If your mind is empty, it is ready for anything!

"If your mind is empty, it is ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the experts there are few." Suzuki

Our ability to still the mind is one of the many challenging obstacles to evolving spiritually. If you are struggling to still the mind then, you may find it helpful stop trying. Trying creates a state of effort and inner tightness which does anything but still the mind! Instead go right into the heart of the experience of processing thoughts and think of something - whatever arises...

Notice the emptiness around the thoughts.

Have you ever noticed the space around the thought?

Observe that the thought is independent of you.

Begin to notice how small the thought is compared to the vastness of space around it.

Attune to the space around the thought.

When we are no longer grasping at thoughts they begin to pass through us and we find ourselves able to attune to the space between the thoughts. It may then be said that we have an 'empty mind' - the place through which true unveiled wisdom can flow.

There is an old Zen story that goes like this...

A student visits the master and accepts the offer of a cup of tea.

The master begins to pour the tea into the student's cup. When the tea reaches the rim, the master continues to pour, and the tea overflows and spills.

"It's overflowing! You can't get anymore in!!!" exclaimed the bemused student.

The master showed the student that he must embrace learning with room enough for new things to flow in. If he comes full of thoughts, ideas and beliefs there will be no room for more learning. The student must therefore always come with an empty mind to learn of new things.

Here's to an empty cup!

Trin