Practicing Right Effort in the most beneficial way means tuning the strings.

A string musician came to visit Buddha to seek his advice. He was learning how to meditate but he couldn’t concentrate well and was feeling really frustrated. The Buddha asked him, “You play a stringed instrument, don’t you?” The musician replied yes. Buddha asked, “When your strings are too tight, is your instrument harmonious and easy to play?” The musician replied, “Certainly not.” Then Buddha asked, “When the strings are too loose, is your instrument harmonious and easy to play?” He replied, “Certainly not.” Buddha said, “When the strings are neither too tight or too loose, and adjusted to a harmonious pitch, does it produce a wonderful sound and feel easy to play?” The musician responded, “Yes, certainly.”

The Buddha concluded, “So it is with meditation. If energy is applied too strongly, you will be restless. If energy is applied too loosely, you will feel listless. Keep your energy in balance and in this way focus your attention.”

While this story is about meditation, it’s actually the perfect way to end our discussion of practicing Right Effort. In so many ways, Right Effort is a Goldilocks problem. Too much of something, too little of something, can set us off balance. We want to get our energy juuust right. We want to hit that sweet spot where the melody of our lives feels harmonious and easy enough.

I haven’t blogged about martial arts this year, but this idea of tuning our energies is one thing I practice in the dojang all the time. For those of you who know me, you won’t be surprised at all to learn that the number one thing my master tells me (over and over) is: “too much.” I constantly recalibrate my energy down, so that I don’t waste it or put it where it isn’t effective. Sometimes, I need to relax my shoulders and posture. Other times, I just need to breathe and slow down. And very often, it’s more subtle than that. I focus on kicking at a better angle, punching with more precision, bending my knees.

My point is this: tuning the strings of our lives does not have to be a major overhaul. Often, we will find the answer we need just by recalibrating our energy a little. Don’t get stuck because you’re overthinking it. Just change something and see how it feels. Go with what’s working, tweak what isn’t and try again.

Tuning the strings of Right Effort is also about timing. We can’t usually tackle all our unwholesome seeds at the same time. Maybe we can only tune one string. Great! Start there. It’s helpful to remember that what feels difficult for us right now may change in the future. (What feels easy for us right now may also change!) Be smart and find your Goldilocks moment. Where can you most readily tune your energy right now?

This week, find that sweet spot in your own habits and practices. Look for the harmony. Aim for the flow. And trust that all will come in time.

Next week, we begin our month of practicing Right Mindfulness! Stay tuned! (see what I did there…)

This post belongs to my series on practicing the Eightfold Path. Find all my posts on Right Effort here.