Idleness

The opposite of work is neither leisure, nor recuperation. It is idleness: when The Passing Of Time comes into direct contact with The Doing Of Nothing.

It is difficult to truly do nothing. Doing nothing is not the same as relaxing, or contemplating, or meditating.

We often carry negative imagery about idleness. Typically these ideas are familial and cultural, handed from one generation to the next.

But when we examine idleness closely, we see it is simply the shadow to the light of work. The harder we work, the more idle we need also to be.

This is because a key part of living well is the exploration, understanding and integration of light and shadow.

Finally remember that, in physics, work is simply the transfer of energy from one place to another, or one form to another.

In other words, work can be physical, emotional, intellectual or spiritual. It doesn’t just refer to the activity that brings in the money.