Chapter One of "The Joy Diet" deals with nothing. The art and the practice of doing nothing for at least 15 minutes each day. Not as easy as it sounds given that we are a society that has been programmed to "do", to be on the move, to not be idle and to feel that "stopping" is tantamount to treason. A challenge it was to scope out my 15 minutes and do absolutely nothing. To embrace stillness and to think no thoughts, to keep my mind blank and not allow it to wander to things I needed to do, places I could be, etc.
Martha Beck, the author of "The Joy Diet" gives a number of examples as to how this can be accomplished. Armed with those ideas I barricaded myself in the shower. I knew this would be 15 minutes I would take each day and there would be no disturbances from the telephone, the computer or anyone needing me. It might not be at "exactly" the same time each day but it will be close enough.
It took some time but I did manage to sit for 15 minutes and think no thoughts. I sat on the floor of the bathtub, and let the water cascade over me. I opened my arms and my hands, I closed my eyes and visualized myself sitting in a pond, under a waterfall. The warm soothing water sluicing over my body relaxed me and as I concentrated on my breathing, I pictured waves in the pool, and birds flying quietly. Whenever a thought began to creep in, a bird would take it into its beak and fly away with it.
On another day as I sat in my sanctuary, I visualized a small but comfortable room with nothing but white fluffy cushions to sit on. I swept the room with a corn broom, and waved away the cobwebs. Each cobweb was a thought or a persistent image I did not want. A window opened, with sunlight streaming in, and a warm breeze blew the sheer curtains to sweep out all remaining thought.
Each time I did this I found my breathing slowed and my body became very still, but very relaxed. It was peaceful and I felt light and almost weightless.
The first day I put this into practice I didn't quite come up to the 15 minutes. I managed 10. My first instinct was to say "that's all I managed today, I'll get out now." But I didn't. I realized that I could stay there for the entire 15 minutes, even if I wasn't meditating or visualizing. It was my 15 minutes and I was going to squeeze out each one. Just thinking that brought me joy!
Adding this to my daily routine all week has given me insight and allowed me to be creative in how I can achieve this state of "nothing". With this chapter under my belt, I look forward to adding more joy to my diet. During the coming week we will work on "truth".
63 comments:
Wow. You are amazing. I love the imagery you used to keep you in nothingness. The sweet birds helping you, the pure whiteness of your cushions. Perfect ways to help yourself with the practice.
Do you think you will include 15 minutes of nothing in your world after you have finished the "Diet" ? I have been mediationg for a few months now and I have found that practice brings me so very much. Do you think that doing nothing is kind of the same ?
I wanted to join in the book reading but went to B&Noble yesterday and they didn't have the book in stock. I can order it or try a bookstore in another town today. I love Martha Beck and the idea of exploring the book with all of you sounds like a great way to go !
Truth, eh ? That sounds ominous..
Happy Play Day !
Beautiful collage. I found myself so much more peaceful this week. Amazing the difference a little nothing can make.
I'll be following along with you on your joy diet. When you shared it with us last week, I so wanted to join in. But I had just gotten my assignment to pray the hours and wasn't sure I could manage both. Your fifteen minutes a day sounds like a beautiful gift to yourself! Isn't it wonderful to learn nothing?
Have a wonderful weekend!
Pretty cool, I can appreciate how hard it is to do nothing. I often have trouble sleeping because I can't "turn my brain off" even when I lay down. I sometimes take a 20 minute "nap" just because that is when my brain seems most creative and I get up with a whole new list of things to do. Thinking of nothing is almost scarey to me!
i absolutely love your take on nothing. and yes, doing nothing in the bathtub is the perfect place to do it!
A bra as joy? *l* this is quite interesting!
The cobweb image is great! I have to try this too! :)
wonderful meditations, I may need to dust some cobwebs away as well
Sherry Lee: Beautiful images to create deep relaxation and cleansing in body/mind/spirit. Thanks for the example you provide. Loved your cornstalk broom!
I visualized as well. It seems to work best for me. I love your graphics!
Wonderful, Sherry. Loved all the images ... in the collage ... and you enjoying your 15 minutes of nothing. Isn't it wonderful!
(We have a busy morning. Picking up Rocky's ashes among other things. I'll have my *nothing* post up later today.)
