Emptying out and allowing the mind to go with the flow is a practice that has been done for centuries. It is applicable in everyday life and with enough practice, anyone can do it. Emptiness is not an easy state to achieve, but with hours of dedication and a calm perseverance anyone can attain an empty, preconception-less mind. In Daodejing, it gives several examples of how we use emptiness on a daily basis. Whether we recognize that power on a daily basis is another point entirely. If someone is not already utilizing the power of emptying out, then they hopefully will see how strong a soft energy can be. Ultimately, emptiness is not restricted to only be a part of professional life, but can be used in friendly and romantic relationships too. …show more content…
Zhuangzi, Daodejing, and each and everyone one of us show the benefits that emptiness provides, but today, the issue is learning to recognize it for all it is worth. Emptying out is much more difficult to do than to say. It not only requires the practitioner to keep their body calm and still but also their mind. A beginner who is trying to empty out will often be plagued with random thoughts that will try to break their concentration.
The difficulties that come along with emptying out are very internal. Even if all other stimuli are removed, it is still entirely possible for thoughts to disrupt the quiet that is trying to be created. The mistake that most people make is to jump all over the thought because they believe that they should not be thinking at all. This in turn makes a greater disruption and pulls the mind farther from achieving emptiness. Knowing how challenging emptying out can be, makes it that much more impressive to observe those who actively dedicate themselves to it. In the story of the Ax Wielder, Builder Stone, the man who holds the ax, is known for his act where he places a bit of mud on the tip of his partner’s nose and slices the mud cleanly off without any harm. Some years later, after his partner has died, the Ax Wielder is still called in front of the king. The King asks him to show his act, but the Ax Wielder denies the king and says,” ‘I was able to do it once, but the material I worked with died long ago’” (Ivanhoe 250). Everyone, including the king, assumed that the Ax Wielder’s partner was not important or hardly useful in their act. However, as the Ax Wielder admits, the act could not happen without
the partner and his appropriate skill sets. His specific skill set being an incredibly strong ability to stand in front of the Ax Wielder and empty out. He could keep his mind clear and his body calm and completely unmoving. This would allow for the Ax Wielder to efficiently cut off the mud without hitting the partner’s nose. However to the public, since the partner would not move during the act, he seemed like he was useless or unimportant when in reality he was the one who made the act possible. This disbelief towards the utility of emptiness is linked heavily to Western thinking. Most will only discern the person standing there doing nothing, and to them that signifies laziness. This causes many Westerners to be very stubborn, head-strong people. We are taught to never back down and rather push back, even if it would be wiser to step away. We simply do not easily see the power that lies within softness. In reality though, and unbeknownst to many, there is an abundance of mental training done to reach a point of emptiness and stillness. The Daodejing puts yielding and emptiness at the forefront of its philosophies. If we do not appreciate and recognize emptiness as a profitable discipline, then happiness will not be as easily reached. Without emptying out, we will eventually add our own preconceptions and that often will only ruin what was originally present. In turn, we must find the usefulness of emptiness. In Daodejing, chapter eleven, it showcases a few seemingly insignificant parts of our lives that make a colossal impact on the way we live. “By adding and removing clay we form a [jar]. But only by relying on what is not there, do we have a use of the vessel. By carving our doors and windows we make a room. But only by relying on what is not there, do we have a use of the room” (Ivanhoe 168). By utilizing emptiness, humanity has only been able to grow stronger and smarter. Without emptiness, none of us would exist or be able to function in the way that we are capable today. So for humans to neglect how wonderful emptiness can be is completely selfish of us. As a people and a way of life, Westerners have a lower rate of happiness. We fill in the blanks for all our interactions and do not let ourselves live more freely or with a clear mind. For us to succeed and enjoy life with certainty, we must look around and notice how pivotal a role emptiness is to us. Without it, we would be so much less than we are now. Emptying out is such a useful tool, but how can I apply it to my life? Now the answer may not seem abundantly clear at first, but the usefulness of an extraordinary tool like emptying out can provide numerous benefits. The first benefit is like that of the Ax Wielder. The Ax Wielder was not someone who was capable to remain completely empty and so he had to find a partner who could. With personal or romantic relationships, there has to be a balance. Not everyone is capable to thoroughly empty out, but if I provide myself as someone who can then I can aid in creating that balance. A passage in the eleventh chapter of Art of War says, “[The unsuccessful are] chaotic and unable to bring order” (Sun Tzu 47). Not only should the “chaotic” people try to attain a peace through emptying out, but for some extra help they can always use the supplement of a calm friend or loved one. In past, and hopefully future, jobs and relationships I have been able to remain calm in times of distress. Through that