not do these things well (even granting that he did live it up when he
could afford to).
We compare this description to the three words Aristotle used to
describe the lives of slaves in his time: “Work, punishment, and
food.”
Which of these are we closer to in the modern world? Which of
these is the path to happiness and stillness?
No one can afford to neglect the final domain in our journey to
stillness. What we do with our bodies. What we put in our bodies.
Where we dwell. What kind of routine and schedule we keep. How
we find leisure and relief from the pressures of life.
If we are to be half as productive as Churchill, and manage to
capture the same joy and zest and stillness that defined his life, there
are traits we will need to cultivate. Each of us will need to:
Rise above our physical limitations.
Find hobbies that rest and replenish us.
Develop a reliable, disciplined routine.
Spend time getting active outdoors.
Seek out solitude and perspective.
Learn to sit—to do nothing when called for.
Get enough sleep and rein in our workaholism.
Commit to causes bigger than ourselves.As they say, the body keeps score. If we don’t take care of
ourselves physically, if we don’t align ourselves properly, it doesn’t
matter how strong we are mentally or spiritually.
This will take effort. Because we will not simply think our way to
peace. We can’t pray our soul into better condition. We’ve got to
move and live our way there. It will take our body—our habits, our
actions, our rituals, our self-care—to get our mind and our spirit in
the right place, just as it takes our mind and spirit to get our body to
the right place.
It’s a trinity. A holy one. Each part dependent on the others.