Stepping into emptiness

“Emptiness is nothing to be afraid of”, an old friend recently wrote to me.

I have been sitting with this for a while now. At an evolved level, I know this to be not only true but also so much more. A place of No-thing is the very place where we move beyond all human limitations. But then why is it so daunting to take the first step into emptiness?

Last year’s drastic shifts left many hanging from a thread. A few of those, myself included, have witnessed such a dramatic disappearance of the old life that, at times, it feels like being afloat on open sea. The sudden lack of familiarity and the onset of a new life is traumatic to say the least and as another friend pointed out a few months earlier in a quote by Marianne Williamson: birth is violent, whether it be the birth of a child or the birth of an idea. Also the birth of a new life, I would add.

For me the trepidation is twofold. Firstly, I need to let go of my life as I have known it for twenty one years. On the physical level this translates as my day to day routine becoming redundant. On the mental plane I must face that this part of my life has reached adult status and now needs to be set free. The spiritual aspect in this asks that I accept this change and allow it to happen with as little resistance as possible.

Secondly, I need to become more comfortable with sitting in the unknown, which feels much like being in a waiting room not knowing what to expect. Physically this manifests in the many empty spaces in my day and in the dialogue that ensues to rediscover who I was before I took on the various roles I have been playing. Mentally, this is about realising that there is a shift of focus and now it’s on me. For someone who has spent most of their life hiding, it feels like I’m finally exposed. The spiritual lesson here is the one that gives me the most hope and keeps me in the game. I’m being given a chance to realise my purpose. What greater gift can there be?

I know I’m not alone in this and it doesn’t matter what your story is or how you got here. We are here. So now what?

I’m beginning to understand that it comes down to the eyes with which we view the world; with how our heart feels about life. If we set our compass to the belief that the best is yet to come, then the open horizon offers us a glimpse of our true nature, which is limitless. We are presented with an opportunity to become centre stage and given the courage to drop the anchor of our own life into the great ocean of Nothingness from where all reality unfolds.

 

 

Best
Afshan x