calm and emptied out mind, others can also alleviate those around them more effectively. Since I have plans on becoming a pharmacist this may provide very useful if I am going to successfully interact with patients. If I am calm and relaxed, then there is a better chance that my patient can feed off of that and empty out some too. Even now at school, I can effectively use emptiness. When I tread from one class to the next, I often must remind myself to take some deep breaths and clear out my mind of anything that had happened previously that day or that week. I know that if I hold onto the drama or unimportant problems during my class, I will have a harder time learning and remembering everything that was spoken of that day. Even if I am not particularly excited for a class, I know that whatever the professor says will be useful for me to know and remember if I want to succeed in their classes. These are only a few of the numerous ways emptiness helps me now, will help me in the future, and can help others too. Ultimately, there are various ways to approach the understanding of emptiness and its role in our day to day lives. Emptying out is not easy by any means, but the rewards it can provide only progress. From a healthier mind, improved relationships, and an all-around better life, Zhuangzi opens the door that using emptiness can differentiate yourself from others in a positive way. Zhuangzi’s story about the Ax Wielder allows us to contemplate the possibilities for us to be more useful to those around us if we are able to empty out. Daodejing shows how we use emptiness in the world around us and how we use it to our benefit. By reflecting the utility of emptiness that we witness in nature, we can be more naturally happy and friendly towards ourselves and others. For those who have jobs, they can work with an angry coworker or customer more easily when they are not adding their own preconceptions or feelings. In my potential field of study, I will have times where I may have to sit down with a patient and discuss the importance of their prescriptions or counsel them on what they should take. In order to effectively work through that, I have to empty myself and know that they will not have the same expectations that I will at first and I will have to work up to an understanding. Emptiness is not as simple as it sounds, but with practice and struggles, anyone can empty themselves out.
In the silent era of Brockmeier’s city, individuals grew into a lethargic existence, “The drunks in the bars turned amiable and mild. The jails were unusually tranquil...The great roar of the city had stopped, [the birds in cockfights] becoming as useless as pigeons, virtually impossible to provoke to violence” (Brockmeier 53). Indeed, “The silence was beneficial for us” as suggested by modern science, but people began to remember what they lost: “the fire, the vigor, that came with a lack of ease” (Brockmeier 61). To be more concise, this fire and vigor came with the difficulty and the thrill of the chase, “Our lives seemed no less purposeful than they had during the silence, but it was as if that purpose were waiting several corners away from us now, rather than hovering in front of our eyes” (Brockmeier 62). Of course, while Brockmeier is merely describing these traits as a benefit or asset of silence or noise respectively, it could be applied with relevancy to the state of the individual. Meditation is only gaining popularity while “low-noise” becomes a commodity sought after; however, perhaps in the hunt of silence, individuals often neglect to learn the ability to thrive in dissonance. While Brockmeier reminds us of the
After, the main character joins with the samanas, wandering ascetics who practice extreme religious habits, the protagonist develops a Buddhist influenced perspective and intentions, ¨Siddhartha had a goal, a single one: to become empty – empty of thirst, empty of desire, empty of dreams, empty of joy and sorrow. ¨(Hesse 11). The following quote resembles the understanding of the Four Noble Truths. Siddhartha understands that suffering is caused by desire. Then, he agrees that suffering can be brought to cessation thus his desire is to become empty and free from suffering. Once a practitioner achieves emptiness they become enlightened. However, it is difficult to be completely empty for example even vacuum contains some particles or atoms. Thus, for a human filled with emotions and thoughts striving to be empty is impossible in principle. The religion states that once a practitioner is enlightened they are filled with peace and wisdom thus it contradicts the search for emptiness. In conclusion, Siddhartha 's quest for emptiness intrigues me because I cannot comprehend the
“Left Neglect…is a real neurological syndrome that occurs due to damage to the right hemisphere of the brain, such as might follow a right-hemisphere stroke” (Genova 323). Lisa Genova, author of “Left Neglected”, explores the bewildering neurological disorder of Left Neglect through the eyes of Sarah Nickerson. Sarah is a multi-tasking champion who holds a prestigious position as the vice president of human resources at Berkley Consulting, is a mother of three kids, and a wife to her husband Bob Nickerson, who also holds a prestigious position at another company. Life for Sarah is hectic, fast paced, and constantly moving. If it isn’t something regarding work, then it’s her children, or other priorities that seem to pile up as Sarah moves through out her life. Her fast paced life comes to a sudden halt, as one day she is apart of a severe car accident. Sarah’s next memory is waking up in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital and learning that she has suffered an injury to her brain that has caused a condition known as Left Neglect, and this is where Sarah’s journey throughout the novel begins.
