Based upon what we’ve individually achieved, it seems rather apparent that in order to accomplish anything, a certain amount of focus is required, i.e. time focused upon an activity, cycles of repetition, learning, training the subconscious in the direction of our goal, getting to the point of adeptness where your subconscious takes care of the details and, humorously, not as much conscious focus is required! Like walking.
However as my Tai Chi Teacher, David Cheng, said, “Whenever you do anything, do it with consciousness”. He gave the example, “When you’re driving, just drive.” as opposed to listening to the radio, talking or thinking about something else. Doing things with consciousness is being “the watcher”, watching yourself do what you’re doing, and watching the thoughts that pop in, recognizing thoughts that are guidance, and using that guidance to enhance your activities.
OK, so we have this faculty of awareness that we can focus to accomplish things. What do you want to focus on? What do you want? … As opposed to need. Need is another topic.
If we’re talking about what you want, we’re talking about a value system. What do you value? What is most important and what is less important. Your whole life rotates about what you give importance, and the beauty is that it’s configurable. If we give “spirituality” a high value, then “Divine Will” and being of service to All That Is become a focus. The Teachers say that Divine Will is, simply, that All That Is be enhanced. So as instruments of Divine Will, creative delegates, our job is to enhance our lives and the lives of others, thus enhancing All That Is. It’s doable by anyone and everyone in the moment, and on the big stage we call life. In fact, if all you do is appreciate and be kind to others, and appreciate life and all it has to offer, you will have added great value to the world.
A values system is the DNA of your life. I suggest that the most efficient and beneficial primary value for one’s lifetime is to enhance life itself — your life and the lives of others, from individual atoms and cells to the whole and beyond. This benefits you and the world. Let that be your primary mission and the primary criterion for your choices and actions. Then create and do things within that structure.
But for efficiency’s sake, take the shortest path to your goals. The Taoists say “Do by not doing”, i.e. use the minimum effort necessary to accomplish the task, or, at an esoteric level, create the environment where it manifests itself. The Evergreens talk about “protocol”, i.e. the necessary steps to accomplish something, and advise us to create a path minimizing those steps, by not assuming you have to go through a, b, and c to get to d, and by not imposing an expectation of difficulty in any of those steps. If you connect with your guides and trust in your moment-to-moment intuitive guidance, you can ride first class on a luxury jet from a to d rather than walk barefoot through the desert. The right doors will open at the right time and you’ll know to walk through. Similarly, the Hindu concept of Advaita Vedanta suggests that by putting your consciousness at the goal, you will be there. All good advice. Take the luxury jet. Be joyful and watch and listen. Make sense?
Seymour Lovejoy
