Contemplation on The Emptiness that is Full - Shunyata

Inspired from the first three verses of The Heart Sutra of Great Perfection

The Venerable Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva,

When carrying out the profound Prajnaparamita career,

Penetrated through the five aggregates

And saw that they are Shunya in their nature.

Here, Shariputra, Form is Shunyata; Shunyata is Form.

Form does not differ from Shunyata; Shunyata does not differ from Form.

That which is Form is Shunyata; that which is Shunyata is Form.

The very same applies to feeling, idea, formations and consciousness.

Here Shariputra, all Dharma’s are marked with Shunyata;

Neither originated nor destroyed; neither defiled nor undefiled; neither decreased nor increased.

Therefore, Shariputra, in Shunyata, no form, no feeling, no idea, no formation, no consciousness…

Contemplation #1

Why seek emptiness? 

Because in becoming empty we become All in All.

Yet how can you seek that which cannot be sought? 

Surely emptiness cannot be found by seeking,

For our seeking forms a misty veil that distorts and hides it.

Yes, instead just sit - seek nothing, but surrender everything,

Over and over, all that stuff which fills you,

And then surrender you – it’s not the real you anyway.

Sunyata dawns in our awareness

Like clouds clearing from an open sky,

Not as a goal achieved but simply as true awareness.

Contemplation #2

Sitting in the stillness of a forest glen,

Surrendering everything until you become nothing,

Empty like the moon shining now upon us.

Becoming empty, we open to that quiet emerging of our true self;

Be still,

Don't scare it away with thinking, or 

try to capture it with conceptualization,

Just be present, allowing emptiness to fill you of its own accord.

Oh look!

The deer have come to enjoy the moon,

Appearing out of the dark forest.

Contemplation #3

In becoming empty, we become full of all things,

But yet are not filled.

There is a fullness that cannot be filled, for it is always empty;

If it were filled with just one thing, 

then it would not be full anymore.

Finding nothing, we become everything!

Contemplation #4

Seek it, it cannot be found,

       (don't seek, surrender);

Found, it cannot be grasped,

       (don't grasp, let go);

Present, it cannot be possessed -

       (don't  try to possess, be present).

Contemplation #5

What is It? 

It is the Self or yourself!

It is hidden by what you think you are,

Hidden by what you think you have made (or not made) of your life. Yet It cares not for these!

Though hidden, It cannot be lost - It IS you.

It is ignored at first, sought later; found through pain and embraced through surrender; actualized by living 

in an awakened way.

It is powerful, eternal, fearless, ever loving, ever free, and always positive; this awakening of you is relentless, unstoppable, evolving; It is always pushing to emerge, into your awareness and world, through every tiny hole made in your ego.

Bearing Wittness to Light

We bear witness to the Light of Oneness by remembering and cultivating light in our lives. This is done by becoming aware of and consciously noticing light in all its many forms; but it is also done by taking care of and loving ourselves so we can take care of and love others. We, as human beings will find both joy and purpose in this.

Light will always manifests as Love, Harmony and Beauty; in acts of compassion, service, respect, and consideration of others.

Acts of ignorance, are acts taken without realization of our interconnection with all life. We all act in ignorance at times but the more we try to remember and/or act with Love, Harmony and Beauty the less this occurs. Thus will our lives be transformed!

Magnaminity of Light Bearers

Humanity is at a point, because of free-will, self-awareness and the power of co-creation, given to it by the One Reality, to be able to override the natural programming designed to protect and nourish us.

Yet, there are many people in the world who are ignorant and asleep to the Light of Oneness.  These individuals, unfortunately, are not awakened and therefore not responsible for their actions at this time in their evolution - because they simply just don’t know any better.  They are caught up in personal, self-centered actions. The law of Karma will still hold them accountable in its own way. Also, most unfortunately, many of these individuals are in positions of power and influence within the societies of the world.

This places a burden of service and responsibility upon those who are awake, and who do have the capacity to bear witness to the Light of Oneness in manifestation.

Unfortunately, for those who have no capacity for Love, Harmony and Beauty, who are Self-Centered at heart, then it is the rest of us who must hold the high ground until, through the course of evolution, until the others begin to awaken.

All people are awakening at some level because the whole of life is continually awakening and we are all an integral part of this One Reality.

Now, when those of us with the self-awareness to be awake, fail to strive to stay awake, then it must be said that the capacity of manifestation to heal and accommodate acts of ignorance, self-centeredness, selfishness, hurt, destruction, and violence is diminished, for the capacity of its co-creators is diminished.

A particularly pivotal evolutionary battle is occurring just now among those who CHOOSE to awaken and those who could awaken but instead, choose not to at least try to awaken. In this latter case, the self-centered ego has been seduced by materialism, duality, greed, desire for power, or self-aggrandizement. This is not a hopeless condition because once things are pushed too far from the natural order and balance of life it will ‘spring back’. This ‘spring back’ may be done by collapses of social structures and cause hurt and suffering at the level of the individual. 

All the work, sacrifice, and service of those of us who have chosen try to stay awake and not give up, will thus have an influence on the others – in this way we will be an enabling force for the natural capacity of existence to heal and right things before too much collapse, destruction or damage occurs.

So let us dance with the Light of Oneness and Knowing, which is becoming stronger and more present for Light Bearers to witness and to use both inwardly and outwardly – and we also help the quickening for all those trying to awaken.

The Alchemical Cauldron of Life

Surely Life is meant to be a great Alchemical Cauldron of transformation, where evolution, growth,and continual awakening are to take place. All beings born on earth are born for this purpose, yet at the individual level we cannot expect all beings to be awake to the same degree at the same time – but all beings can and will awaken in time, if we who strive to stay awake will uphold the Light of Oneness by witnessing it manifest in all things.

The Responsibility of Self-Awareness and Co-Creation

Humanity, due to the gift of Self-Awareness has been singled out from the rest of the life forms on Mother Earth, and given the power of free-will and co-creation. These are the greatest of all gifts to be given to a species but we also NEED to realize that they come with the responsibility of determining our fate and destiny: and when I say “our”, I am not talking about you or me individually; I am talking about the whole of life on Earth.  Although the overall programming of the Universe is robust and ever renewing, humanity and the biosphere which supports all life on Earth is very, very fragile. Like a beautiful garden, life on this planet needs our benevolent care and attention.  The Divine Reality and Nature itself will assist us, but we need to act in ways that enable and allow it – this is what it means to be Co-Creators with God. It means humanity can advance, retard or over-ride the natural programming of the Universe designed to help us evolve and self-preserve.  The Awareness and Knowledge behind the working of the entire Universe will lend a great, powerful helping hand if we but awaken to our “inter-beingness”, our inter-dependence, our “dependent-origination” and begin to help ourselves. 

Photo taken and given to me by my dear friend Hamida from Colorado