We are living in a fast-paced world in which there is
little room for idleness. However, when we retire, many of us find ourselves in
a totally different world—a world of idleness.
An
idle mind is the devil's workshop. Is there any truth in this statement?
In
Western thinking, an idle mind is often a muddled mind with distorted
thinking--a breeding ground for mental disorders. Thomas
Carlyle, the famous historian, once
said: "In idleness, there is perpetual despair."
A
busy mind, on the other hand, may search for new truths, even as one continues
to age. This keeps the mind functional and healthy. John
Quincy Adams concurred: "Idleness is sweet, and its
consequences are cruel." But a
busy mind may become a compulsive mind, which is a characteristic of contemporary
living.
Lin
Yutang, a well-known contemporary
Chinese philosopher, once said: "A busy man is never wise, and a wise man is never busy." That may be the golden mean: a too-busy mind may become distressed,
while a too-relaxed mind may turn idle.
Physical
and intellectual activities do stimulate the mind. Therefore, it is important
that even on retirement, you should find something to occupy yourself with. As
you age, your muscle strength and mental capacity will deteriorate and decline.
Take up a new sport, such as golf, which is an ageless sport.
Mental golf is good for your mind, and golf swings are good for muscle
flexibility, as well as body balance and posture. The latter are especially
beneficial to those who are aging, because they may prevent fall among
seniors, which is one of the leading causes of death among the elderly.
As
for intellectual activities, go back to school as you age. Learn a new craft, a
new hobby, or even start a new career, such as think, write, and retire, or a
business.
Keep
yourself from being idle, but also refrain from a compulsive mindset. Have the right mindset to increase your mind power for positive living, which requires neither an idle mind nor a compulsive mind. .
The
wisdom in living is to find a happy medium, which is neither idle nor
compulsive, especially in your golden years after retirement . Maybe the wisdom
of Tao is most appropriate. Tao wisdom is the wisdom of Lao Tzu, the
ancient Chinese sage who lived 2600 years ago. His one and only book, Tao Te
Ching, has become one of the most popular ancient classics and has been
translated into many languages due to its profound wisdom.
Tao
wisdom focuses on living in the now, that is, moment-to-moment, instead of
worrying about what might happen next. It also emphasizes the importance of
“under-doing” rather than “over-doing”, which is the by-product of a compulsive
mind. “Under-doing” is doing what needs to be done, and letting nature take
over. Lao Tzu believes in the natural order of things. Hence, in life there
should be “no expectation” because expectation leads to “picking and choosing,”
which often results in making wrong choices with the accompaniment of stress
and regret. The essence of Tao wisdom is living with neither an idle mind nor a
compulsive mind; you do what is necessary, without expecting the result, and
embracing the good as well as the bad, the desirable and the undesirable. If
you develop this mindset, you have mind power over your life.
Visit
my website: Wisdom in Living to get resources for positive living.
Stephen Lau
Copyright©
by Stephen Lau
