Filling Your Mind in Order to Empty It

In ancient literature and historical guidelines written by masters of meditation, beginning students of meditation are instructed, "assume a comfortable position and then empty your mind of all thought." The purpose behind this admonition is supposedly to clear your mind of any thoughts that might prove to be a distraction that will interrupt your meditative state.

Problem is, when most people start meditating they are concentrating so furiously on emptying their mind that it becomes impossible. If you’re constantly thinking, "I need to empty my mind," then how empty can it be? Just as soon as you imagine yourself sitting beneath a palm tree on the pristine deserted shore of a tranquil bay with the sound of gently lapping water, you’re sure to have a tiny thought enter your mind about how long you should focus on nothing before beginning your meditation…or you’ll change your mind and decide to imagine yourself on a hillside instead…or wait a minute, maybe swinging in a hammock in a long leaf pine forest would be better…oh, that reminds me, I need to buy mulch for the front yard...and before you know it, your mind is anything but empty.

Instead of consciously focusing on trying to empty your mind, a better approach might be to purposely fill it up - pack it full of interrelated thoughts that will lead to a clearer focus. For example, focus on a single object, such as a balloon. You then think of everything you can imagine that is related to a balloon. Balloons are round; they come in all sorts of colors and sizes; they start out small and grow larger as they are inflated; they are fragile and can be easily popped; they can be made of rubber, plastic, mylar, or soap bubbles; they are used to celebrate special days, etc. Then you can extrapolate how all of those characteristics might relate to you.

People’s faces are often round; they come in different colors and sizes; they begin small and grow larger; they can be fragile emotionally or physically; etc. As you consider all of these things, keep referring back to the balloon. When focus on how the balloon relates to everything else in the universe. Einstein said that everything in the universe relates to everything else in the universe. So how does your balloon - and yourself - relate to the universe? Before you know it, you will begin to find that you can relate everything else to a balloon if you focus on doing so. And as your mind slowly fills with thoughts of the ways the universe is related to your balloon, your mind will eventually surrender out of fatigue.

Now that your mind is truly empty, you can fill it back up with the essence of the balloon, which is the essence of everything else in the universe, including you. You do not need to try hard to realize that essence, if you ponder the idea that a balloon is made up of atomic particles and subatomic substances that are no different than the subatomic substances that make up the entire universe, including you. Your mind and your body have literally the same energy and essence as the stars, and all of the atomic particles in the universe. Atoms are compelled to merge into molecules, and then those molecules develop into compositions that are increasingly complex. The most complex of all, of course, is the human being, because we alone have the ability to contemplate this miraculous process of evolution and growth, and unite ourselves with the wisdom or consciousness that creates and maintains this essence.

There are a number of other ways you can empty your mind by filling it. Zen koans (unanswerable questions) have been used for hundreds of years. Examples of these imponderables are questions such as, "Before you were born, what was your face?" and "What is the sound made by one hand clapping?" Another method is to visualize yourself in a conceptual way. For instance, imagine yourself as being the type of person you’ve always wanted to be, with perfect health, wisdom, peace, self-control, and complete mastery of your body and mind.

Try several different ways to fill your mind in order to empty it, and see which one feels right to you. You may find more than one that works well, and you can alternate as you choose. Keep filling your mind to empty it, and eventually your mind will become a useful tool for meditation, just like your computer or your car or anything else you rely on to get you through the struggles and stress of daily life. Spend a few minutes each day filling your mind with the essence that is you, and you will live happily ever after.