So sometimes there's the idea and meditation circles in Buddhist circles that we're trying to empty our mind of our thoughts and concerns. And some degree that's true. But not but not so we can be empty. But so that it's kind of like a little bit like this that we're swirling up. Swirling and thoughts and concerns, preoccupations, fantasies, memories and predictions and concerns, my mind is a swirling with thoughts. It's kind of like your heavy person sitting on the lid of a Jack in the Box. And what's in that Jack in the Box wants to get out. But if you can finally get off, stop sitting on it, and let the lid open. Then whatever's in there at finally has a chance to come out into the come out. So this idea of quieting the mind. Emptying the mind being quieter. It's so that we can allow more of that what's going on more deeply in our lives, to have a chance to come into that empty space. So the great the empty space that invites all the phooey are, to be there more fully. And I don't know about you all. But I would say that for myself, there's a percentage a good percentage of what I spend my days thinking about. That
is pretty, I was gonna say nonsense. But really, that's not be polite enough. That maybe is kind of trifling. And that the next day, I don't even remember I have I was thinking about it's like it's gone from importance. So it isn't like disrespectful of thoughts to one quiet the mind a little bit. But it's hard to do that the mind is so strong. But perhaps to understand that quieting the mind is something we do with great respect for the fullness of who we are, and what's happening in our life, all the different pieces of our life. All the things that are maybe kept at bay or hidden nerds are too busy to deal with. And you know, that the, the whole show. And so if we create that empty space, in a sense, within and so the lid on the jack in the box can finally kind of open and all of who we are has a chance to be there. And we stay empty. Meaning we don't try to fix anything. We don't try to run away from anything or solve anything or explain anything or justify anything. There's this amazing thing that can happen. If we just make room for it. Just make room. Okay, it's here. Now it's here, it's here. And maybe it's because maybe what's so good about it is that I know if you make room for what's inside the jack in the box, it's always tension, usually those springs, so this, Mr. Jack is in the box, then there's all the spring that's ready to release its energy. And so all you have to do is lift, lift the lid, and it resolves itself, the energy of that. So a lot of the stuff that's all this full catastrophe of our life. A lot a lot can happen. If we just make room for it. And see it and let it unfold. Let it revolt resolve itself, let it unwind, let it grow, let it move in the direction in which to move. And that's one of the things we're doing in meditation. And isn't that we're not trying to avoid our life and meditation, but we want to for our all our life, to be part of it and be included. The Good, the Bad, and the difficult, you know, just all of us can kind of be there. And that's something that not a lot of people do in this life. There's not a lot of people who know the value of this who have the means the ability to do it, take the time out, time off from everything, for a period of meditation, to get quiet enough not just to be quiet and calm, but be quiet and calm. So their space, emptiness, empty room, for all of it, the full complexity of our life, to be held, to have respectful time and space to be known. It's all too easy in listening to Buddhist teachers like me to think that, you know, you're supposed to kind of let go of everything and just kind of live in some kind of wonderful, blissful emptiness and non attachment and, and that's kind of like you know, anything short of that is your shortcoming. Anything short of that means like something something's wrong with you. But I think that the real it much more realistic is idea, yes, let go of your attachments enough. So they can have enough emptiness. So all the deeper attachments can show himself, you want to get your that space for it all this, let it all be seen and held and be there, learn to breathe with it and hold it all and have care compassion for all that we have here. And then if you become quiet and peaceful, it's because you've taken care of things that need to be cared for. To do a bypass and avoid those things, is usually doesn't work.
So one of the things I love about this mindfulness practice, is that it's meant to be a practice that's inclusive, all of who we are supposed to be included. And this is such an important principle that is such a valuable thing to do. That my my definition of sacred is Buddhist what sacred sacred is when everything is included. If there's something we hold something at bay and hold it out, they're like, not not gonna pay attention to that and not include that in my heart, then we've kind of removed ourselves from what's sacred, but when our hearts are, can hold everything, it's ready for anything, then we're entering into kind of a sacred realm. And so that may be you don't get much sense of of vijjā Su, silly analogies like Jack in the Box. But so. So if you become quiet if you empty yourself just enough, so that what's more deeply within you may be been hidden or overlooked as a chance to surface. All of it all of it can be there. And then continue to continue to be empty in the sense of let it be there. And now don't fill it with your reactivity with your judgments, your shoulds insurance and your fix it mode. Just like almost like keep making space, keep making space this too. This too, can be held at awareness. This too can be held in kindness. And somehow, then your heart will find its way to beautiful thing to do and it's a wonderful thing to let your heart find its way. So those are my thoughts for today.
