Idleness does not mean doing nothing, it means doing a great deal not recognized in the traditional way. People usually misunderstand the value of being idle and call it laziness. But if done properly idleness can be highly productive. This article by Brian O’Connor presents philosophical reasoning behind idleness whereas I will be discussing how you can achieve it.
Being idle gives the idler a unique and objective perspective of things. There are exceptions of course, and not everybody can be idle but with following some steps it can be achieved and enjoyed: calming down, observing, and prolonging.
Step 1:
Although a quiet place or a scenic one is ideal for an idler the probability of finding such a place in the everyday humdrum is difficult, plus to be idle when everyone else is busy gives a rare pleasure. So, pick any spot in your daily schedule, say a bus stop or a busy office. The first step is that you must let go of the inherent human urge to be busy all the time. The Time, which weighs heavy on every one, should not become a daunting aspect or you won’t be able to relax ever. So just let go and relax. Once you do, we move on to the next step.
Step 2
There is a legend regarding Gautam Buddha. On his death bed, he gave one advice to his disciples, he said, ‘Yatti paso’ the word can be translated as ‘just see’. That brings us to our second step, the ability to observe. So, sit back in your chair and look around, close your eyes if you must and just listen. For a beginner, this may be difficult as one tends to get lost in the stream of thought that is going on, constantly, in our brain. So, don’t contemplate whether you are wasting your life sitting in a chair or how you are gaining weight at the speed of light but watch how often does the man sitting beside you scratches his ears or how the woman at the McDonalds counter tries to smile at the fussy customer. The empty brain in an unknown delight!
There will be detractors of course! People have an irritating habit of insisting that life should always be fruitful, and one should accomplish something! The planners won’t do this because they would think this is just a waste of time. If asked why and how it is beneficial, I would only reply by saying, ‘Try it yourself and see! I dare you!’
Step 3
That brings us to the final step, when you have relaxed completely, and are observing objectively, try prolonging the above two steps for a length of time. A beginner at the art of idleness will start fidgeting when he sees distractions like a notification on his mobile, but please desist and after some practice, you shall be rewarded. You will be able to be idle for a long time and nothing will disturb your tranquil state unless you want it too.
Idleness has also been associated with different states. One main example is falling down the rabbit hole of social media. As your parents/girlfriend would remind you of how you spend eternity there, Social media is one of the strongest masqueraders of idleness. But it is an easy one. If you truly want to be worthy of the title of an ‘Idler’ you need to put your phone aside and just watch.
Remember: Professional idlers always choose public places. Try it once, it’s addictive.
