The Art Of Doing Nothing

The Japanese call non-doing “Boketto“.

the art of doing nothing
Italians call it “La dolce far niente“, – the sweetness of doing nothing.

the art of doing nothing
If there is any skill we should be honing during these long months of quarantine in this crazy, sputtering world, it is the art of doing nothing.

Make no mistake friends, non-doing is a skill AND an art.

We have become so accustomed to fast-paced, busy, rush-filled days and short, sleepless nights that we have not had the time or energy to indulge in the simple act of doing nothing.

Here’s how you do it:

do nothing

the art of doing nothing

That’s right. Don’t make plans (how can you anyway with COVID?)

Don’t make a to-do list.

Don’t feel you have to do anything except be comfortable, safe and at peace. Be it in your cozy bed, comfy couch, or out in nature, just sitting still.

the art of doing nothing

Just pause.  Just rest.  Just spend time in quiet.   Doing nothing.

the art of doing nothing

And here’s the tricky part of non-doing: do NOT feel guilty about doing nothing.

the art of doing nothing

View is as nourishment for your mind; rest for your muses, food for your soul.

the art of doing nothing

Sit in peace, solitude and silence and let the calm cover you over like warm water or quiet snow.

Close your eyes to the world – it can be too much sometimes – and rest in your cocoon.

the art of doing nothing

This isn’t meditating – that’s too much work. It’s just non-doing.

And not feeling an ounce of shame over doing nothing.

the art of doing nothing

 

 

*This moment of nothingness was brought to you by a professional social worker, trained in guided non-doing. Try this at home. It’s free.

 

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2 thoughts on “The Art Of Doing Nothing

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  1. I could totally get on board with this! But it’s true, we’ve gotten so used to doing things that we feel uncomfortable when we try to relax and do absolutely nothing.

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