In a couple of weeks I’ll be guiding a 4—week online Do Nothing Meditation course.
Yesterday I received an emailed that said, 
I’m interested, but I’m afraid it will be another “to do” for me. Why should a “doer” like me take your course rather than just “do nothing” on my own instead?”
Which is a great question! So great I thought I’d answer it here.
Because, haven’t we got enough things to do? How do you take on a new practice and not make it another “to do?” And why not just do it yourself?
For starters, if you’re not drawn to do the course (or anything else), this is valuable guidance. And since I believe in the stupendous power of listening to hunches—follow that hunch!
However, if you are drawn to it—and if you’re reading this, then maybe you are— investing a relatively short amount of time to gain the benefits could really help.
It’s deeper than you think. The gentle philosophy carries through into all areas of your life and is more than just a new meditation technique. It can transform anger, confusion and hurt feelings to something much more manageable. Depression and anxiety aren’t as scary.
You feel more at ease, even when you’re not feeling at ease.
Here are 3 reasons learning the Do Nothing Meditation won’t be another thing you have to do and why it might help:
1. We don’t naturally do it
If you’re a doer (like me), you’ll know that taking time out is easier said than done.
Sure we can stop.
But then a millisecond later our mind tells us to get going again. Get up. Do this. Change the light bulb. Read a book. Wash the windows.
Our mind hates to be idle.
Our mind is VERY convincing. Maybe not about the windows. My mind rarely convinces me to wash windows.
During the course you’ll practice sitting and not doing.
It’s an odd experience.
But what this practice does, more effectively and gently than anything else, is show you that you are you, and your mind is your mind. And that it’s perfectly possible not to do every dang thing your mind says.
And just like with regular, follow-your-breath type meditation, it’s almost impossible to learn by reading or having someone tell you about.
Which is why it’s so helpful to have someone walk you through it.
2. The mind explained
Have you ever had a sense that your mind is not exactly acting on our best behalf? Whether it’s a nagging thought or some irrational insecurity that steers you away from what you’d rather be doing.
In week two we’ll look at the habits and beliefs of your mind. Because knowing the basics of thought and how your mind behaves is especially powerful when you combine it with doing nothing.
And not in a stressy, I-have-to-get-his way. Nope. It’s all about keeping it simple.
In fact.
Hold the sauce.
Let me show you a page from the 10—page ebook we’ll be looking at, The Compact Guide to Your Heart and Mind.
Not that you need to do anything with this list.
It’s more of a reference.
To look at.
Or not look at.
To stick on your bathroom wall.
Or to put in your backpack and forget about until you find it months later wrapped around some moldy raisins and sunflower seeds.
It’s not that it’s not a cool list. It just doesn’t matter how you chose to use it.
Learning is less about trying really hard.
It’s more about waving yourself in front of information and trusting that what needs to stick will stick.
See what I mean about a no-stress course?
3. So how DO you learn a new technique, even one called Doing Nothing, without adding it to your list of things to do?
AWESOME QUESTION!
Because it’s so easy for our mind to take a nice idea like exercise, or being a good friend, or doing nothing, and then get all sergeant major on us and make it something we HAVE TO DO.
Take exercise.
We all know that movement is healthy.
Walking, swimming, riding your bike, jive dancing in your sweats with weights.
But is exercise always “healthy?”
Say you decide to exercise three times a week, but what if one week we don’t exercise at all? Does it really matter? Is it actually “bad?”
What about when you come home and all you feel like doing is curling up on the couch with a book?
Our mind has a habit of categorizing things into good and bad. Healthy and unhealthy. But what’s more healthy than anything is following our hunches and natural inclinations.
You know when you want to jive dance. Your mind doesn’t.
By learning the do nothing meditation technique, combined with a few truths about your mind, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how not to get caught up in mind talk.
It’s also a gentle, easy layering, reminding you you’re a perfect, delightful creature just for being alive, whether you practice this or any other meditation practice.
Learning the do nothing meditation technique is like learning a skill.
A habit that you can keep in your back pocket for whenever you need it.
Maybe you’ll use it. Maybe you won’t. And either is fine.
But what I suspect is that by understanding how this works things will naturally shift.
You can read more about the course here.
** Early bird special of $99 ends midnight January 31st PST. Don’t miss out! **
Any questions, post them below, or email me: lisa at lisaesile .com
PS: Other questions …
I’m not able to attend all of the calls, can I make it up?
Yes! All calls will be recorded. So if you can’t make it to one call, or even any of the calls, it doesn’t matter. You’ll receive all calls the following day to listen to in your own time.
What if I’m not on Facebook?
No worries. This is an optional extra. If you have questions you can email me directly.
I don’t live in US, can I still take the class?
Yep! Anyone can do it from anywhere around the world. All you need is an email address, and phone or internet to call in on.
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