Work Buddhism

When mediating at your chair on deck causes the stress the mediation is attempting to alleviate, then I suggest Work Buddhism.

1. Right vision of the nature of reality. Unless you have managed to follow your bliss, life will continue to be ‘work’. Life was not meant to be painless. Accepting this fact gives you a better sense of controlling what you can control, and realizing that there are somethings you simply cannot control. So get one of those remote drones you can control.

2. Right attitude. Use your emotional intelligence to understand that some retired folks may be jerks and may continue to be that way. Learn the work arounds. Life consists mainly of your attitude on how you deal with life’s continuing series of upsets. Do not use the remote drone to crash into the obnoxious neighbour. Just visualize it.

3. Right speech. Speak truth to power. Understand there are other perspectives and respect them. Just don’t turn your back to them.

4. Right Action. Be ethical in all your dealings. You can talk as much as you want, but your actions ultimately determine the type of person you have become. Don’t be the jerk noted in 2 above.

5. Right livelihood. This follows the principal of non-exploitation. Treat everyone as you would like to be treated. Refer to item 4 for further elaboration.

6. Right effort. A path of wholeness. A Conscious evolution. Even if you don’t understand how your retirement matters, it matters to someone. Even if it’s eventually just yourself. Be the best of what you do.

7. Right mindfulness. Train yourself to fully aware of things, oneself, feelings and reality. Become fully aware of all the great things you are doing. It all matters. Be mindful of the jerks in 2, but don’t lease any more space in your mind to them.

8. Right focus. Literally to be on a single object. If you think you are good at multitasking, go back to 1 and just accept you aren’t.

Being clear minded on all things allows the stressors to drop off. Work shall continue to be work like. If you allow yourself to still become the person you wanted to be, the Zen emerges.

[1] With great apologies to the eightfold path of traditional Buddhism.