Your visualization techniques and the bath are both great ways to relax and get in the zone. Your joy board is beautiful -- those little feet, I can smell them and feel the soft skin.
So very very sweet!
really love all the techniques you used to accomplish 15 minutes of nothing, especially the visualizaton of being under a waterfall and sweeping away the thoughts with your broom. This line of yours stuck me hard:
"that we are a society that has been programmed to "do", to be on the move, to not be idle and to feel that "stopping" is tantamount to treason"
Congratulations on integrating "nothing" into your life. You are ready to take on the world now! Woo-hoo!
Water seems to be a common theme in those quiet moments of breathing and being “elsewhere.” I don’t think I’ve ever managed 15 minutes, though. Perhaps I’ll try.
I always called those precious little feet “baby blocks” – they’re shaped like that. Wonderful to hold and kiss!
Why is it so hard for us to do nothing? Fifteen minutes doing other things fly by and yet, in doing nothing we are aware of every second. I think that's the point though. Great imagery here, Sherry.
i have a 2 year old, and his feet are really big for his age but they still have that charm you're talking about.
love all the soul work you do :D
Love your vision card. 2 year old feet are so very kissable!
How wonderful to be so creative with creating nothing!
Looking forward to the joyfull experience ahead.
Sherry Lee, you inspire me. I loved reading this and seeing your vision board. I did a vision board a long, long time ago that I set up by my treadmill. It was such a motivation for me. I think I need another vision board.
I also think I need to go in search of the Joy Diet book.
Oh, Sherry...you are so right. I am the one who never sits still (mind you I would fall asleep if I did). But it is SO needed. Stillness has got to be next to Godliness~right?
I love the collage.
The idea of 15 minutes in the shower is fabulous. I take my shower time seriously, but hadn't thought of using it as meditative time. I love it.
Wow, I can just imagine you in the bath, water running over you. Love the picture you paint.
I love your vision board...very peaceful. Rocking, swinging, and swaying are a great way to become mindless...think about the newborn you used to rock to sleep.
Hugs, Sherry Lee! Your words are wonderful, again and again. Thank you for taking us with you!!!
I love how you approached your practice of nothingness so imaginatively! How beautiful and inspiring to me!
Hi Sherry, thank you for kind & encouraging comment. The images your posted are lovely and it sounds like you had a successful experience with the nothing week. I really like the visualizing idea.
Wow, you make Nothing sound soooo blissful and seductive. I've got to get me some of that. ;-)
I love the idea of my Nothing in the shower. I never even considered that!
I also love how you allowed birds and brooms to clear out the thoughts that intrude into your Nothing time.
Oh, and I can't forget the gorgeous vision board! Love it!!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. See you next Friday when we delve into Truth!
The comment above (user 6p00...) is mine -- trying a more user-friendly identity so that you can attach a name and face to my comment.
I love the vision you paint with your words of your sanctuary. It seems like such a peaceful place to be.
Love your imagery and vision cards as a way to further your intention for experiencing the refreshing well of NOTHING! Looking forward to sharing the journey with you.
Love your joy vision board! 15 minutes of doing nothing sounds hard enough, but to keep your mind blank for the 15 minutes... now that is something I would really need to practice! I love how your birds would fly away with any thoughts that crept in!
great post today!!! I love baby feet too...there is something so sweet about them...used to kiss my boys' feet until the age of about ten, it's been all downhill since then!
Wonderful post- you go girl!
Permission permission permission -- I love that you made it to 10 minutes and then allowed for the other 5 even if you weren't meditating/visualizing. That was a huge thing for me -- to allow my time to be my time in whatever way it unfolded! Thanks much for sharing your visualization of the room, too... I can feeeel that space!
Miracles,
k-
I love the images on your vision board! Thanks for your visit today to my blog and leaving a comment!
Hi Sherry, Thanks for your encouraging words that the blogging will get easier. I, too, love the baby feet - they always make me want to coo and giggle. Your imagery was so wonderful - love the idea of the shower - hadn't come up with that one as part of my experiment but will try it this week.
It's great to have you as a companion here.
Your sanctuary sounds lovely - as is your vision card.
Thanks for sharing how you did nothing! Loved the images.
