What activities do you lose yourself in?
The content discusses immersive activities that engage individuals fully, from creative pursuits like painting, writing, and photography to solitary introspection and meditation. It emphasizes how these activities need total involvement of the body, mind, and environment, allowing individuals to become lost in their tasks. Examples include a painter focusing intensely on their art, a poet crafting verses, and a soldier committed to their duty during conflict. The text illustrates that such dedicated engagement leads to a transcendental state, providing deep satisfaction and a sense of achievement, especially when the efforts help humanity.
Immersive activities are those which keep engaging the person doing them. There are an unlimited number of activities. It ranges from creative to just sitting idle and watching around. While some enjoy gossiping and slandering others, some want to spend time with themselves engrossed in monologue and introspection.
Activities need overall involvement of body, Soul and surrounding. It is a type that allows one to be with self, conversing and expressing.
A painter, while working on a canvas and playing with colours, mixes and matches tones on his palette, completely absorbed in his craft. The only thing occupying his thoughts is the topic he is painting. He considers the quality of light, the different shades of colour and shadows, as well as the harmony of shapes and background—all of these are available in his mind. His hands become powerful tools, executing his artistic vision under the guidance of his mind and soul. Whether he is in a studio or outdoors amidst nature, he is oblivious to any sound other than the gentle hum of bees, the fragrant air, the soft breeze, and the swaying flowers. These sounds resonate not just in his ears but within his soul and mind. Working in harmony with his hands, these abstract impulses translate into master strokes on the canvas.
A poet, while creating a verse reeving words according to the need and mood is doing the same job. He uses pen and paper to create, not the big paraphernalia a painter uses. A poet creates scenes through words placed carefully to portray the scene, which resonates with readers who feel connected and glued to that piece while reading it.
A photographer does it with the help of a camera. A view which amuses him, his hands instantly go to his inseparable companion hanging on his shoulder. The camera captures the moment by the action of a shutter which momentarily opens and closes the shutter to let the required light pass through and paint the picture on celluloid or sensor. Picture taking is also an immersive activity which completely involves the person behind it, peeping in its viewfinder.
A photographer produces a picture by painting not with brush and paint but using light and natural colours. His critical observation of surroundings about the quality and amount of light to produce a desired effect, point of focus, depth and the background – all have to be considered before taking a picture.
Portraying the work by different genres of creation and their creators is not merely to list them, but it is intended to underscore their involvement and immersion while doing their work. It is not uncommon that anyone who enjoys one’s work becomes lost in oneself, mingling thoughts and actions.
The variety of activities or work engages people in it, and they enjoy doing it endlessly, forgetting everything. Day appears small and time immaterial. The full involvement leads to the transcendental stage. It is a stage when one is in unison with the work or activity.
An ascetic meditates. It is an activity that needs high concentration. Sitting idly in “Padmasana” with eyes closed doesn’t serve the purpose. The thoughts need to be converged on a particular point. That is when stray thoughts are filtered, and the pure one emerges. The purity of thought suggests a solution to a problem we term it as “Dhyan”. It is a process that needs huge energy, not physical but mental. At the onset, lots of thoughts come and distract but with time they start dispersing. The sagacious primogenitors living in the deep forests used to conduct this to reach a conclusion of any convoluted problem.
Lord Shiva, who is “Adi Yogi” (Eternal Ascetic), is seen in a deep meditative (“Samadhistha“) state, also known as “Dhyan Mudra”. Great saints and gnostics who sought celestial knowledge used to meditate. Shiva, Buddha, and Mahavir are but a few illustrious names.
It is an act that involves the whole body, including the mind, thoughts and physical body. A lot of strenuous work is involved in meditation as it requires leaching out thoughts, purifying them and concentrating to a single point that can give the Elixir.
It is construed, thus, that an activity that wholeheartedly involves a person with integrated senses and a focused approach can take a person to the next level. It is rewarding in more than one way. A student appearing in an examination is dedicated to studies. Once in this phase, s/he thinks only about subjects, preparations and presentation of their answers in the stipulated time. Success or failure is not in his mind except concentrating on the examination.
Yet another example will clear the point. Consider a scenario. Border disputes have aggravated, and despite hectic diplomatic activities, the war has become inevitable. One evening, a screeching, shrill and trembling sound of sirens starts floating in the air. Helter-skelter, people start running to safety. An unprovoked air strike had been done by the enemy. Alert forces replied befittingly pushing back the enemy fighters. Army started its action.
The soldier who is going to fight on the front has nothing in his head except that he has to fight and annihilate the enemy. It is his total involvement, his commitment to the self. He does not think about his parents, family or anything. It is because he has a purpose. It is his driving force that keeps his vigour alive and burning. Being a human being, he has all human traits, including fear and affection, but he is now an uplifted Soul who knows nothing but his duty. Instead of thinking about his parents and family, he thinks about whole nation and his compatriots.
While in war, the soldier is detached from everything. He thinks only about his fellow soldiers, his commanding officer, and the country. They are bonded with each other, helping and obeying commands to achieve the goal. Even if they succumb to their injuries in war, they never give up and fight till last until the goal is achieved. It is the spirit. It comes with dedication and a focused outlook.
The hawk-eyed approach and concerted effort lead to a condition when one loses oneself while performing a task or doing an activity. Despite hardships and physical fatigue, the joy of reward it gets is inexpressible. It not only gives satisfaction but also a sense of achievement. The pleasure is exponential when the activity benefits humanity and gets the nation’s recognition.
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