Your consciousness is so expansive and enormous, let’s imagine it as a huge, empty stadium. In contrast, your chattering mind is like a small transistor radio sitting somewhere in that stadium, blaring plans and regrets, re-airing old stories, accusations, and fears.
Are you putting all of your attention on that small radio? It certainly is compelling. But then you start to wonder if it has what you’re really looking for. Only when you lose interest in the radio do you begin to notice everything else, too… and the more you begin exploring the rest of the stadium, the more the radio seems important. It takes on a whole new context within the silent whole. The stadium is empty, yes… and yet, what a welcome respite!
You realize that the farther you get from the radio, the less believable and captivating it is. The chatter doesn’t change the stadium – it never did. It’s just not that important. What becomes more important is the peaceful space around the chatter.
“Life isn’t as serious as the mind makes it out to be.” –Eckhart Tolle
Once we acknowledge the background of space than envelopes us… a background so vast and complete that it encompasses the radio and the stadium… the more we lose interest in the chatter. From the nose-bleed seats, you see everything folded into this wonderful Unity… foreground and background. And in the interest of preserving and appreciating this unity, we accept that “we” aren’t that important… as individuals. Our idea of who “we” are is just that stupid radio speaking – waaaay over there – and yet, in the rest of the stadium, perfect unity reigns.
In short, the more we identify with the vast, empty stadium – and not the endless noise – the more relaxed and peaceful our lives become.
“Music is the space between the notes.” –Claude Debussy
Frightening? Yes. Enjoying empty space means the end of our self-important protagonist – ourselves – being the non-stop center of our attention. Liberating? You betcha. Who would have thought that Nothing was the only refuge from our crazy-making minds?
That’s why Nothing is so important!
Joy Biscuits 