I usually get up at 4 a.m. so I can do my creative projects and some physical exercise before going to work. But every once in a while, I just sit.
That’s right. Just sit.
Hands wrapped around a big mug of tea, the cat in my lap, I will stay put until it is time to get ready for work. That is 3 hours of sit. I am amazed at how fast that goes by!
And how necessary it is.
How wonderful to disengage. Sometimes it is inspiring. Sometimes I get new ideas. Most of the time I just rest. Three hours of not expecting anything, planning anything, trying to figure stuff out, worrying, ruminating, processing information. Rushing.
Nice also to have 3 hours where I am silent. Seldom do I speak a word, not even to cat. Likewise, it is good not to listen either. The next 8 to 10 hours at work are filled with non-stop chatter, where I must communicate clearly and listen intently.
In the early morning hours, not much activity in the world outside my doors. Birds may be singing to the sunrise, or rain pattering on my window. Sometimes the howl of wind. No cars, voices, vehicles, sirens, telephones, people and the like – yet.
Most weekends and holidays in summer I spend hours of sit outside. Next door is a splendid park, complete with thundering waterfall. In these surroundings if I sit still long enough, nature gets curious about or bored with me and reveals herself. Creatures appear and check me out or resume their daily business. Nature is calm and soothing yet brimming with life and activity. A still-busyness. Work is noisy, demanding and always, always busy. No still there.
So now as I just sit and let the world carry on without me, my cat stretches full length down to my ankles and yawns. The clock is telling me the hour has come. Already ten minutes past the hour. Think I’ll just sit a bit more . . .