“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.”
Sam Keen, noted American author, professor, and philosopher
I couldn’t agree more and yet, it seems to me we have lost the ability to thoroughly enjoy our laziness – the lazy hazy days of summer in August are so important to our well-being and they are upon us!
I have to confess I still have not indulged the virtue of laziness. So much going on and I get caught in that “THERE ISN’T ENOUGH TIME!” syndrome. I know how important it is for me to do nothing. Still, there is always something to do, especially in the age of electronics. I’m watching the news as I write this – how bad is that! – I am so busted!
So the TV is now off and the quiet releases the Creative Catalyst.
I believe strongly that until I can center my self in quiet, turn off the mind noise and lower the volume on the world chatter I can’t really access my creative core. Meditation is a daily practice for me, I am talking about more than that. I am talking about giving myself the gift of being lazy. The gift of hanging out in a hammock staring off into space, ignoring the lists of things to do and take the elevator instead of the stairs like I know I “should”. Shutting down the “shoulds”.
So before the back to school days and the new beginnings of September I am giving myself the rest of August off! I am putting away deadlines and going to the park and a picnic blanket, to Coney Island and the sounds of squeals of delight and the feel of sticky fingers from cotton candy. I am going to regenerate and discover and ignite my inner core. It is a long winter in the northeast and I want to be ready for it with the warm memories of those lazy hazy August days. Join me?