A Meditation On Motivation

A Meditation On Motivation
December 29, 2003 6:00am

The chill of the house so readily apparent when I removed the covers, I did not want to get up. I love sloth. I love lying around in sensuous luxury. I am pleased to have been able to do some of that this past weekend. Just lying on the sofa, enjoying the soft feel of flannel against my freshly washed skin was delightful. I didn't even have music on, so there wasn't even the effort of listening to music.

I did eventually stir and continue the process of straightening up various quarters of the house, but I truly adore my ability for slothfulness.

And now it is Monday, and I'll have to rev the engine up for work. But it is only a three day weekend, so I can bear it. How healing this rest has been! How rushed I've been, through out the past few months! An occasional bout of sloth is most restorative.

Shall I continue my meander through the 'seven deadly'? There's only deadly if you're stupid in their applications. Whilst laying about enjoying the pleasure of just being, the delightful yearnings of lust may come into play. That often inspires 'play', and the heady exhilaration that comes from THAT is most restorative.

And then there's greed. One can become greedy for so many things. If kept to the worlds of experience and knowledge, and not to material acquisition, greed can also have good effects if used wisely. Actually, even a bit of the ol' material acquisition can be not bad, so long as it doesn't fall into illusionary pursuits and wasting time and energy on acquiring bigger and higher piles of STUFF.

One CAN become envious of other's STUFF. That they have a better computer or fancier abode can certainly turn our heads. If it doesn't become a means to obsession, but only as a motivating factor to an feasible upgrade, envy can be kept in moderation as a good motivator.

Even so, I find myself most envious of other's abilities to have experiences I cannot. I wish travel were easy and inexpensive. I would LOVE to be able to experience other lands, other cultures in person, rather than just through travel shows and websites. I envy the resources to do that more than anything.

However, I remember the words of Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Carribbean, ''There's only two things that matter: what a man CAN do and what a man CAN'T!'' If you can't, then it's a good idea to table a certain envy or two.

Gluttony is also one of the deadlies that can cause misery if abused. But the occasional pig-out can be fun and restorative. Again, intelligent and wise decisions are necessary.

Anger is also useful at times. I remember too well the Christian household in which it was a sin to get angry. No angry words were shouted, the temperature of the house merely fell by thirty degrees and a tense silence reigned for at least three days, until gramma got over 'not' being angry. Far better to let loose with a burst of ire, and then have it over in an hour or two. Of course, once again we should let the restraint of reason be our guide. If we're punching holes in walls and people, maybe we need to do something about that anger. But far better the holes be in walls than in people.

And pride, that can also be restorative. If we bear the mantle of justifible pride in our actions and being, this will inspire us to further positive action. I can think of nothing more defeating than the concept of disowning our deeds, as if it were not US who did them. Humility is only a good response to deeds fell astray. One should never disown deeds run amok. One should never disown anything about himself. And if we have reason to be proud, then fluff ourselves up good, swell those fine feathers of grandeur. Be the regal beings we can be. This is the finest and highest motivation there is.

And there we have it, a run through the 'seven deadly'. Can we motivate ourselves today?

Yes, this meditation, conceived while I was slothfully enjoying the warmth of the bed this morning, has no doubt been inspired by a certain Gospel according to LeVey.