The external action is less important than the inner state from which it is performed. We are merely the outer vessel—the jar.
But it is not the jar that defines the essence—it’s what fills it: murky water? clear water? wine?
What matters is the state of being from which we act.And the real question is:
With what level of presence and attention are we acting?
The Golden Coin: Attention
Attention is like a rare coin—it allows us to truly be with whatever we’re doing.
Whether you’re a doctor, firefighter, graphic designer, or artist—attention changes everything.
Take for example a Japanese calligrapher writing the same character hundreds of times—yet each time the result is different. Why?
The paper is the same, the brush is the same, the ink hasn’t changed.
What has changed—is him.
His inner state.
You’re Not Buying Fabric—You’re Buying Consciousness
When we buy a painting—we’re not paying for canvas and paint.
We’re not even buying technique—technique can now be replicated by robots and artificial intelligence.
We’re paying for something else: the artist’s inner state.
“If you observe a masterpiece by an artist who was inspired by the heavens—
You begin to feel and live what the creator experienced…
He leads you to the realms he himself has tasted.”
True Art Speaks to the Subconscious
Gurdjieff called it “objective art”:
Art that doesn’t just express emotion—but affects the viewer with precise, almost mathematical impact.
“In true art there is nothing accidental…
Everything in it is measurable, everything can be known in advance…
It will always and with mathematical certainty create the same impression.”
Life Itself Is a Work of Art
When we live with attention—everything changes.
Even a simple act can become a spiritual practice.
Even a daily chore can become a source of energy.
Why? Because our attention is fuel.
When it’s diluted—we feel tired, restless, drained.
But when we focus it—even for a moment—it fills us.
Even Cooking Can Be Meditation
Take for example the Korean nun Jeong Kwan, featured in a celebrated episode of Chef’s Table on Netflix.
She never studied cooking, has no sophisticated technique—yet she cooks from meditation.
“I’m not a chef,” she says.
“I simply cook with my soul.”
Watch the episode on Jeong Kwan
And What About Us?
It’s easy to say, “Good for her, in her monastery.” But what about us—in our busy, packed, demanding lives?
We, too, have a tool—simple, accessible, effective:
One minute of meditation.
One minute in which we refill our jar—with living water.
A Poem That Captures the Essence of Practice
Some are awake in their sleep
And some asleep, who appear awake.
Some wash in sacred waters
Yet never become pure.
Others
Labor in household chores
And are free from all doing.