustained concentration.
You can pay close attention to every single thing that you do, and you can get them done quickly and precisely. You can also get them done with peace. You’ll find that your concentration can help you be more efficient and creative, and it will leave space to be funny, complimentary, and joyful. Focus will leave time for leisure, for planning a get together, or to become inspired to do something creative.
There is a point to your life. What you see as pointless is just a fragmented and distracted level of concentration. Sharpen your focus and you will deepen your experience. Deepen your experience and you’ll see what the point of life is. It’s to fuse directly with reality so there is no room for distraction. The point of your life will get clearer and clearer as you practice daily, non-distracted focus. But above all, you’ll notice an inner pleasantness that permeates your life in ways that will make others wonder how you could ever be so happy and well-adjusted.