Physical capabilities
On a day We cut the grass of a couple of fields, but most of the grass wasn’t usable, due to all the weeds in between it, especially the lantana weed, so we gathered all the weeds into piles and started burning the weeds and grass.
The cutting down and piling up of all the weeds and grass was easy, and then of course burning it was the easiest part.
As the sun started going down I thought by myself ok, we are done soon, so we just have to put out the fire and leave.
Then Bernard came o the Fields to help a bit, there was a couple of us, we had the tractor with a water tank on it, so we used the water tank to spray the fire and put it out, but after a while the tank was empty – even though the fire looked out and like nothing will happen, Bernard said we cannot take ANY chances., as there was still smoke coming out of the heaps, thus there is still heat and fire.
I was justifying within myself that it is unnecessary, the fire is out, we do not need to do anything more – but Bernard Pushed all of us to do more, even though we were tired and worked out from the long day in the sun with all the work we have already done, because when I am tired I tend to let go of a lot of things. And just want to go lie down.
Since the water cart/tank was empty and it was getting dark, we didn’t have time to go fill it up and then come back and spray it. Bernard said, use the water canisters and just fill them up from the river – inside myself I was like NOOO!! So much work I really do not want to do it, but I could not ignore the common sense Bernard presented – which was, if we leave anything like smoke or burning amber and we are not there to control it, we do not know what can happen in our absence – such as the farm burning down in our sleep.
So we started walking with the Canisters toward the river, each one with two in their hands, each canister takes almost 10liters of water, and the distance from where the fire is to the river wasn’t close at all, but we could take immediate action while it is light outside, unlike filling a 1000liter tank from far away.
As we filled the canisters and started walking my body in its already tired/exhausted state did not want to it, or rather my mind, but I had NO choice, so I did it, BUT I dint breath doing it, I was thinking about random shit all the way, then Bernard saw this and he just said – stop the thoughts and Breathe, be aware of each step you take instead of the distance you still have to do, be aware of your body.
So I let go of ego of not wanting to do it and I started breathing and focusing on my every step and my body, instead of how much I still have to do, and how much I have already done – which was making me tired.
Two thing happened, I stopped noticing how much I have been doing and how much I still have to do, but I rather started focusing on what I am doing and removing the work much , and secondly I noticed the weight of the canisters became much lighter, because my mind was so much lighter, and after just a few more time I was completely awake and just moving with the canisters and water and completing the task before it got dark, and I felt physically good and alive, how is this possible? Starting out “physically tired” and have already done so much – but by doing something way more physically straining and harder afterwards makes me feel alive/awake/fresh – well it is simple – stop the thoughts which generates the feelings/emotions/back-chat and all the conditions of the mind that kind of chains down the physical and its utmost potential.
These small moments that Bernard just say something, are the moments that determine the BIG.
On a day We cut the grass of a couple of fields, but most of the grass wasn’t usable, due to all the weeds in between it, especially the lantana weed, so we gathered all the weeds into piles and started burning the weeds and grass.
The cutting down and piling up of all the weeds and grass was easy, and then of course burning it was the easiest part.
As the sun started going down I thought by myself ok, we are done soon, so we just have to put out the fire and leave.
Then Bernard came o the Fields to help a bit, there was a couple of us, we had the tractor with a water tank on it, so we used the water tank to spray the fire and put it out, but after a while the tank was empty – even though the fire looked out and like nothing will happen, Bernard said we cannot take ANY chances., as there was still smoke coming out of the heaps, thus there is still heat and fire.
I was justifying within myself that it is unnecessary, the fire is out, we do not need to do anything more – but Bernard Pushed all of us to do more, even though we were tired and worked out from the long day in the sun with all the work we have already done, because when I am tired I tend to let go of a lot of things. And just want to go lie down.
Since the water cart/tank was empty and it was getting dark, we didn’t have time to go fill it up and then come back and spray it. Bernard said, use the water canisters and just fill them up from the river – inside myself I was like NOOO!! So much work I really do not want to do it, but I could not ignore the common sense Bernard presented – which was, if we leave anything like smoke or burning amber and we are not there to control it, we do not know what can happen in our absence – such as the farm burning down in our sleep.
So we started walking with the Canisters toward the river, each one with two in their hands, each canister takes almost 10liters of water, and the distance from where the fire is to the river wasn’t close at all, but we could take immediate action while it is light outside, unlike filling a 1000liter tank from far away.
As we filled the canisters and started walking my body in its already tired/exhausted state did not want to it, or rather my mind, but I had NO choice, so I did it, BUT I dint breath doing it, I was thinking about random shit all the way, then Bernard saw this and he just said – stop the thoughts and Breathe, be aware of each step you take instead of the distance you still have to do, be aware of your body.
So I let go of ego of not wanting to do it and I started breathing and focusing on my every step and my body, instead of how much I still have to do, and how much I have already done – which was making me tired.
Two thing happened, I stopped noticing how much I have been doing and how much I still have to do, but I rather started focusing on what I am doing and removing the work much , and secondly I noticed the weight of the canisters became much lighter, because my mind was so much lighter, and after just a few more time I was completely awake and just moving with the canisters and water and completing the task before it got dark, and I felt physically good and alive, how is this possible? Starting out “physically tired” and have already done so much – but by doing something way more physically straining and harder afterwards makes me feel alive/awake/fresh – well it is simple – stop the thoughts which generates the feelings/emotions/back-chat and all the conditions of the mind that kind of chains down the physical and its utmost potential.
These small moments that Bernard just say something, are the moments that determine the BIG.
There is so much value in these real-life stories you share Gian. Thanks for sharing!
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