Emptying And Emptiness

SUN., JULY 30, 1989, 5:39 AM
FARM, STUDY

Emptying is the process. Emptiness is the desired condition. Yet this condition is a means… a means toward being filled. You still don’t do this emptying very well, but it is a necessary element in our teaching/learning process. It is the precursor to any legitimate meditation.

Your mind is a marvelous part of your humanness. It also can be a hindrance to the exercise and enrichment of your spirit. Your mind is almost continuously producing thoughts – some useful, some silly, some profane. Mental discipline is one means of controlling these thoughts and of producing more that are worthwhile. Yet the spirit is the better means of control.

You and I have established, together, this process in which I teach and you learn. It is basically a mystical process, so, yes, that does make you somewhat of a mystic. It is appropriate to identify yourself as a “low level” or “minor league” mystic, for you don’t truly compare with some of the great mystics with whom I’ve communicated. But you can use the term, with My blessing.

Before you can hear Me clearly you must empty your mind of thoughts, even those thoughts about the emptying process. This means having your mind become like a blank page. Gently but firmly you must maintain this emptiness, not allowing old or new thoughts to mar this blank emptiness. This still is difficult for you, for your mind is naturally active, and you still achieve a good deal with it. You know the process, and, importantly, you know you can succeed, so you persist. It often takes some minutes, but you anticipate the end product so you apply that artful combination of trying and not-trying.

The emptiness must be maintained for some short time, like unto a cleansing, flushing process. Then I enter and offer you the title. This is an insult to the emptiness you have “created,” so you are right in resisting any intrusion at first. The title may have a context, as the one for this morning had, but it may not have. You have a right to expect a truly marvelous title, which shall precede a truly deep and significant Teaching. Still, I have told you this shall be only occasionally. Many of these Teachings shall be the equivalent of the Biblical book of Philemon rather than the Gospel of John.

There is a reason for each, but sometimes the reason is mainly process-oriented. You have to be willing and able to hear a relatively unimpressive Teaching in order to maintain your capacity to hear and record a really significant one. You must remember this.

You are not good at keeping your thoughts out of the Teaching. You must confess this weakness. Then you must counter this with the acknowledgement of My power and desire to have you learn. Seldom do I allow you to actually intrude into My message. And if you do write down some “untruth” I shall surely correct it in other Teachings. Since this is an ongoing process I definitely can correct what I see as inaccurate hearing.

Yes, you must empty your mind, creating a condition of emptiness. Into that I shall enter, the means for your best education at this time in your life. Emptiness is part of the process, but, in your case, is not to be desired for its own sake. Into your emptiness I shall surely come. That is the desired condition of growth. Come often this week, even as you have much to accomplish.