The 5-minute Wisdom

Sudhir M

In New York and some other Western countries, people are so sleep-starved with crazy schedules and crazier lifestyles that there is a bizarre need for mid-day napping facilities and napping-clubs coming up where people can pay $10 and buy 30 minutes of nap time in between work.

It is not so important if we are interested in meditation per se but what is of significance is that the complexity and demands of modern life are wearing us out. We desperately need to be more at ease, to be more at peace and our deepest cravings may include a silent night – a restful night – where the thoughts have at least somewhat gone to rest…

ENERGISING

Let us start our tryst with meditation by simply slowing down and stealing five minutes from our morning chores to enjoy and appreciate the early morning sun caressing our face and skin. The mild sun caressing the skin can be absorbed with a modicum of our awareness and energise our mornings and boost the immune system. The sun's warmth is an antidote for melancholia and has the potential to stealthily steal the depressive energy and make us contented and happy. It is not only the plants that seek sunlight; life itself is not possible without the same grace. Should it then surprise us that an aspiring Yogi practices Suryanamaskar with such dedication, precision and regularity?

TEA WISDOM

Unless it is a super busy morning, consider discovering the tea wisdom sitting in your office chair between emails and phone calls. Zen masters had used this philosophy extensively. For these 5 minutes log-off mentally from the work mode and the ensuing gratification it brings. Rather, try and get in the simple, humble, appreciative mode where you relish the flavour, the warmth, and the fragrance of a joyous cup of tea. We do not stop at relishing this magical potion and question how this tea was planted, grown, sourced and processed. It is the effort of so many individuals apart from the blessings of mother earth that we can bask and soak at this moment and gather nuggets of wisdom.

MYSTIC MESSAGING

As we discuss calming down – appreciating the little joys of life and practising awareness, we can be tempted to look down upon the technological marvels and the instant messaging age. Since technology and communication are here to stay, and we cannot survive without the same, let us see how to engage with the same mindfully. With the ubiquitous messages and notifications that we receive on our smartphones, we either ignore a sensitive matter or not fully understand the subtlety of a situation and create an uproar in a group or relationship that could have been totally avoided. Setting aside 5 minutes every afternoon to carefully read the messages from those dearest to you can enable you to reply to them with empathy and concentration. This will add a sense of poise and sobriety in your relationships, and you could save on the precious time that is often spent on damage control after replying in haste. 

DAILY INSPIRATION

Late evening devotes 5 minutes to devotional music or a philosophical discourse as maybe your natural attraction while returning home. We are most likely engaging with our smartphones and car radio for entertainment and news update - so why not we use the same for daily inspiration in a systematic manner. If we get dis-engaged from devotion or inspiration, it isn't easy to bring it back in our lives in a trice. Hence a conscious habit of engaging for 5 minutes can ignite the dormant attraction in us for investigating the nature of our mind and consciousness in general. The daily dosage can go a long way in starting and nurturing inner transformation and boost our happiness quotient.

INTROSPECT & PROCEED

Inspiration and Wisdom can all be tested quite easily if we lack in efficiency and effectiveness. To keep our mind uncluttered, we should pause to reflect on the day that has been and have a plan of action for the following day. These 5 minutes of introspection and planning can boost our output and productivity. I often feel that basic calmness, clarity and peace is in direct proportion to our work ethics, time management and disciplined execution of any matter in a time-bound manner. If we reflect or plan too much, it can sometimes be counterproductive and hence on a day-to-day basis, 5 minutes of reflection can get you started on the path of becoming a Mystic Manager.