I really enjoyed your post. You did great at doing nothing. See ya next week. Thank for stopping by.
pure, pure joy!!:)
xo
What wonderful images you have used to keep you in your nothingness state - white cushions, corn broom, sweeping away the cobwebs. Marvelous! I also liked your collage very much, and it reminds me that I also created a collage just because it pleased me. In looking at it again, I realize now that all of the images in it were selected because they appealed to me - i.e. bring me joy. I have my image to post next week! Thanks for visiting my blog too! Much love -
I love your vision board, the pictures match so beautifully! And your visualisations are a real inspiration. Thank you for sharing!
I love your visualizations of the birds and broom to gently remove thoughts. What a lovely and poetic way to do nothing.
Your visions board is indeed delightful and joyous! :)
Hi Sherry! Loved your vision board, especially those feet! I was touched by your inclusion of a bra -- something I take for granted (and occasionally even resent), but that would have such a different meaning for you.
Your description of Nothingness in the shower was inspiring. I'll have to try it during my next shower. I love my everyday practice of sitting with stillness, but I'll have to try enjoying my shower in this new way.
You are an inspiration!
Your joy card is magnificent and a pleasure to the eye. I haven't made one yet, but have been inspired by yours to do so!
I could SO do your nothingness-in-the-tub exercise because I love water. I can't wait to read your post next week!
Hello Sherry,
You have created some beautiful cards, and i love the idea of visualising and bath time together, must give that a try.
Thanks for the inspiration! Angie :)
I love the visualizations you shared and it's given me ideas for similar ones I might do. Thanks!
I'm so inspired by your visualizations into nothingness. It looks beautiful there. Another thing of beauty is your collage. Clearly many reasons to be abundantly joyful. Take care and have a great week.
Lovely photos. The childs whiff of the flower and the look on her face are indicative of nothing and everything.
It's wonderful to share these thoughts with others. So much help to those who are struggling!
I love how you explained your experience of Nothing, and some of the techniques you used. I'll have to borrow some of those as my practice of Nothing continues along with the addition of Truth. Thank you for sharing those. ;)
Here's to even more joy in the coming week!
The shower!! What a great idea! You are absolutely adorable. Btw...my favorite season is fall and I loooove visiting your blog just to see the border of leaves! *hugs*
A wonderful post, Sherry-Lee! I enjoyed reading about your visualisation techniques and what a beautiful collage. Who can resist two year old feet...so cute ~ :)
The shower! That's one of my favorite places, too. In fact, in one of my posts I honor the "shower faerie" for bringing me such wonderful ideas (now if she'd just send a waterproof laptop ...).
I loved your descriptions of the birds carrying your thoughts away, and your description of sweeping out the cobwebs really resonated with me as we begin this week of Truth.
I'm adding you to my "follow" list. I'm so happy to have the opportunity to know you through this journey.
I tried to find the book, no luck. I will try again, tomorrow. Your doing nothing, sounds absolutely fab!
xox
I adore the beauty in your board. : )
oh yeah, these 15 minutes are ours. so they don't go perfectly into Nothing. We still may keep them, savor them, as gifts to ourselves.
thank you for that. :)
bright blessings!
I absolutely love the images that you used to describe you week of nothing. They are so enriched and full of life. Doing nothing really is a sacred time. It is so wonderful that it has become an excellent part of your daily routine.
I love how you claimed those 15 minutes for your own! That's quite powerful!
Your images of nothing - the water - AH!
And you are quite right there is nothing that says "JOY" quite like 2 yr old feet :)
Your vision card ia a work of art and full of life! I love the description of your nothing time. I remember a time on my life when the shower was the only alone place I had. I'd forgotten that until today. A beautiful experience! Thanks for sharing.
I really like the image you create with wiping away the cobwebs with the corn broom. I'm going to try that and see how it feels. thanks for visiting and saying hi! :)
oh what joy!
I love doing nothing.
I still feel guilty after however. Probably because of all the scolding I got as a child from my mom...."idle hands are the devil's workshop"...remember that one?
Sounds like a wonderful diet.lol!
Have fun creating.
What did you end up doing with the paint chips? Or is that another project?
Love the Vision Board you did!
You have a wonderful imagination for nothing. I loved reading this. You've just made me realize how absolutely incredible "nothing" can be! :) I loved the image of birds carrying away your thoughts. Oh, this is a gem of a post! :)
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