Take time off to stand and stare

WH Davies lamented, “What is this life if, full of care,/We have no time to stand and stare?”.

Centuries before, the Bible assured, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalms:46, 10). Indeed, it is in this inward silence and stillness within, generated often by the art of letting go and not doing anything in particular for the needed time, that much creativity resides. It is in this that solutions and answers are to be found to many vexing situations and problems.
    
Confounded by the problem of determining genuineness of gold, Archimedes found the answer, not when he was feverishly searching for it, but when he was ‘standing and staring', as if, relaxed in his bath tub.

The molecular structure of benzene flashed to Kekule in his dream, while, diverted from his work, he was fast asleep.
    
In spite of pointers to the need to ‘let go' and unwind at least once in a while, the insatiable ambition of man goes berserk, obsessed with work, more work and more and more work.

Taking things easy, even once in a while, is often termed as ‘lotus eating' and sloth. It is often argued that human aspirations should be limitless and so should be the work and frenzy which, it is professed, should go with them!
    
True, aspirations and attendant strenuous work should mark any worthwhile life. However, moments snatched in between to ‘stand and stare', often lend fulfilment and direction to true creativity.

Besides pre-empting physical and psychological burn out, these islets enable the creative mechanism within to correct, reorient and regroup itself.
    
Unknown to the person, much work goes on within, during this time, whereby at the appropriate time, the sought-after objectives and breakthrough are realised.

‘Standing and staring' also finds expression through snatching moments of solitude or the ancient Indian prescription of not talking at all for a specified time (mouna vratha). Tamil saint Avvaiyar, when asked as to what was the sweetest experience, replied, ‘Solitude' (Ekantam).
    
Reflection, retrospection, meditation — these too are similar cushioning, soothing and healing expressions. However, all these are only supplements to dynamic, hard and effective work.

These should not be ends in themselves. Indulged in the right manner, time and quantity, depending upon the makeup of each individual personality, these indeed are indispensable!