In the struggle of mind over matter, an individual needs to have courage to use the knowledge that he or she possess. By using the knowledge available to us, we as individuals have the ability to overcome opposing forces in our lives which seem to keep us from progressing (mentally and emotionally), and which can seem larger than life. In Homer's epic The Odyssey, The use of cunning to disguise and deceive and to ultimately overcome the godlike opposition that manifests itself many times throughout the book, and makes Odysseus' return home possible. Without the ability to deceive, Odysseus' brute strength alone would have exhibited a futile display of power in the presence of the gods of Ancient Greece. Much like the lives of individuals, if we do not use our cunning and wit in a most effective manner, and rely on strength instead knowledge, we are destined for a life of failure and/or mediocracy . If Odysseus hadn't had the courage and cunning to return home his destiny would have consisted of spending the rest of his life on an island with Calypso, miserable.
The first article Why Being a Thinker Means Pocketing your Cell Phone by Todd Leopold talks about a fictional story of a man who sat at an office literally doing nothing. At first it may have seemed as though the man was being lazy but the man was actually just sitting there and thinking. He was using his imagination in order to produce new ideas that would enhance the company and increase revenue. In order for the man to truly think he sat there blankly staring off into the world and letting his mind wander.
“Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form” can be understood as being empty of a separate and independent self. In addition, Thich Nhat Hanh puts a positive spin on emptiness...
achieve this blissful nirvana, the viewer would have to empty his mind of any knowledge
The Egocentric Predicament is a problem associated with our ideas and how we perceive the world. Locke believes all knowledge come from personal ideas; these ideas are based upon our perception of the world. However, if we only see the world based on our own ideas how can there be any external or objective world. This begs questions similar to; can I really know an objective world exists? If there is no external world do any other minds –or ideas- other than my own exist? How can we ever test reality if it is our own mental construction? Locke concludes that we do have some knowing in relation to the subjective and objective reality that they do exist, but that we do not have a clear idea between one and of the other.
Clearing one’s mind can result into every moment being an experience of enlightenment. The readings of The Tao Te Ching, Buddhists scriptures and Siddhartha all deal with different aspects of Buddhists and Taoist belief, but they also have certain points the connects one another. The goal of Buddhists and Taoists is to see things as they are and to reach Nirvana or be one with the Tao. In order to be able to accept things as they are means understanding that the world we live in are full of illusions therefore we should detach ourselves to the things in this world. Finally, one should realize that the path the enlightenment cannot be taught by others but can be found in the inner self of an individual.
The four vacuum effects in which an individual can create depressive thoughts, moods, or emotions stems from a lack of creativity, no service to others, no friendship, and no self-growth. However, existential theorists emphasize the concept of taking these four vacuum effects and implying their core opposite to achieve full happiness and
My own personal commentary shall emphasize the ultimate truth about emptiness is realizing all is empty, even the knowledge and practices that allow us to realize it. In this way, Buddhism turns in on itself, negating the existence of its own essence. I also pay special attention to the training of the bodhisattva, who has gained superior insight, and therefore practices the perfection of wisdom in a particular way.
By enhancing depth and meaning of occupational experiences, mindfulness assistances occupational therapist to progress the therapeutic occupational engagement process with their clients. “Research is confirming that mindfulness improves the functioning of the brain and subjective mental well-being (Reid, 2011).” Mindfulness helps a client be existing in the world while being involved. The essence of mindfulness is attending to intention, which embodies the sense of presence. The intentionality in mindfulness is not purely cognitive, but rather it is about engaging with and responding with a purpose. Being open-minded, curious, compassionate, a reflective thinker, and not holding onto preconceptions are other ways researchers have characterized mindfulness. Mindfulness allows one to be open and live in the world instead of just holding space in the world (Reid,
Detachment is a central concept in Buddhist philosophy and is viewed as one of the main obstacles to overcome. In order to reach detachment, one has to separate themselves from their own thoughts, desires, and expectations; cleansing their soul from the earthy corruption they have exposed to. This separation allows individuals to rid themselves of fleshy bonds, which then frees their minds from mental and emotional
Mindfulness practices give you the opportunity to turn every daily action into meditation. When you are mindful with your actions, each moment is an opportunity to find inner peace and stillness. This is advanced work and is hard for beginners. Some would say it's a struggle for all people, but by allowing your mind to be clear and focusing on each moment for itself, your entire day can be a
For some people when they look inside themselves it seems as if there is nothing there. In order to feel something they try to distract themselves with things such as food or television. These things only help them for a certain amount of time and when it's over they go back to the feeling of emptiness. “Is it possible for “nothing” to hurt you? Is that sense of emptiness, that empty feeling, actually uncomfortable, or is the restlessness and activity of trying to distract yourself or avoid the emptiness what is uncomfortable?” (Nirmala 2) Have you ever eaten when your not hungry to try and distract or relieve yourself from a