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The Subtle Harm of Busy-ness

By Anonymous


Within yoga philosophy exists the concept of Ahimsa. In short, Ahimsa translates to non-violence or non-injury. For many individuals this may be an easy concept to ignore because of the initial belief that, "I am not a violent person, or I've never hit anyone, or I believe in peace, or I don't even like watching violent movies". 

True to yogic fashion, however, this concept encourages individuals to peer deeper into themselves and see that there may in fact be ways that we commit violence against ourselves and others in quite subtle, non-intentional ways. Consider this quote by Thomas Merton:

"There is a pervasive form of contemporary violence to which the idealist most easily succumbs: activism and overwork. The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of its innate violence. To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything, is to succumb to violence. The frenzy of our activism neutralizes our work for peace. It destroys our own inner capacity for peace. It destroys the fruitfulness of our own work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful.”
​Do these tendencies sound familiar or strike a chord? Wanting to help everyone in everything? Conflicting internal concerns? Too many demands? 

We see here that these tendencies, while often rooted in good and helpful intentions, may actually yield antithetical results. Taking on too much, or thinking we are the only ones who can carry the load, ​or creating overflowing schedules are often thought of as steps on the path to a better life for ourselves and those around us. 

But what does this do to the inner self? There is an inner peace that is lost when we become enveloped in the overdoing of everyday life. So much so that, paradoxically, to slow down can actually feel even more uncomfortable than the busy-ness we subject ourselves to day and night! 

So what do we do? Perhaps simply looking at this busy-ness from a different perspective can help. Seeing the overdoing or activism as a form of injury or violence to ourselves may allow permission for more quiet and relaxation, balance and connection, and ultimately more peace.