Photo by Pars Sahin on Unsplash
by Misa Terral
The words that came to me upon waking this morning were “empty vessel”. How well can I receive today? Not as in getting something from someone or something else, but receiving as in the energetic awareness that keeps me aligned with harmony, peacefulness, gratitude, patience, love, forgiveness, appreciation, joy, and wonder that always exists one or two perspective shifts away.
We have an undeniable bias in our society towards doing and doing more. Most of us do too much, not leaving much space between thoughts or tasks, keeping us exhausted and locked in a state of accomplishing. So where is the balance? And sleeping, Netflix and wine do not count on this.
The balance comes when we allow the body and brain to rest in a state of stillness. Being in a state of stillness and calm, or even mindfulness where your thoughts remain in the present moment and pay attention to all that’s around you, healing us from the inside out. Our nervous system relaxes and allows the body to exist without demands other than be-ing.
This is the state of being an empty vessel, your body being the vessel and your mind in the state of emptiness. When we slow down enough to just “be”, not only do we create a state of wellness and wellbeing, we begin to receive a sense of calm oneness, of love and patience, and gratitude. It takes practice to become an empty vessel and letting go of expectations or self judgment is part of the process.
The good news is that it’s so simple, all we need is 10 minutes, maybe even twice a day if possible. Pick a quiet space, turn off your devices, and when a thought of anything but stillness or mindfulness arrives, send it off in a thought bubble. In the beginning, we may do this a hundred times, that’s normal. Keep trying.
Soon, we crave these moments, making them longer, and feeling the benefits, including a state of wonder and freedom. We are worth this time, our body and our mind deserve this time, and we will feel more refreshed, creative and grateful because of it. We promise.