chop wood. carry water.

the parable about presence

The phrase is simple, the parable is easy to remember. In this simplicity I have found the most powerful tool I have for presence (placing puzzle pieces) - the perfect reminder.

See, I’ve been introduced to presence exercises over and over. Read wonderful info about it over and over. Daily practice of anything has always been hard for me, an ADHD thinker. I’m always moving on. On to the next thing. When I would circle back around to presence exercises it would be like ‘dang it! I was supposed to start doing that more.’ Beat myself up then move on.

The shortest version of the parable goes -

‘What do you do to reach enlightenment? chop wood. carry water.

What do you do after enlightenment? chop wood. carry water.’

Zen Koan

Here’s a longer version I like:

“A young boy became a monk. He dreamed of enlightenment and of learning great things. When he got to the monastery he was told that each morning he had to chop wood for the monks fires and then carry water up to the monastery for ablutions and the kitchen. He attended prayers and meditation, but the teaching he was given was rather sparse.

One day he was told to take some tea to the Abbot in his chambers. He did so and the Abbot saw he looked sad and asked him why.

He replied every day all I do is chop wood and carry water. I want to learn. I want to understand things. I want to be great one day, like you.

The Abbot gestured to the scrolls on shelves lining the walls. He said, ‘When I started I was like you. Every day I would chop wood and carry water. Like you I understood that someone had to do these things, but like you I wanted to move forward. Eventually I did. I read all of the scrolls, I met with Kings and and gave council. I became the Abbot. Now, I understand that the key to everything is that everything is chopping wood and carrying water, and that if one does everything mindfully then it is all the same.'” (source)

It was hard at first to internalize ‘if one does everything mindfully then it is all the same.’ Doing things mindfully is much harder than I originally thought. It’s entirely too easy to get caught up in the to-do list and checking boxes, which we’re taught in all productivity courses. There’s just so much to do.

But it’s not about changing what we’re doing, it’s changing who we are while doing it. Complexity is not the enemy, noise is. We don’t need to simplify our puzzle, we just need to engage with it fully.

I find presence hardest during tough times - unfulfilling work, personal or professional challenges, etc. The times we need it the most I find the most difficult to find it! So frustrating.

The simple phrase ‘chop wood. carry water.’ has carried me through tough times. There are a lot of interpretations of the meaning and reviewing them can help solidify it in the brain. But if you get it, all that’s needed is ‘chop wood. carry water.’ to call on presence. When I get up and loathe the day I look in the mirror and say aloud ‘chop wood. carry water.’ and it reminds me to engage. As soon as my mind starts wandering I say it to myself. As soon as I get down on myself I say it to myself. On the worst days I probably sound crazy, just repeating to myself the phrase. But it has worked for me. It has kept me engaged, it has kept me doing everything as if it was the most important thing.

And over time, but seemingly all at once, everything DID feel the most important. Doing the most important things felt great and I did them better. Gratitude found me, joy found me. I pulled out of the struggle and found a renewed determination and drive. I found a way to not just find presence for a fleeting moment, but stay present throughout a day.

Presence is how we place our puzzle pieces.

chop wood. carry water.