Emptiness - travel across the times....

I was originally like a Seed from pure emptiness…

delicate and free , traveling across the times…

Tired of being entangled by fame and fortune…

I shall rest myself for a while in dirt and dust... 

~ Li Qing Temple

Emptiness.... 

Emptiness is a theme of Taoist thought and also practice - it is often said that Emptiness is what gives things their value and usefulness - the value of a cup, lies in it's empty space - but perhaps in our modern world, we focus more on materiality, form, and the gaining of objects with obvious form..  

Yet Emptiness is also a thing, or a state, is it not...?

When Emptiness is contrasted with form, the opposite of Form is the Formless or the Empty State.

what is Emptiness exactly...?

It is nothing....!

What is No Thing...?

In Taoist thought we often refer to the 'Mind' as the "Heart, or sometimes we refer to the Heart/Mind...  

The Heart is something that may accommodate both Being and Non-Being.  We may understand that we identify with ourselves and 'things' through thoughts or ideas...  

When we have no thoughts or ideas, do those things still exist...?  

When there is no thought, is there no other..?

Our Heart functions like the brightness of a mirror, brightness and clarity is it's original and innate state.  Yet, as all the worldly objects become reflected upon the Heart, we attach to this reflection, the brightness of our Heart becomes entangled, and the clarity and luminosity of it's original nature becomes dull. 

Letting go of the entanglements of the reflections, the brightness of our Heart will return and resume its Original Nature...

Resume the Brightness of the Heart...

This is simply a process of Communing with your Original Brightness, your Original Nature.  

This process begins by letting go of thoughts, attachments and ideas.

It is much like Returning to the Very Beginning - Returning to a State of Unification.

This Unification from the Taoist Yoga perspective, is when the Inner Energies which formally had various states of separation and duality - such as Yin / Yang - combine and form a Non-dual nature - a Unification or Oneness returns - 

Letting go of the movement of thoughts, and bringing the mind to a state of stillness is the first step - we may ask ourselves, how is this done?  

We must have some practice method to apply.

Practice to guide one to the State of Emptiness will contain aspects of :

• Form - (movement & stillness)
• Breath Work
• Concentration of Mind

The Form begins the first process of giving the mind a focus point, the second focus point of mind will be the breath - when we reach a level of Mind & Breath combining - we may begin to enter into the stage of Emptiness - or No Mind as it is often termed.

In our Teaching of the TaoYoga Arts System, we use form, movement, breath work and applying concentration of mind as the vehicle to follow.  Qi Energy is developed through the practice, and the Qi Energy actually empowers and aids the development and ability of Concentration.

Concentration leads to the state of a Tranquil, Pure and Quiet Inner Environment of Heart and Mind.

As this Inner Quietude grows and develops, we will let go of Concentration and the Cessation of Concentration comes upon the Scene - Emptiness begins to arise - 

Stillness and Tranquility - Inner Quietude - Cessation of Concentration - Emptiness

leading one to a Unity with Nature -

The Path of the Tao....

In modern terms we may also understand this concept of 'Emptiness', refers to the Transformation of the Ego Consciousness - it is much like we forget our small self, and gain awareness of a Greater Self...

What is this Greater Self...?

Nature....

What is Nature....?

This is a question to ponder...