Mony a mickle

There could be a story today. It could be about not having produced a story for several days. I am easily distracted. I have not been practicing. So what have I been doing?

I have been engaging with other people’s agendas. Three photoshoots, two community group exhibitions, one wedding reception, and no weekly meeting with the sangha. That is not everything that has happened in the three days since I last wrote - but it gives a flavor.

The larger point is that social ‘stuff’ sucks me into roadside attractions and I lose sight of the spiritual path. I can thus appreciate why people hie themselves to monasteries and nunneries. If the goal is to turn the mind around then there is need to stay focused. It is a simple timetabling issue. You cannot afford to spend too much time with distractions. But how much time is too much?

There are options ranging from a strict and ferocious monastic closeting at one end to a more casual, laisse faire, on-demand system at the other end. Circumstances dictate that most people are at the casual end of the spectrum.

But there is a middle way. Mindfulness is the key - with the image of many types of bell calling you back to your true home. Be aware of events - brushing your teeth, evacuating your bladder, washing the dishes. Pause mindfully before - logging into your email, picking up the phone, starting the car. Ten seconds of awareness is better than none at all.

As well as continuous cushion time there are sporadic moments of everyday Zen. And every moment counts. As they say in the Doric, ‘Mony a mickle maks a muckle’.