A beautiful paradox

Having at least some intellectual understanding of our own emptiness is very helpful. It has a direct impact on our day-to-day experience. It makes our lives easier, and it makes our lives happier and more peaceful.

Even better, is the direct understanding or experience of our emptiness. Intuitively knowing ourself as the conscious, loving, open space in which all appears and dissolves.

But we may ask, how can this really improve our lives?

Detached emotions

Let's start with anger. Usually, we are angry at him or her, because they did this or that. The anger is usually attached or imputed onto a person, or an object. But now, if we understand our own emptiness, we also understand the emptiness of all 'others'. 

In this way, when anger arises, we don't attach it to a person. We don't blame someone for the experience of anger. This is very powerful. See, when there is nobody to 'stick' our anger to, the anger very quickly fades out and dissolves. Let's consider this...

The same goes for feelings of guilt, jealousy, and blame. When we understand that there is nobody to attach these emotions to, they very quickly lose their power and dissolve.

They may still arise, but they are very transparent.

Love, and only love

Now, this sounds all good and understandable, but we may want to apply this same understanding in another way. We may think that if there is nobody to be angry at, how can there be somebody to love? How do we love others if there is not really 'someone' there?

Legit question.

See, our compassionate, loving Nature cannot be categorized or understood as anything intellectual. It goes beyond all beliefs and concepts.

With the intuitive understanding of emptiness comes the absence of discrimination and separation. The acceptance of all things, and the union of all things - this is love itself. Without having to do something, love is already and always here and now. There is only love. Effortless, impersonal love.

So, we do not have to be worried that our understanding or realization of emptiness will make our lives grey, bland and boring. On the contrary. The beauty of this paradox is as such, that the less we become, the more we realize we are.

Our empty nature allows space for everything and anything to appear and arise. 

A pointer inwards - 20 November 2022
My devotion, my service - 22 September 2022
Reflections on love - 31 August 2022