Action Without Effort

"The stages of the Noble Path are: Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Behavior, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration." ~ Buddha

In our hurry worry world of demanding activity, wouldn't it be wonderful to develop a method of accomplishing all that we want to effortlessly? I'm not talking about waving a magic want here. I'm talking about developing a stress-free consciousness, that allows us to move steadily forward toward the accomplishment of anything we've chosen to do and to do it efficiently without stress.

I live my very full life that way and I know it's possible. Have you ever poured water into any vessel? The water flows easily and assumes (without grumbling or without procrastinating) the shape of that vessel. That's because the water does not add anything to its nature. If we could learn to simply do our tasks without grumbling, complaining, procrastinating, comparing our load to another, we would be as accomplished and powerful as water as it does its natural thing. If you can picture water falling easily over a cliff, it's both beautiful and powerful. Like that.

You live in your right now moment. That's all you have in which to accomplish the most. I would love you to consider dropping by the wayside the things you add to your right now moment that keep you from the best accomplishment.

If you find yourself angry over something you have to do, wishing you didn't have to do it, wanting everyone to get out of your way, just stop for a moment and take a deep breath. Imagine after that fresh air goes into your lungs that you could stop struggling for just one moment and KNOW there is an effortless solution to getting the task done without any impediments.

Here are some tips for acting effortlessly:

Decide that you really want to do the task. You're eager. You have no resentment.

There are no impediments. You can make this decision one at a time until it becomes your new habit.

If you find yourself dreading or hating to do something, just stop. Make a left or right turn and see if you can figure out just one, small, good reason for doing the task without grousing. This leads to effortless action.

Don't be a control freak. It's not necessary for you to take absolute control of absolutely everything. Shrug your shoulders and let things happen without being overly conce
ed. Remember that water, flowing effortlessly.

Be Here Now. If you stay in the moment, your consciousness will automatically provide the effortless solution. If you rush off to some indeterminate future, who knows how hard that might be?

Do some Possibility Thinking. Your mind is the be-all, do-all, end-all problem solver. Let it create some effortless alte
ative for you.

Life is made up of small steps. Take the small, easier, steps you are conscious of now, and the tasks will get accomplished without a sense of overwhelm, without anger, without worry.

I don't believe our lives were meant to be difficult. Challenging, maybe, but not difficult. And the solutions can be as easy as you allow them to be. It gives a whole new meaning to "going with the flow" don't you think?

"Take a look at your natural river. What are you? Stop playing games with yourself. Where's your river going? Are you riding with it? Or are you rowing against it? Don't you see that there is no effort if you're riding with your river?" ~ Frederick (Carl) Frieseke