Persisting in annoying emptiness and inaction, that can be found in dieta process, properly done in isolation and passivity, can not just point to one’s craving of action, but as consequence, could also lead to liberating realization :
In our goal oriented habitual mindset we want dishes washed and all job done. And yet when we enter what we declared to ourselves to be a ritual, we do not rush for it to be over, we celebrate it.
So what if we start to see the work as ritual and the service as its intention, its meaning. Not the chore to achieve the goal, instead the meaning is the reward. Service to others, service to our body, service to the world. That is it, do not look for anything more, and more comes. Do not follow hungry monkey mind, that anticipates, goes ahead, indulges in what yet isn’t here. It will keep doing it, sure, but there is a part of you growing stronger to resist that temptation, to fix your gaze, your attention on the process. And in doing so, the process, this ritual achieves magical brilliant quality, and two things happen at once :
you are unburdened from the expectation of outcome and reward, you become lighter
by focusing on the process, you improve your seeing, your doing and in the end the outcome becomes better than you might have expected – because you stopped expecting.
That is no less valid for what you already perceive as ritual – for example medicine ceremony. Instead of impatiently waiting for all the puke and song to be done with, looking already towards long desired relief, end of suffering, stay in the work, and not in dream of salvation. Right there and then is your kingdom of heaven revealed.