I want to keep my day empty. I want it to be free from worry, anger, fear, stress, or pressure. I just want to figure out how to keep my day free of the tough stuff and full of the serene.
Begin your empty day with awareness
The first step to living an empty, serene day is to notice what’s keeping you from doing just that. Whether it’s family, work, mental or physical, identify the source of your stress. For one moment, put it aside as if it doesn’t exist.
Move to a new mind-set
Mind-set is where all change happens. The most powerful change I’ve been able to make is to practice unfolding. When I allow my life to unfold and simply shape things as they come, there’s no worry about the future, there’s no anticipation, dread or far-fetched scenarios, there’s only now.
If there’s quiet in this moment, I embrace it. If there’s distraction in this moment, I shape it into something I can ignore.
Practice serenity
When you decide to live an empty day, you have to keep taking out the clutter. Put it aside for today, for the moment. Feel the presence of nothingness. Immerse yourself in that supreme silence.
You can practice serenity in any moment. Take a conscious breath, mentally let go of all thoughts, relax your body and simply be. Practice serenity until it becomes easy to move into the experience whenever you wish.
Float in your emptiness
There’s a floating quality to living an empty day. Like a cloud lounging in the sky or a leaf resting on the surface of a stream.
What does that cloud experience? A gradual shifting of position and shape. A gentle interaction with other clouds. Sometimes a merging of two clouds. Occasionally there’s a strong breeze, but that just makes for a fun ride.
What does a leaf do when floating down the stream? She lies back and enjoys the view of the clouds changing shape overhead. She waves to the tall grass that lines the banks. Sometimes she goes for a joy ride down a slope.
In both of these scenarios, there’s no effort. There’s acceptance, and there’s trust. There’s a willingness to embrace what shows up and shape it in the moment – accept, reject, leave, stay, ignore, comfort, re-shape. Each moment holds potential for serenity. Each moment is ours to fill as we will.
Will you make today an empty day? Will you live fully present in each moment of now?
To Sing a Deeper Song consider:
Can You Live an Unhurried Day
06– Unfolding And The Art Of Wu Wei
17 – Exploring The Village of Nothingness
The Spaces In Our Lives
The No Plan Plan
Unfolding and the Big Boulder
Take The Path to Trust
