:: Article 11

The other important thing that I want you to reflect upon is Boredom. This is a very common word that is used by most of us. Is it not? We are bored; so we drink. We are bored, so we watch a movie. We are bored. So we sleep. If we analyze our lives closely, a majority of our actions are performed only to escape this demon called boredom. Let us analyze this curious phenomenon.

When do we get Bored? A straight forward answer is that any activity performed mechanically without total involvement in the act itself leads to a state of boredom. Every thing that we do gradually becomes a habit with us. And any act that is performed out of habit patterns invariably leads to a sense of incompleteness. For example, a man starts drinking. The first few pegs relaxes him. He begins to enjoy a sense of peace and well being. Now, he knows that a drink can take him to a blissful state which normally he is unable to attain. So the next time, he begins the drink with this expectation. And the moment the end result becomes more important than the act itself it becomes a habit. By and by, the act loses its charm and it becomes mechanical. This is more glaring example. But if we reflect on our day to day activities, we will find this principle at work. Listen to this beautiful ZEN story.

Three young monks were walking alongside a hill. They were chatting amongst themselves. All of a sudden one of them noticed that there was a man standing at the top of the hill, apparently doing nothing. He was standing at the very edge of the hill with his hands locked behind him and looking down the valley. Now, the three monks became curious. What would a man be doing at the top at the hill at this time of the day?

The first monk said:” I am sure that the man up there is going to commit suicide because his lover has ditched him. Look at the way he is standing near the edge of the hill”.

The second monk rebuked: “No, No. I think he has lost his cattle in the valley and he is searching for them”.

The third monk interjected and said: “Both of you are wrong. He is a spy, who is signaling the approach of the enemy”.

After much debate, the three of them decided to climb up and ask the man himself. They slowly walked up the hill. The man was still unmoved. Finally they reached the top and confronted the man.

The youngest monk said:” Sir, Can we ask you the purpose of standing alone here? WE feel that you may be a forlorn lover grieving over his beloved or a spy plotting against us or a herdsman looking for his cattle. Pray tell us what are you doing here?

The Man turned around and smiled benignly at the monks and said: “Dear monks, I am merely standing”.

Any activity that we undertake should be done with total involvement. Any activity done in this manner will not become a habit for the simple reason that the end result becomes unimportant. I Japan, they have a function called the “TEA CEREMONY”. Very simply put, this entire function is nothing but drinking tea. But in Japan, they have transformed this simple act into a beautiful episode. From sitting down, making the tea, pouring it into a cup and drinking; the entire act is done with total attention and love.

When the Bhagavad-Gita says:” To action you have the right, but to the fruits thereof”. To me it means – Do every action completely and don’t let it become a bore.

Reflect on this.