I read this really great quote today that spoke to me. It’s by Blaise Pascal… you know, the guy you learned about in high school science class (i.e., Pascal’s Law of Pressure). He once said:
All man’s miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone.
It’s amazing how timeless his words are. Some 350 years later, they still hold true. To me, this quote speaks about the importance of meditation. It also sheds light on the fact there is no boredom. It’s simply a state we can create, if we so desire. I haven’t been bored in years and I relish the time when I’m alone – like right now – when I can just sit and be. In fact, when I finish this entry, I think I’m going to sit back and be still and quiet my mind.
Being alone isn’t boring. It’s blissful. It’s powerful and transformative. It gives me the creative energy that sustains my work and my art. Take some time and return to silence.
October 9, 2007 at 5:57 pm
WOw you are really wize, I like that quote to… you should listen to the song “wear sunscreen” YOU’LL ENJOY THAT!
January 14, 2010 at 5:55 pm
In english now, we’re reading some of Baudelaire’s poems from his “Flowers of Evil” anthology. A recurring theme-ennui (extreme boredom) is man’s ultimate enemy. It is the driving force behind all problems and misery. He paints pictures of people desperate to avoid ennui. Really, though, they just had to choose to focus on something other than their boredom.