EMPTYING THE MIND

Though it happened decades ago, I still have a vivid, kinesthetic memory of buying new supplies in late August to start school in September. The best part of that shopping spree was having blank notebooks, blank paper, and new pencils and pens. It was the idea of being able to begin anew, to create something different, to start with a blank slate, and to determine my own individual outcomes that was so utterly attractive to me. We don't usually think in terms of the mind being cluttered, like an attic full of dusty, unused, unwanted (nevertheless stored forever) paraphernalia, so it is probably a strange idea to most people to practice emptying the mind like one would empty the garbage or clean out the garage, but it is a worthy consideration. We waste a great deal of energy every day by thinking too much. Most people believe that thinking is primarily what the mind is for, and it's mostly true; however, the kind of thinking we do most of the time is about anxieties, fears, judgments, arguments. stressors, fantasies, fixations, and trivia. Thinking is addicting. We seem to fear or hate silence of the mind, but we also wonder why we feel so burdened, distracted, overwhelmed, and brain dead. Emptying the mind is not synonymous with not thinking. It is synonymous with disciplining the mind and, hence, the thoughts. The mind functions best and with most clarity precisely when it is uncluttered by chaotic and unrelated thoughts that are driven by the compulsion to think anything regardless of content. Constant thinking also interferes with listening. It is a common experience for people to note that they don't listen effectively to another person in conversation when they are thinking about what to say next. Thinking is often a big distraction to the experiential process of being "in the moment." Every day, take some minutes to sit quietly and empty the mind of all thoughts. It isn't always an easy thing to do. Refuse to drag into each new day the excess, leftover thoughts from previous days. It is too much to carry, and it sets a mental tone that predetermines one's experience. Give permission to let this day start as a blank page and that creating the outcome by paying attention to all that is important and by not bringing preconceived notions to the blank page could lead to a peaceful state of mind. Showing up for life is the most important thing; whatever happens, one can accept and work on it without hysteria or mental extravagance. Simplicity in mindfulness is elegance in action. Remind yourself that there is energy everywhere and that you participate in this energy whether you know it or not. Determine the energy that you allow to enter into your state of mind and being.