Antithetical to ‘progressive thinking’ and ‘productivity’ so called, is the art of lollygagging in the Tao of non-duality.

Now, what, by jove, does that mean?

Well, it has to do with letting things take their own course and seeing what happens. If someone happens to be inclined that way, has a ‘body-mind,’ as modern nonduality is found of calling a person, that flows like that, then that person will see what happens in the art of non-doing.

The first thought that an outsider might have at the idea of non-doing might well be that such a term is for one a dressed up phraseology for old fashioned laziness or sloth. And the second thought would be that if nobody did anything, some kind of chaos or anarchy would reign and the world would aptly fall apart…

Inside of those statements against non-doing are some assumptions that might not be wholly true if examined. One of them is that good character is associated with action. But maybe if some body-minds took themselves down a notch, there would be less ambition, competitiveness, trickery, vexation, and even war in the world. Another ‘aspect of assumption’ to coin a phrase, is that people and society are inherently flawed and prone to live incorrectly if left to their own devices.

That being mentioned, though anything could be used as an excuse or device, non-doing is not laziness, the Tao contains the most incredible nuggets of wisdom around existence, and nonduality is a wildly interesting subject about nothing less than life and living. In all of these topics many messages or non-messages are touched upon.

Here are a few for consideration, without expanding upon whether they are right, wrong, or somewhere in between:

There is perhaps no person inside of the body such as a little man or woman hiding inside of robot and making decisions and movements. Instead, it is just a process that is happening in existence, is in fact, existence itself.

There is really no division between anything at all. There is only one thing, one reality, and whatever it is, is seemingly dancing in infinite different roles, directions, masks, personas, actions, lives, deaths.

Even the mind and body that feels that is definitely separate, is not. That idea and habit of separateness is simply that, a habit and/or idea. And it is not wrong or to be avoided. It is just what is occurring.

So who is to do what? Perhaps the very basis of our thinking is incorrect.

If there is no subject and object, everything is one single movement.

So lollygag if you can. You will still do, act and think, but it will be of slightly or largely different quality. Instead of being a fish trying to get into the water, you will be the fish that is already appearing and its appearance takes place in the water. There is not much to do other than whatever is happening. The coral reefs and sand dollars, the aquamarine vistas and wonderful caves, all shout out their greetings and salutations.

The entire effervescent and atmospheric scene is you.

*

Brian Michael Barbeito is a resident of Ontario, Canada. Chalk Lines, a book of short fictions, appears at Fowlpox Press 2013 (cover art and design by Virgil Kay).