This Wednesday Wisdom post is inspired by a profound question from Jiddu Krishnamurti, an Indian philosopher, speaker and writer, also regarded as one of the greatest philosophical and spiritual figures of the twentieth century.
What is your subjective experience of time?
To find the answer to that question, let’s try this experiment:
Put away your watch/clock for a day.
Don’t look at the time. See how it goes.
If you find it too hard to do it for a day, begin by trying it for, say, 6 hours.
Baby steps.
Write down how you felt, what you experienced.
Next.
Think about what you like about your children, your family members, your friends. Write it down.
The next time you interact with them, keep what you wrote in mind.
Experience how it changes your time together, and fills it with gratitude for the love and unique gifts they bring to you, and to the world.
How does that feel?
Now, look at your own life.
Observe how, in the middle of chaos, whether it is a cluttered desk or a messy relationship, life is trying to evolve within you.
You adjust. You evolve.
Think back on a couple of instances when this happened recently.
Perhaps it was a project deadline you met against all odds.
Perhaps you kept your cool even though you were pushed to your limits in a relationship.
How do you feel?
Finally, imagine for a few minutes each day this week that this is your last day.
How would you spend your time?
How would you wish to be?
What would you want to do?
Take notes.
Did you try this experiment?
Did the reflection help?
What is your reaction?
When your mind has no walls, when it is not weighed down with its own acquisitions, accumulations, its own knowledge, when your mind lives timelessly and insecurely—to such a mind, life is an extraordinary thing. This mind is life itself, because life has no resting place.
Wednesday Wisdom is a series with short bursts of easy-to-consume wisdom in the form of stories, quotes, anecdotes, and humor.
Wow this is a heavy duty exercise Vidya but I am very intrigued by it. Bookmarking it to try out in a few days time! Thanks for writing such inspiring posts.
Oh my Vidya- you are sounding so much like a guru:) I am glad to be here to listen to you and try the experiment – truly a Wednesday wisdom, appreciate you for sharing your thoughts, and like the beautiful images and quotes. “To be free comes from not from changing or fixing the world….. I like this statement and so true and its important to change the inner self… like the word sadguru uses “inner engineering”
It’s been a week, or so, that each day I wake up, I say to myself, “Imagine this is your last day on earth. So, do your best, speak your best, think your best and be happy and contented!” And, it helps..At times, I forget about it, but then I remind myself and see myself change my thinking. Works!
Next on my list is to do what you have suggested..Of writing about what I like about my family and friends..
Thanks for this post, Vidya! <3
What an absolutely beautiful post this is, dear Vidya! Just the kind of reminder we all need to set our priorities right in this madness of everyday living. How much we all need these little pearls of wisdom from time to time. I’m curious to stop, to pause and to reflect—and discover the profound revelation it will lead me into!
I am curious to try this one. I liked the idea of writing down what I like about my near and dear ones and then feeling the gratitude that shall follow.
Thank you!
My mind is so cluttered that finding a moment’s peace in this chaos has become a chore. I am nowhere close to try this experiment, Vidya. But in admitting so I believe that I have opened a tiny window toward accepting that I have to make some changes and embrace life better. Thank you for inspiring me, Vidya. <3
Makes a lot of sense .Beautiful
i am very curious about this .. very logical ..well written ..
I would love to try this. This feels like an exercise to train the mind and be in the present. Imagine is all start doing this, the stress levels would go down significantly. Isn’t it?
Pure wisdom, Vidya. So glad you shared.
Thank you for sharing this post. Grateful.