What Leonardo Da Vinci can teach us about our mind
And what we need to do to bring fulfilment to our lives.
“Iron rusts from disuse; water loses its purity from stagnation… even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind.”
I read this quote on the wall of a da Vinci museum in Sicily four years ago. It has stayed with me ever since. It makes me think of people I know who are in the later years of their lives but are active, attuned, create art, have healthy bodies, still travel and are self sufficient. The common theme I see in these people is that they keep their mind and body active with movement and quality learning.
Much learning unfolds from this single quote and wisdom that we can take from an ancient inventor and integrate into our modern lives.
Iron rusts from disuse
How often do we see people who spend their lives waiting for retirement only to fall away physically and mentally when they do? Because they have stopped. They have stagnated. Their mind and body are no longer challenged and engaged,there is nothing to move for. If we stop moving, learning and growing, then we will rust from disuse.
Water loses its purity from stagnation.
Our bodies are designed to move. They are also designed to rest. Too much of either and damage occurs. The goal is to be attune with our bodies to know when we need to move and when we need to rest. We know the difference between feeling physical tiredness and mental exhaustion. When has taking a walk in the fresh air, moving the body and quietening the mind, ever not helped ease that brain fog?
Even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind.
How do you feel if you sit and watch Netflix for two hours compared to reading a book for two hours? Or learning a new craft compared to playing a video game? We know the difference. We know there’s a sense of quality and uplift in healthily challenging our brains. We equally know when we’re shutting downs all brain activity and rendering our minds slow and sluggish.
I believe a healthy mind is as important as a healthy body, and the two are interlinked as this quote alludes to. The brain craves training like any other muscle in our body and grows stronger the more it’s used. It also needs its rest as too much strain causes weakness or injury.
It’s a balance between activity and rest. The focus here is on the quality of both. Leonardo really understood the important of this balance and perhaps it aided him in the countless inventions he created (including the life buoy ring – did you know that?).
We too can remember this lesson and integrate it in our lives by the simple action of making conscious decisions about the quality of our time spent. Do we choose next to watch tv or will we take up a book? Shall we scroll on social media or learn to bake bread? Which action will fulfil our mind and body?
Our experience of fulfilment lies within the choices we make, every moment.
