Applications of Il Dolce far Niente!

….contd……

“I had practiced IDFN in my tea-drinking act” started Neha “I just love tea and so thought it right act to practice it. For first few days, I drank tea as usual. Nothing happened. After weeks of ‘mindful practice’ I realized on day that I was relishing tea with every cell of my body and through every pore of my being. I can’t explain that state but it felt wonderful. It was as if I didn’t exist. And yet I had never felt more alive than this – ever! I was not there and yet was there in my totality. Weird paradox! I can’t explain how’s and why’s of that

experience but can tell one thing for sure – that I experienced that because of repeated practice. Yes, I now understand the actual need to practice something repeatedly. Initially, in most cases it is to learn it to perfection but later it is to lose ourselves in that act. Yes. Be it hands-on, meditation, dance, singing etc the purpose ultimately to lose ourselves in losing ourselves to gain ourselves completely. Incidentally this also applies to mundane routine acts of cooking, cleaning, driving, bathing etc. So, I started doing everything ‘mindfully’ as much as possible. I didn’t get that experience again but I know I need to keep working on myself to get there!

Trust me practice ‘mindfulness’ in every act – be it as simple as talking over phone, walking, cooking, eating or anything. Explore this possibility to unleash the treasure-trove of experiences and understanding” she sat down a bit emotional.

Most of us didn’t get what she was trying to tell but yes understood one thing, that she wanted us to be ‘mindful’ through all our actions. Our Guruji had talked about this so many times and pushed us in so many ways to practice it but we being we, found it really boring.

...contd.....