In his book, ‘Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice’, author Shunryu Suzuki Roshi writes that truth we seek comes from nothingness; that we should strive to understand the nature of this emptiness.

Many years ago, I would have ‘read right past’ this powerful message – assuming its intention without the benefit of my full consideration. As practitioners, we are so eager to learn – we read books, attend conferences and meditate for hours on end. But are we willing to slow our pace? To contemplate our sense of self in the order of higher things?

“You have an idea of emptiness and an idea of being,” he shares. “and you think that being and emptiness are opposites.” But they are, in fact, the same. Still, we struggle to understand – to qualify the experience such that it may be committed to memory.

“To empty water from a cup does not mean to drink it up,” he continues. Rather, emptiness is derived only when we relinquish our limits.

We are surrounded by such boundless glory – a ‘beauty beyond beauty’. One that can not be relegated to the commonality of words. It is only when we are awestruck that we begin to understand its essence – empty of our thoughts, yet still perfectly complete.

As it is…

As it always was…and,

As it was always intended to be.

In peace, my sweet friends…

Namaste ❣️