When my teacher would invite me to work privately with him his first question upon meeting up was always: "How's your energy?" What he meant by this was not "How do you feel?" or "What are you thinking?" but simply to inquire whether I was well enough practised and well enough rested to engage in useful work. In a sense he was testing my willingness since he already knew how my energy was far better than me. For him the only thing that bore on the work at hand – the beckoning moment – was my willingness and capability – the energy I brought to the table, so to speak. Anything else was mind-generated nonsense which would be better left outside.