Time is not just a quantitative measure. It has a different dimension which we have experienced but never realised. Time is the space between two experiences. And in this dimension it moves at different speeds. When we start understanding the relative nature of time, it helps us in two ways – building our concentration and dealing with stressful situations.
When we are totally in an experience, there is no concept of time. Our single minded focus consumes us and often we have experienced being so engrossed, we have, as we often say, “lost track of time.”
This understanding motivates us to develop our ability of bringing our mind to our work in such a focussed manner that it can sustain for a long length of time, without us realising it. Our ability to hold our concentration longer, moves us forward – be it in the field of action or at the seat of meditation.
And when faced with a difficult situation time drags because our mind is not engrossed in something. And this creates huge agitation within. And as we often say in such situations, “I’m finding it difficult to kill time.”
The antidote to situations when we are anxious and time is moving very slowly and painfully, is once again to give it an experience. Either engross ourselves in working on a solution or divert the attention of our mind. Sitting around waiting and worrying is a waste.
Once we understand this concept, we start living in depth mode, giving everything our full attention and fully living each experience. And our desire changes from wanting quantity to experiencing quality.
And we start measuring our life, not by the clock, but the satisfaction of having immersed ourselves in each experience such that we forget the clock.
Super vivek
I love the relish you bring to reviewing the relative nature of time Vivek. When time is lost to the flow of experience life seems to be peaking. Those ‘lost’ hours are often far from missing, but actually mark a day spent excellently and productively!
That’s a lovely way of looking at it…
ENCOURAGING! Simple and very true. make time your friend and not enemy, put your mind to work and immerse it productively. learn from every situation.
Often my problem has been, ‘not enough time’, ‘don’t know where the time went’. Yet there is so much still left to do. After stepping down from the busiest responsibility recently, I expected to have a lot of time to read and write. But I feel busier now than before. I can blame it partly on the many online meetings due to COVID. But I also realised that many of these I do not need to attend. The main thing is to organise my time. As is said, ‘plan your work; then work your plan”. In the process prioritise work. Next I hope to complain of difficulty in ‘killing’ time!