Yesterday morning, after posting my daily quote and checking my email, I shut down my computer and covered all the clocks. Thus began a different kind of day of silence and solitude at the cottage, deeper and more present to the moment than anything I’ve experienced here before.
First of all, the email, or rather the lack of it. I loved it. Out of sight, out of mind, well… almost. And with that, out went some of the trivial chatter in my head as I realized that many of my little thoughts don’t really matter at all—all rather humbling. I also found that I could admit to myself that the people in my email and cyberspace world were out there leading their lives just fine without me—again, all rather humbling.
Living without a time clock was also rewarding and immensely liberating. My own mind/body/spirit clock told me when to think, nap, pray, read, eat, walk and do my jigsaw puzzle. It was definitely operating in the present moment. Then, when I thought it was 6 PM I checked, only to find that the time was closer to 5. Amazing how in an instant, I was back in linear time.
I’m going to live with my m/b/s clock whenever I can up here at the cottage. And, in a month, when this rental is over, I’ll try to plan some days in that same spirit at home. It won’t be easy but the challenge will be worth it.
First of all, the email, or rather the lack of it. I loved it. Out of sight, out of mind, well… almost. And with that, out went some of the trivial chatter in my head as I realized that many of my little thoughts don’t really matter at all—all rather humbling. I also found that I could admit to myself that the people in my email and cyberspace world were out there leading their lives just fine without me—again, all rather humbling.
Living without a time clock was also rewarding and immensely liberating. My own mind/body/spirit clock told me when to think, nap, pray, read, eat, walk and do my jigsaw puzzle. It was definitely operating in the present moment. Then, when I thought it was 6 PM I checked, only to find that the time was closer to 5. Amazing how in an instant, I was back in linear time.
I’m going to live with my m/b/s clock whenever I can up here at the cottage. And, in a month, when this rental is over, I’ll try to plan some days in that same spirit at home. It won’t be easy but the challenge will be worth it.