(public domain image from www.pixabay.com)
One of the reasons people are so stressed is because they are one-dimensional - all they do is work. Their labor isn't balanced by much, if any, leisure and pleasure.
Buddhist monks are very productive. They have mastered the art of balancing labor with leisure adding enjoyment to the work. Here are seven ways Buddhist monks do that:
1. Exercise. They do walking meditation, make pilgrimages, practice martial arts and some monks even dance.
2. Music. They chant, recite sutras, play musical instruments.
3. Art. They paint, carve, practice calligraphy and copy sutras using an elegant script.
4. Tea. They have an elaborate tea ceremony sipping and savoring the various tea leaf flavors.
5. Flowers. They do flower arranging viewing it as an exquisite art form.
6. Practice. They meditate, study texts, listen to teachers and teach others.
7. Labor. They work at building monasteries, gardening, maintaining property, cooking, cleaning.
What would your list of seven leisures look like? Can you even come up with seven ways you bring pleasure into your labor and into your life? Consider ways to bring more balance into your life.
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