Breathe Emptiness Presence

Breathe Empty Presence

If a cup is already full then there is no room for any more to poured into it- Only through emptying the cup can we be open to receiving more.

If all you did was breath in eventually you would explode!!!!!

Only through emptying out can we truly find the peace......the pause after the out breath has been let go - before we breath in again- this is the empty space..........and inside the empty space we can find presence.

More more more more more more more more more more more more more more more more more more more more more more more more.................................this is the scream of our world...we all want, desire and demand....MORE.

Every where we look there is still more- more stuff to buy, more things to experience, more foods to taste more experience to have, more information to know. There is nothing wrong with more- only when it gets the point of making us sick. We all have had the experience of eating too much cake, drinking too much wine, (taking too many drugs) - there comes a point where even the most enjoyable experience can become too much.

We are adverse to being Empty- we are always seeing to fill ourselves with something- On a recent trip to South Korea I was wondering around Seoul- taking in the delights of the city. It is an exemplary Asian city- full of well oiled consumerism everywhere- you are being enticed to buy buy buy. Huge bill boards with fast moving videos mesmerize you as you walk down the streets. here you can buy everything - 24 hours a day....In the midst of my walking I stumbled into an oasis- it was a central office of the Korean Zen Buddhist temple stay program. This is a program that gives Westerners a chance to go and stay in Korean temples to receive the Dharma (teachings). Imagine being in a techno charged city and suddenly being enveloped with quiet. Space.

Despite all the busy-nessand non stop-ness there is also SPACE. in fact it is something that I have noticed many times in the days that i travelled in japan and Korea- they know how to leave space- big big expansive areas of open space. Where there is nothing to clutter they eye- the mind- where there is SPACE to breathe......

Back at the zen center I am greeted calmly, gently , kindly by Sally the information worker- and we take tea together. In the midst of our connection we find ourselves talking about depression- the merits of western and eastern medicine practices. She told me that the only answer for her has been to empty out her heart and to allow it to fill with joy. "i can only do this from a place of emptiness.. other wise there is no room for the joy to come in- i have to make space for it first"

As we were talking we were both performing the ritual of tea drinking. If there is one thing that can give me the greatest pleasure it is tea...drinking it, preparing it, looking for it- i am die hard tea lover.....so bear with me( I even once did a stint working as a tea tasting assistant back in the day...seriously!) First you pour hot water into the tea pot- allow the tea to steep. Then pour a certain amount into your cup. then pour the rest into a bowl. Put more hot water into the tea pot. Sip from the cup - empty it out- our tea from the bowl into the cup. And repeat. Are you getting the picture and significance of this ritual??? Its the constantly filling up and emptying out- I am taken by this symbol of one the great teachings. In this moment i am so deeply in tune with the apparent contradiction and paradox of emptiness being fullness....... in order to be full you have to empty-

When we are in discomfort, when we are feeling bored, in pain, distressed the first thing most of us do is to reach for something to take the "bad' experience away. Most of us stop Breathing - that much is for sure- this is one way of avoiding having to feel anything at all.....

For years I have specialized in working with addictions (to everything). I have been fascinated by our apparent need to crave, desire and yearn for good feelings and to abhor, reject, and go into aversion for "bad" feelings. what most of avoid is simply being with the feeling- or sitting and allowing ourselves to become empty. As Sally said it is only through getting quiet and letting go of my mind and opening my heart that i can empty out all the sadness and be ready to have there be joy instead.

Practice #1: The Experience of Breathing Fullness

I know- its sounds strange- but I have found in my work with clients that it is easier to start with the full feeling- So in whatever way you want let yourself feel yourself as full- So take a moment to imagine a time when you felt so satiated and full - could have been a good meal, a beautiful view, a great talk with a friend, a wonderful love making session with your partner- whatever it was that had you feel full- and alive. Let yourself recall this experience fully- feel your body and notice what happens in your fullness.

Now as you breathe let your attention go to your out breath- as you breath out imagine being able to empty out. Place your hand on your belly and let the breath move out from your belly, then release it from your diaphragm, and then your chest. As you do this hold the image in your mind of emptying out- like water pouring out of a cup.... let your self feel the emptying out. repeat this for the next few breaths. allowing your mind to become still.

Breathing Empty presence is an invitation to make space for not knowing- in the space where we are empty we are able to to not know. The gift of not knowing is that it opens up the possibility of the unexpected to happen.

Practice Breathing Empty Presence today- allow there to be a few moments of emptying out......