Happy, intense absorption in any work, which is to be brought as near to
perfection as possible, this is a state of being with God, and the men who
have not known it have missed life itself.’ – D. H. Lawrence
Oh, my. How has work become drudgery for so many? Thank you industrialization? Curse you capitalism? Doubt it’s that simple, but it’s quite a good place to begin.
The need to earn money in a market economy, however, likely exerts no more pressure on us moderns than that suffered by the man or woman of yore, forced to trek through freezing temps to hunt down a stag or tied to the childbed producing babe after babe with no concept of contraception engaged or allowed.
Still, to whistle while you work. Ah. She whose avocation is her occupation is truly blessed, my father said.
I’ve had those moments of bliss Lawrence mentions in his quote, above, where the intensity of your focus is such that reality is what occurs inside you rather than outside of you, and it’s uniquely yours, a passion expressed, an interest so absorbing that nothing–not itch nor siren nor mewing cat–deters you from plying your craft. It’s meditation, is it not? How is it different from sitting on the cushion and silencing the mind, focusing on the breath? When the mind is engaged in such a laser-tight beam on the journey of creation of one thing, I see no difference–unless we are to completely denigrate the mind as anything possibly spiritual in nature and that is a premise I cannot embrace.
Onward, you whistlers, all. If it is not the 9-5 job you hold that captures you thus, then find one such beautiful thing to hold you fast.
Be of good cheer,
Monica
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