The Journey is the Destination
Today, more musings on questions recently asked. This time, I look at what we really do. Someone was asking, “Is there a goal to our playing?” Another way to look at it is, should we look towards an endpoint when we are playing?
This is an interesting question. In the modern world, we are brought up in an atmosphere of winning is everything. It seems all our activities have as their purpose, getting better grades, making more money, acquiring more things. But in our quest for all this, we have lost our direction and veered off the path. We are wandering around in the weeds of material gain, looking for a destination.
The important thing to realize when we play the Gongs/Bowls/Bells, is that there is no destination.
It's important to be in the moment, to be fully present when playing. Too often we can be sidetracked by thinking ahead, thinking about some imagined ending, or result. But by being so focused ahead, we miss the now. We miss what is going on around us in real time.
By being present in the now, we can enjoy the process, the unfolding of things. We are also not slaves to expectation, instead letting things exist at their own pace. When you are not in the present, you miss everything. You miss the beauty of the sound, the connection, the self in the moment. Don't deny yourself the pleasure of the present moment.
This is an interesting question. In the modern world, we are brought up in an atmosphere of winning is everything. It seems all our activities have as their purpose, getting better grades, making more money, acquiring more things. But in our quest for all this, we have lost our direction and veered off the path. We are wandering around in the weeds of material gain, looking for a destination.
The important thing to realize when we play the Gongs/Bowls/Bells, is that there is no destination.
The journey itself is the destination.
It's important to be in the moment, to be fully present when playing. Too often we can be sidetracked by thinking ahead, thinking about some imagined ending, or result. But by being so focused ahead, we miss the now. We miss what is going on around us in real time.
When seeing, just see; when hearing, just hear; when knowing, just know; and when thinking, just think. (Udana 1.10) The Buddha
By being present in the now, we can enjoy the process, the unfolding of things. We are also not slaves to expectation, instead letting things exist at their own pace. When you are not in the present, you miss everything. You miss the beauty of the sound, the connection, the self in the moment. Don't deny yourself the pleasure of the present moment.
Be here now - Ram Dass
~ MB
Chop Wood / Carry Water / Play Gongs™
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