Chop Wood, Carry Water
There’s an old Zen saying that goes something like this…
Before Enlightenment,
Chop wood, carry water.
After Enlightenment,
Chop wood, carry water.
Now granted, the wording is perhaps a little outdated for most of us (a modern equivalent might be “Before Enlightenment, chop vegetables, do laundry… After Enlightenment, chop vegetables, do laundry”) but the point is that even after achieving Enlightenment, daily life on this planet goes on and it must be attended to. We are here in this physicality, and we must deal with this physicality – regardless of our mental state. And folks, your mental state affects your spiritual state, and it affects your physical state. And visa versa.
If Enlightenment is your ultimate goal, navigating through all the rhetoric and theory and beliefs concerning attaining it can be simplified in to two steps – at most. One: find peace… stillness… in every single moment, in every single activity. Stop your striving, control your unruly emotions, give up your superficial wants, recognize the Oneness of All and release your ego. Two: Realize that “Enlightenment” is already with you. It is here, in every breath, in every action and every activity… if only you can get out of your own way to experience it. And if you can, you’ll soon see that the World is a beautiful place, and it’s absolutely full of magic… but you still have to chop wood, carry water.
Namaste
-OMM
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