The Auto-tuning Mind

I actually made a trip today back to my so-called "playground of prepubescence" which I wrote about last week. How magical it is to be enveloped again in the sound of birds and insects. Somehow back here, I always feel like I can master anything; time runs more slowly; nature is my ally.

Perhaps it is the background hum of noise in the city--which we get accustomed to and don't notice--time becomes such a limited commodity. The mind switches back-and-forth between different stimuli, introducing unnecessary overhead and thus reducing productivity. 

The mind needs constant recalibration and tuning. When you are used to doing computer work, you'd expect a certain rhythm and speed. This is the world of bits and bytes, which is relatively friction-free. But when you are doing physical labour, you'd need to slow down your thoughts. The world of atoms is not so obedient to your whims and commands.

I was trying to replace some broken glass panes here in my house this afternoon. I knew that I couldn't not approach it with my usual pace of intent and expectations. I willed myself to slow things down. Focus on one physical action at a time: find the right tools, position myself correctly and be patient with the world of material objects for they do not bend so easily to your will. 

Impatience had made me accident-prone in the past whenever I was doing physical work, so I had learned to do something akin to 'walking meditation'. One of the wooden slits was stubbornly refusing to allow my piece of glass to slide in and so I had to slowly figure out the right tools to widen it, file it and coax it into obedience. With patience and respect, one can master any medium.

That was a lesson that I had learned the hard way. There is a right rhythm for every action. Tune to it and the universe will dance with you. Not listening to it could only spell trouble.

I've always admired people who are good at woodwork. I know I fared badly in the past with my projects during my industrial science classes. Now I understand that it was impatience that was my undoing. 

I did not listen to the rhythm of wood and metal because being more artistically-inclined, I was accustomed to brushes and piano keyboards responding instantly to my command. Wood and metal are instruments too--just that their rhythm is way slower. I did not have an ear for it. Now I know better.

There's a right sampling rate for every medium. By tuning in, you are in harmony with it. And that makes all the difference.

It is the same with people. Like radio stations, everyone has a slightly different frequency. Wisdom is having the auto-tuning ability to zero-in on the correct one. People are the most difficult medium to master. A good leader knows the natural frequency of his organisation. He or she nows how to nudge all the different parts in the right direction so that they all move in harmony. 

So cultivate that sensitive, auto-tuning mind. You will soon hear wonderful music from the universe.