Life Happens - Action vs. Doing

For some time now there has been a popular bumper sticker that says, “(Blank) happens.” We all know what goes in the blank. If we place the words “Life” in the blank, we get “Life happens.” Let me ask you a question, is Life “happening” to you or are you “doing” Life? This is an important distinction since in the one instance we are being lived by Life. In the other instance we have control over Life. This is action vs. doing.

In the dictionary, action is a noun that is defined by words like exertion, process, or activity. Doing is always defined with an infinitive “to” in front of it. The “to” takes the place of a subject or person that is doing the doing. Being the “doer” brings with it an enormous responsibility. We have to anticipate the coming of each moment. This means we must constantly be projecting ourselves into an imagined future. We must get ready, we must take control, and we must “make it happen.” The illusion of our efforts is that sometimes this does seem to work. Work harder – you make more money, if you are vigilant, you avoid accidents, if you look forward, you see obstacles.

However, the doer lives a miserable life. The doer lives with the illusion of control that the world is run by cause and effect. If we want the kind of life we want, we must constantly be the cause. If things don’t turn out the way we want, we must have failed. Or we resort to saying, “(blank) happens.” Doing requires a “doer” doing the doing. The ego wants to take credit for this doing. We point with pride to our doing. After all, don’t we all believe that, “my doing is better than your doing?” Of course, the illusion of doing collapses when you are run over by a truck or are diagnosed with cancer or your child is killed by a stray bullet. Where was the cause and effect in that?

The illusion of doing ran smack into a road block back in the 80’s. It happened in a Berkley research lab where scientists found that our awareness of doing happens a half second after action has actually started. Literally, what was discovered was that action is taken and then the ego-mind steps up to take credit for the effort.
Try this little experiment. Try to predict the exact moment you will next stand up or sit down or go the kitchen or scratch your elbow. Really analyze the mental process that goes into making an effort to take action at any given time. Unless you love the “doer’s” lie, you will discover even though you planned action or thought about taking it, decision, and action are never simultaneous. What actually happens is that we discover ourselves in the process of taking action. You may have been thinking of getting up or scratching, you may have planned to start the car, but the actual moment of volition cannot be experienced!

Life happens. Life does not need a doer. The doer is an illusion. For all of the enormous head of steam we build up to conquer Life, to control it, to live it, it is all for not. The shoe is on the other foot. The doer is being done, and there is nothing any of us can “do” about it.

Action happens. When we take action, we don’t rehearse, we don’t plan. We don’t anticipate. Action is the spontaneous expression of Life. It will be expressed. Action has an intuitive sense about it once you get the illusion of the “doer” out of the way.

But does that mean we just give up? No, we can’t give up. We are going to do what we do. Action will happen. Life will happen. But what this all does is to put us in a situation where it is no longer quite so serious. Life is an “E” ticket that comes with the illusion of doing. What could be more exciting! When we read a great novel, we become identified with the hero or heroine. Now, that makes for an exciting read. However, we never forget that we are the reader. In Life, we have forgotten who we really are. And in doing so, we have become invested in our version of an outcome. The illusory “doer” emerges along with much misery and suffering.

We cannot give up. We have been given a role and we are going to play our role. But Life is expressing itself spontaneously without our version of cause and effect. Knowing that, we relax and surrender to the process of living. Without the illusion of “doing,” each moment is unfettered by expectations and anticipations. We begin to see What Is as the Divine Expression – the only expression of Life.

When we stop worrying about what to do next, we are free to notice What Is. We find that What Is is enough. It is perfect and sufficient. The fulfillment that we have always been struggling for has been within our grasp all along. Living Life requires none of striving, struggle, or toil.

What is the purpose of Life? Life itself. How then shall we live? It is happening right now. Have you noticed? Living is happening. Life happens. Forget doing. Become involved in the action of living. They are mutually exclusive. Doing presupposes that Now is not enough. Action is the process of living Life without ever really knowing what will happen next. If that frightens you, perhaps it’s time to question your assumptions. The tragedy of the “doer” is that the action of Life has passed by by the time the “doer” becomes aware of it.

The awakened teacher Byron Katie says in her new book, A Thousand Names for Joy, “The only time you suffer is when you believe a thought that argues with reality.” The “doer” is an argument with reality. “Once you no longer believe your own thoughts, you act without doing anything, because there is no other possibility.”