For all the bonuses autumn brings, the season also ushers in one seemingly interminable chore: raking. But where many see drudgery, Buddhism sees an opportunity for cultivating calm. “When we apply a ‘beginner’s mind’ to repetitive chores, we learn to avoid getting caught in distraction or constantly seeking new stimulation,” says Sharon Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Massachusetts. Also known as “meditation in action,” the Zen approach helps you hone your attention on the present moment while you get a chore done–in this case, rounding up fallen leaves, As you make your piles, focus only on the action of raking; when you feel your mind wandering, says Salzberg, concentrate on your breath or the feel of the rake to recenter yourself.
Source: body+soul, October 2007
Filed under: whole living
