The Joy of Being

Once upon a time I wrote something about my little 'As in Knitting, As in Life' mantra. Just after I finished up my post adoring my Flamboyance Yarn from afar and yearning for the next new thing, I read a section in The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle that brought this reflection home again. I thought I would share some of his words that I'm trying to learn to inhabit as I work on the lovely Levens.

"As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out of present-moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care and love - even the most simple action.

So do not be concerned with the fruit of your action - just give attention to the action itself. The fruit will come of its own accord. This is a powerful spiritual practice. In the Bhagavad Gita, one of the oldest and most beautiful spiritual teachings in existence, non-attachment to the fruit of your action is called Karma Yoga, It is described as the path of "consecrated action."

When the compulsive striving away from the Now ceases, the joy of Being flows into everything you do. The moment your attention turns to the Now, you feel a presence, a stillness, a peace. You no longer depend on the future for fulfillment and satisfaction - you don't look to it for salvation."