I’ve been thinking a lot about a powerful scene in the middle of the 2003 movie The Last Samurai. American Nathan Algren has been hired by the Japanese Emperor to destroy the remaining Samurai warriors who are opposing an effort to bring modern technology and culture to the nation. During an intense battle, Algren is captured by the Samurai, who take him back to their village where he is stranded until spring.
Fascinated by their simple ways, he begins to try to learn how to fight like a Samurai. A seasoned warrior challenges Nathan to spar with him and repeatedly beats and humiliates him. The village leader helps the American to his feet once more. He points to the crowd watching and says, “Many mind,” meaning that Nathan is paying too much attention to all that’s going on around him. “No mind,” he tells Nathan again. Focus. Ignore the distractions.
We often face the same situation in life. Many mind. Many things compete for our focus and attention. As we get bogged down by all those other worries, our focus dilutes, and accomplishing any new or difficult task becomes that much more difficult.
Instead we have to stop. Step back. Take a moment. Breathe in and out. Zoom in on the one task at hand and ignore everything beyond it. This is how we seek God. It is the place from which our own creativity springs.
Try it this week. No mind.
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I needed this post so badly! I’ve had a really hard time getting rid of the distractions–not just things going on around me, but stuff in my own head. Worries, fears, etc. I have to let those things go and dive back in, or I won’t get these stories written.
Thanks for this.
Thanks, Kat! I like to think battling distractions so intensely is a sign of being super-creative.
Good luck with your stories! Go get ‘em!!
At the Arkansas Writer’s Conference, novelist Roland Mann (ACFW) gave a talk on the biggest danger on the internet to a writer (and it wasn’t the p*rn).
It’s distraction. There are so many ways to be plugged in and connected now that all these social networking sites, blogs, and email loops vie for our time and attention.
And we’re encouraged to be ‘out there’ – it’s really a requirement for a writer to be internet savvy and have a web presence, on Facebook, maintain a blog, Twitter, Shoutlife, Goodreads, there are literally hundreds of discussion forums and social networking sites we could legitimately maintain a presence.
However, they distract us from the work we have to do. Even prepping for the ACFW conference is distracting me from getting my stories on paper – I have so very much to write! I need to get back to it…
No Mind. I like that.
Great post thanks for this!!
Good reminder for our writing and our spiritual walk.
Thanks Elisa and Lynn! Chris – you’re right, the internet can definitely be a time drain!