The woodcarver
Forgetting oneself
A master carpenter carved a bell stand of wood so beautiful that everyone believed it was made by the gods. Asked for his secret he replied: 'I am only a simple craftsman. But before I begin, I fast to still my heart. After three days I have forgotten praise and criticism. After five days I have forgotten success and failure. After seven days I have forgotten my own body.'
'Only then – when my self is entirely gone – do I walk into the forest, see the perfect tree that already holds the bell stand within it, and simply let my hand set it free.'
The lesson: When performance, fear of criticism and ego are dismantled, pure competence and inspiration take over. Your best work happens when 'you' step aside.
When did you last do something so absorbing that you forgot yourself? What marked that moment?
Do one task today without thinking about how the result will be judged. Just you and the craft.