Clear Mind, Empty Head?: A Leak In "mind Like Water"

There’s a lot of talk in meditation circles about emptying the mind This is a roadblock for many people Why? Because it’s counterintuitive

After all, we spend most of our waking hours filling up our minds We go to school, we get trained, we read, we learn, we absorb information from all around us Then someone comes along and tells us that the best thing we can do is EMPTY our mind? Why would we want to do that?

Empty isn’t a good thing in most cases Empty wallet? Empty gas tank? Empty bank account? Empty restaurant? These aren’t conditions we find satisfying Mention your feelings of “emptiness” to your doctor and you may end up with a prescription for Prozac Would you take it as a compliment if someone referred to you as “empty-headed”? Not likely

We seek fullness in our bellies, our hearts and our lives Going for empty goes against the grain

We’ve already got plenty of reasons to avoid meditation It seems difficult, uncomfortable, or just plain boring to a lot of newcomers We don’t need any semantic obstacles Hearing that little voice saying, “Your mind is not empty–you’re lousy at this!” only adds to the clutter that muddies our spirit, fogs our intention, and paralyzes our progress

We must relinquish this expectation that we are supposed to attain this state of emptiness–complete non-thinking–in order to have a good meditation session Staying attached to this ideal is likely to provide just one more nudge in the never-mind direction

David Allen is a productivity trainer and consultant who is the author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity He offers valuable tips for dealing with the clutter that crowds our minds so that we can free up space for greater creativity

Like Jim Ballard in his book called Mind Like Water: Keeping Your Balance In A Chaotic World, Allen uses the martial arts term to describe the process of preparing our mind for appropriate responses to demands Having a “mind like water” refers to one’s ability to react and reflect in a balanced way If you drop a stone in a still pond, the ripples will appear in a direct, appropriate response to the force and mass of that stone Nothing more, nothing less As the ripples dissipate, the pond returns to stillness

That’s a great way to look at how our minds respond when we feel relaxed and stress-free We don’t snap at our kids or get cranky with our co-workers We get our tasks completed in a way that is efficient and without unnecessary action, emotion, or distraction We have a point to which we return continually as we go through our day There is no overreaction or failure to respond

Still Ripple Still

The only leak in this “mind like water” discussion is that Allen sticks with the tried-and-true “empty mind” terminology That’s too bad It would have been a perfect opportunity to switch to clear!

When the “empty mind” concept becomes a barrier, slip into “clear mind” instead After all, a pond is not empty It is clear Plenty of water Rocks and mud at the bottom Fish swimming here and there If the water is clear, you can see it all and the finest details become magnified as they pop into view

The important aspect is our ability to see whatever we need to see What happens when you toss a stone into an empty pond? Not much It makes a thud on the muddy bottom Sure, you can see it But what’s the point?

Your mind will continue to have thoughts Don’t expect to avoid them Drop the idea that you can remain “thoughtless” and embrace the value of seeing those thoughts clearly

You’ve spent years filling your head Mindfulness gives you the clarity to see what’s going on in there without having to dump the contents first By releasing the notion of emptiness, you can step into the power of clarity

Empty mind? Clear mind? Choose the image that works for you

I’ll cast my vote for clear

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse offering specialized mindfulness training to individuals and groups in Portland, Oregon and across the country Her work has inspired thinkers in over 90 countries To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, visit http://massageyourmindcom

maya@massageyourmindcom

Tags | balance, bellies, clutter, keeping, meditation, newcomers, obstacles, roadblock, things