You're In A Process

Back in college, I lived with some guys in a pretty filthy “dude house.” The kitchen had a dim, brownish light that barely illuminated the corners. I figured the bulb was weak — maybe 35 watts at best. But when I finally climbed up to change it, I saw it was actually 100 watts, just caked with years of grime. After a good scrub, the whole room lit up, revealing everything that had been there all along, for better and worse.

The Buddha said that the human mind is luminous. Each of us has an innate wisdom, a natural knowing of where happiness is found. But our lights get covered over by craving, comparison, and self-doubt. We say, “I don’t know what I want. I don’t know what to do,” as if we were 35-watt bulbs, too dim to see things clearly. But deep down, we do know. It’s only the analyzing and overthinking that block our shine.

As a meditation teacher, I often wonder why so many people talk about the benefits of meditation, yet so few actually meditate. I think it’s because most people don’t realize that wisdom isn’t an idea — it’s a process. You have to actually sit down, focus your mind, and in that way scrub the grime off your lightbulb to know things for sure. The rest is just someone’s guess in the dark.

So remind yourself: you’re in a process — a process where stillness is primary. Instead of debating the pros and cons of your current job, set aside the figuring out and trust that, when your mind grows still, it will know what to do. Instead of constantly polling friends about your relationship, rest in the love you already have for yourself and trust that all else will unfold from there.

You’ve thought about a lot a lot, but where has it gotten you? Imagine standing by a washing machine with a basket of dirty laundry. You study the settings — soak, rinse, spin — then say, “Hmm, interesting, but I need to think about this more,” and walk away without putting the clothes in. The stains on the heart don’t come out that way. It’s not about working harder. It’s about letting the work work on you.