Taoism > Emptiness (wu)
See also:
=>
=> About Tao-te ching and Empty Mind (teaching by Master Lu)
=> Learn more about emptiness by following our online initiation into Taoism course
When we speak about emptiness we think of the verses Lao-tzu himself dedicated to it. In his Tao-te ching, emptiness is related to the Tao, the Great Principle, the Creator and Sustainer of everything in the universe (the ten thousand things).
Emptiness is also the state of mind of the Taoist disciple who follows the Tao. In this respect, to be empty means to have your mind empty of all wishes and ideas not fitted with the Tao's Movement (direction).
Still what is Tao's Movement and what means to empty your mind of the wishes not fitted with it? The answer is simple but our minds are very complicated, so we are no more able to enjoy it. Chuang-tzu (Master Chuang), who followed the teachings of Lao-tzu, describe the empty mind in his monumental work that bears his name by stating:
The still mind of the sage is the mirror of heaven and earth, the glass of all things. Vacancy, stillness, placidity, tastelessness, quietude, silence, and non-action - this is the Level of heaven and earth, and the perfection of the Tao and its characteristics.
(Legge version)The still mind is a mind that is not moving, or putted another way it is the mirror of the universe. This is the pure mind of ancient Taoist masters. Emptiness Today It is this state of purity accessible for people living today? How can one enjoy this state without having to renounce the world or retreat in the silent places and practice long term meditation? These questions are
very important for people studying Taoism in our days, let's call them modern people. The answer is yes, the emptiness of mind is accessible for us today. Also we can acquire this spiritual state in the middle of the turmoil of this world. We don't need any retreat, any special meditation techniques as if Taoism practice was precisely created for us. Moreover, the realization here and now of the emptiness of our minds secures us from the perils of the soul
like neurosis, loss of freedom, inability to make a living or take decisions, depression, and all kind of mistakes. ^
Copyright 1999-2008, Way of Perfect Emptiness. All rights reserved.