Effort is such a hallowed word in my circle (friends and family) and in most middle class Indian circles that effortlessness is only understood as laziness - physical and mental laziness! But, another interpretation / understanding of it arises when one understands the nature of the mind that drives effort. If one pauses to observe the unstated and not thought of assumptions behind effort, one might come up with a new understanding of effort and hence of effortlessness.
Why does anyone put in any effort at all? One immediate reason is to fulfill basic necessities and provide some physical security. Fair enough. But, is that the only reason motivating effort? Aren't we subconsciously constantly trying to get somewhere, constantly trying to make something of ourselves? "Make something out of yourselves else you will go to the dogs" - I bet almost all my Indian friends (possibly true around the world) have heard some variant of this exhortation so many times in their formative years. Either motivated by the 'carrot' of achieving something in life or motivated by the 'stick' that one might receive for not making something out of oneself, we are constantly running behind that imaginary state in the future where one would be successful! This applies equally to the executive who wants to climb the corporate ladder and to the sanyasi who wants to climb the spiritual ladder and meet God. For both, their life 'which is' and is in the present moment becomes a means to be sacrificed for a ego projected future 'which may be' and is in the future.
Effortlessness is simply the refusal to put in any effort to become something in the future. If we observe how we / our friends/family get tensed the moment we drop one of the efforts to become something in the future, we can clearly understand how much we are bound by this desire to become something in the future. Freedom from this binding is effortlessness. Such effortlessness does not imply sitting at home and whiling away time. It simply effortlessness towards making oneself greater as one understands one is already complete and needs nothing more to be more complete. Action may then flow from the individual towards other more useful things. This is what, in my opinion, Mr. Moolar sang in tamil long ago,
செயலற் றிருக்கச் சிவானந்த மாகும்
செயலற் றிருப்பார் சிவயோகம் தேடார்
செயலற் றிருப்பார் செகத்தோடுங் கூடார்
செயலற் றிருப்பார்க்கே செய்தியுண் டாமே
Resting in effortlessness is being suffused in grace,
Effortless people don't try to reach Sivas abode,
Effortless people dont conform with the world,
Only effortless people hear the good news!
4 comments:
brilliant maams!
good one da!
Super.. Fantastic.. Excellent.. Balle!!
Good one!
But I think there are a few things that are probably lost in translation. The Thirumoolar stanzas make complete sense. Your explanation makes it easier to appreciate them. My only hitch is with the use of the word "effort" for what in Tamil would have been "seyal". The issue is that the word effort in general implies anything which requires mental or physical exertion and effortlessness would mean the opposite. In some senses, even thinking of this post and putting it in words has taken some effort from you.
I am unable to think of an English equivalent which might fit better here. Will come back when I find something suitable.
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