Deconstructing Work

We have just constructed a physical space for ourselves —to study, to play, to eat, and to do various other activities and tasks. We constructed, i.e, we brought various pieces together to form one whole. The experience has been no less than profoundly reflective of how things come together—of various forces, of how the mind can think and visualize, the gaps that exist, etc. The Sanskrit equivalent to the word ‘work’ is Kriyd.

Kriyd is a Sanskrit term, derived from the Sanskrit root kri, meaning “to do.” KriyG means “action, deed, effort.” Creating something out of nothing requires thinking, visualizing, bringing material and people together. Just like in this case, it is about a built space, the work could simply mean a meeting or a dialogue on a topic or just being with children. So, what really is work, where does it start and where does it end?

Does it really end, or is it a continuous movement? Here are some of the reflections: The work comes as an end in the mind first—the utility and the design of the space, how things will happen, how the space will be occupied, what all can possibly be done, etc. The idea in the mind then seeks an expression in visualization, and then the design is worked out on paper.

Based on what we see on the paper, it gets translated using the material, and in all this, the human being comes into the picture. The perfect expression of thought has to be indivisible—the design, the material, and the execution as one coherent manifestation in work. The mind thinks, it ideates, it visualizes. The utility of the space precedes the design.

The design is then worked out as one expression of what came into the mind first. Should the design guide utility, or should the utility of the space guide the design? It must remain one throughout and till the end. Then comes material. We are blessed to have different shades, variety, and texture in material. Each material has its own beauty, its own nature. What material will fit best with the design that we have worked out?

This is the next level of harmony—the design wedded to the material. Once the material is worked out, then come the human hands and legs and the machinery—putting the design and the material together. There comes the human consciousness: how much are we putting ourselves into the work, the movement of hands, the eyes that see the curves and the lines, the alignment of material things and objects.

Our skill is directly proportionate to how well we have learnt the art, how consciously we are doing our work, our whole attitude towards the work—whether it is just work or perfection in work. This establishes the next level of harmony with design, material, and human effort.

Then come the unforeseen forces and circumstances which the human mind could not possibly have thought of, and this is weather—the fall of rain, the beating of sun, the wind, and the rest. Every spell of rain impacts work—it impacts how material will behave, how the land will get impacted, and eventually impacts the work that is scheduled. One change, and the whole schedule gets impacted. It’s like a domino effect.

This is like wnen one event sets off a sequence of related events. This sets another level of harmony with nature, where everything is allowed its own time of completion and settlement. We see this work as one whole, the whole being the built space and the utilities functioning and operational within this built space.

Within this whole, we can see parts, and within each part we can see an infinite number of sub-parts or sub-units. In all of this, we see how human skills and attitude are instrumental in making these parts work to form the whole. Delay in one part disrupts the entire scheme of work. We realise that each work is a quantum event consisting of an infinite number of sub- events.

It is fascinating to see how work, i.e, Kriya, cannot be seen or understood as a simple action. There is a universe that exists between two actions, between two thoughts. What we build, or whatever we do, should be a constant reflection of the gaps that exist, of our own consciousness of harmony. A perfect expression, therefore, would be the one where all come together as a conscious collective and in harmony.

Now, how difficult is this? The Centre for Integral Learning is that space which allows for this working in ourselves towards being a conscious human being and creating conscious futures.