“The capacity to be moved by ordinary things does not have to be earned. It is what attention produces when attention is actually present.”
Reading this from Tokyo, I kept thinking of a Japanese phrase — ichigo ichie, “this moment, only once.” Originally a tea ceremony principle. Same instruction Marcus was writing for himself: stay, this passes.
The theme of security, body temp and then food sightings, and then speed of consumption, I see as active theme in the beginning of this, following into the noticing of moments, shades of light, colours, then sounds within the house or on a walk
If Marcus Aurelius has the time, then as should I ⏲️
Keep up the good work SW & have an enjoyable day ✨️
The image of Marcus Aurelius, a man carrying the weight of an empire and a plague, stopping to notice the 'bent grace of a ripe stalk of wheat' is so convicting. We often tell ourselves we are 'too busy' for presence, but this proves that attention isn't a luxury of the idle; it’s a survival strategy for the overwhelmed. If he had time to notice the bread, I have time to hear the kettle.
The invitation to slow down and enjoy the small things is an act of resistance against the algorithmic efficiency that dominates our era. Today, we are optimized to be fast transactions within a global flow. Dedicating time to what has no immediate productive 'output' means reclaiming a portion of freedom. It is the shift from a logic based exclusively on capital accumulation and perpetual growth to a logic centered on the quality of flow and present experience.
Once again, beautifully written and wonderfully articulated. So so clear. The quality of our attention ultimately dictates the quality of our lives. The challenge is remaining conscious and intentional enough to recognise the opportunities to, as you put it, just stay 10 seconds longer, and actually appreciate whatever is in front of us.
Yes! In “The Book of Delights” Ross Gay explores and deepens this concept by showing us that we experience delight in many ways on a very personal level, without realizing that a chance remark or action or thought is also a small but discernable pleasure.
This is one of the very reasons I am a photographer with a purely manual camera, because it absolutely requires me to stop for a moment. Of course, sometimes this happens, in fact often this happens, and I'm still doing, but more and more I find myself being in my being.
What resonated with me most was the idea that small joys don't disappear, we simply stop noticing them. I've been reading and writing a lot about relationships, loneliness, and attention lately, and one thing I keep coming back to is how much of life seems to be shaped by what we give our attention to. The moments that end up feeling meaningful are often surprisingly ordinary when they happen, yet they become some of the experiences we remember most clearly.
In one of his emails, Ali Abdal talked about someone he met at a retreat — the happiest person he had seen in a long time. He asked her how she did it, and she replied that she never left any pleasure behind. Meaning: if she was having breakfast, she fully enjoyed her breakfast. If she was taking a shower, she enjoyed the shower. If she was with someone, she enjoyed their company. The trick was not letting intrusive thoughts steal the pleasure of the present moment. And I think it really works
This article describes mindfulness in the stoic tradition more clearly and beautifully than anything else I’ve read on the topic. Thank you!
I feel the presence of my day by stopping to read another great article.
I have been living in the present, yet I am attached to the past!
The joyful moments, I have had & I want the feeling , sensation & memory of it back!
Thank you for reinforcing paying attention to ONE moment in time!
“The capacity to be moved by ordinary things does not have to be earned. It is what attention produces when attention is actually present.”
Reading this from Tokyo, I kept thinking of a Japanese phrase — ichigo ichie, “this moment, only once.” Originally a tea ceremony principle. Same instruction Marcus was writing for himself: stay, this passes.
The theme of security, body temp and then food sightings, and then speed of consumption, I see as active theme in the beginning of this, following into the noticing of moments, shades of light, colours, then sounds within the house or on a walk
If Marcus Aurelius has the time, then as should I ⏲️
Keep up the good work SW & have an enjoyable day ✨️
This is beautiful. Thank you.
The image of Marcus Aurelius, a man carrying the weight of an empire and a plague, stopping to notice the 'bent grace of a ripe stalk of wheat' is so convicting. We often tell ourselves we are 'too busy' for presence, but this proves that attention isn't a luxury of the idle; it’s a survival strategy for the overwhelmed. If he had time to notice the bread, I have time to hear the kettle.
I believe his capacity for doing great things was in proportion to his capacity for being present to them
I agree with you, Craig.
A treat to appreciate the simplicity of being. So tough and yet so rewarding!!
The invitation to slow down and enjoy the small things is an act of resistance against the algorithmic efficiency that dominates our era. Today, we are optimized to be fast transactions within a global flow. Dedicating time to what has no immediate productive 'output' means reclaiming a portion of freedom. It is the shift from a logic based exclusively on capital accumulation and perpetual growth to a logic centered on the quality of flow and present experience.
Reading this set a reminder to enjoy the moment, the invitation and the joy it will bring if allowed.
Thanks for the reminder
Once again, beautifully written and wonderfully articulated. So so clear. The quality of our attention ultimately dictates the quality of our lives. The challenge is remaining conscious and intentional enough to recognise the opportunities to, as you put it, just stay 10 seconds longer, and actually appreciate whatever is in front of us.
Yes! In “The Book of Delights” Ross Gay explores and deepens this concept by showing us that we experience delight in many ways on a very personal level, without realizing that a chance remark or action or thought is also a small but discernable pleasure.
This is one of the very reasons I am a photographer with a purely manual camera, because it absolutely requires me to stop for a moment. Of course, sometimes this happens, in fact often this happens, and I'm still doing, but more and more I find myself being in my being.
What resonated with me most was the idea that small joys don't disappear, we simply stop noticing them. I've been reading and writing a lot about relationships, loneliness, and attention lately, and one thing I keep coming back to is how much of life seems to be shaped by what we give our attention to. The moments that end up feeling meaningful are often surprisingly ordinary when they happen, yet they become some of the experiences we remember most clearly.
In one of his emails, Ali Abdal talked about someone he met at a retreat — the happiest person he had seen in a long time. He asked her how she did it, and she replied that she never left any pleasure behind. Meaning: if she was having breakfast, she fully enjoyed her breakfast. If she was taking a shower, she enjoyed the shower. If she was with someone, she enjoyed their company. The trick was not letting intrusive thoughts steal the pleasure of the present moment. And I think it really works
There is joy in noticing and appreciating what is already there