The art of refinement

Creativity as ritual

“Chop wood, carry water.”

This saying from Zen Buddhism tells us that enlightenment is not about a grand achievement or profound realization. Rather, enlightenment is found in the mundane details of everyday life.

The Buddhist monks lived simple, self-sufficient lives. Their daily tasks included chopping wood for fire and carrying water from the river. 

“How is enlightenment achieved?” a student once asked his master.

“Chop wood, carry water,” the master replied.

“What does one do after enlightenment has been achieved?” the student asked.

“Chop wood, carry water,” the master replied.

How you do something is often more important than what you do. And anything done with dedication, selflessness, and single-pointed focus can be a spiritual ritual.

In his book Zen in the Art of Archery, Eugen Herrigel describes how he came to understand and act out the principle of Zen Buddhism not through meditation, but through archery.

“Don't think of what you have to do, don't consider how to carry it out,” he wrote. "The shot will only go smoothly when it takes the archer himself by surprise. What stands in your way is that you have a much too willful will.”

My writing practice has been the most consistent relationship in my life. Every morning I wake up ready to dump my emotions and subconscious mind onto the page.

It’s a ritual of necessity. Writing helps me clear my head and process my emotions. Skipping my morning writing routine would be like forgetting to brush my teeth. Or, perhaps more accurately, painfully holding in my urine when my bladder is ready to burst.

Some days my writing practice is more productive than others. I’m not concerned with my word count. If I have something to say, I say it. If I don’t, I don’t. The ritual is more important than the result.

To master anything, you have to practice it ritualistically. Not casually or half-heartedly. You have to jump in head first with the stubborn and optimistic commitment of a wedding vow – for better or worse, till death do us part.

Imagine a basketball player practicing her shot. The court is her sanctuary. Shooting the ball is her ritual. Again, again, again, eyes fixated on the rim, she refines her technique with the single-pointed focus of a meditation.

The composer John Cage compared his process for making music to a religious ritual.

“Rather than taking the path that is described in Zen Buddhism itself,” he said, “namely sitting cross-legged and breathing and such things, I decided that my proper discipline was the one to which I was already committed, namely the making of music. And that I would do it with a means that was as strict as sitting cross-legged.” 

Chop wood, carry water.

The goal of Zen Buddhism isn’t achievement. The goal is awareness. One does not strive to chop wood or carry water “better” than the other monks. The art of refinement is about bringing more awareness to your practice, to be fully present in the ritual. 

Writing, painting, and singing can be rituals for mindfulness and self-care. When we refine our art, we refine our mind. The artist doesn’t chase perfection for the sake of acclaim. The artist is committed to refinement for the sake of beauty itself. The focus is on the ritual, not the result.

The care we put into our art spills out into other areas of life, teaching us how to be patient, to trust ourselves, and to pay attention to details. How would your life look if you did everything – cook dinner, brush your teeth, drink tea, clean your room – with the care and attention of a sacred ritual?

A big creative breakthrough – just like the Zen concept of enlightenment – seldomly resembles an explosion of fireworks. Rather it is the whittling away, little by little, of your mind and your creative practice, into deeper refinement, deeper awareness. It’s not one huge leap, but a series of tiny steps.

And one day, on a random afternoon, you will look back and realize how far you have come. 

---

Current offerings

• The Art of You: The Essential Guidebook for Reclaiming Your Creativity. My new book is a creative manual for bringing your imagination to life. Currently 10% off on Amazon. Get your copy.

• Meme School. By popular demand, I am running Meme School again next month. Meme School is a virtual class about making memes, growing an audience, and sharing your message online. Use code EARLYBIRD for 20% off – this week only. Learn more

• Brand + Creative Mentorship. I work 1:1 with client to awaken the inner artist, craft a compelling brand, and bring your purpose to the public. Learn more.