bernard hemensley's STINGY ARTIST BLOG: "To sit quietly for some period of time, in the middle of all comings and goings, has become a habit for many people. This might take the form of Zen meditation or might just be a few minutes' "time out" from the regular flow of daily activities. To stop DOING everything and sit quietly is more difficult than it seems. There is always something calling to you that begs for your attention, some problem that needs remedying, or some pursuit that sounds a lot more interesting than just your sitting there quietly. When you try to sit still, the countless attractions of squirming and fidgeting become apparent. Your mind and body seem not to know each other and to be out-of-sorts. It takes practice and a certain amount of gentle self-discipline, but before long you'll find yourself looking forward to these quiet periods, when you can really be yourself............There is a wisdom in this stopping and sitting which goes back for thousands of years. Other species have always passed this way in the midst of food gathering, nest building, or exploring new territory. And all of the world's great religious and spiritual movements have seen the value and necessity of this simple act, this pause for reflection, this brief respite from whatever agony may be confronting us, this simple and measured breath of fresh air." [GARY THORP : SWEEPING CHANGES : Discovering the Joy of Zen in Everyday Tasks]