Cow

Cow | Othello, WA | November 2019

Tension from the world’s demands — do this, do that — is relieved best by solitude. That means no people, of course, but also no errands, no phones and, for the most part, no media. Exception: Allow yourself an inspirational read, such as the Bible, Tao Te Ching or a spiritual novel (The Alchemist, for instance). The book you choose will be a conversation buddy; its message could coax deeper insights. You’ll begin to recognize priorities and dismiss the trivial. Sometimes this takes hours or days. But sometimes it takes only a minute — just four long, focused breaths — to go from chaos to clarity.