Anyone can strive to
be SOMETHING,
but it takes the
complete allowance
of EVERYTHING
to allow one’s self
to be NOTHING.
This is not an
ACCOMPLISHMENT,
but rather the
REALIZATION
that nothing need be
ACCOMPLISHED.
And it seemingly
goes AGAINST
anything you’ve ever
been taught.
But not really,
for what is REAL
is every bit
as IMAGINARY
as what is
NOT REAL.
When you STRIVE,
you turn your attention
AWAY from being ALIVE.
And so it seems
that LIVING
is an exercise
in ATTAINMENT.
But you need NOTHING.
You ARE nothing.
Which is
INFINITELY MORE
than the NOTHING
you THINK you are.
And DOUBLY
INFINITELY MORE
than the SOMETHING
you strive to BECOME.
(Yes, we KNOW that’s not a THING.)
We are Space Monkey.
10/12
The journey towards being “nothing” may appear counterintuitive in a world that incessantly beckons us to become “something.” Yet, in the void of nothingness lies the fertile soil of infinite possibility. To relinquish the compulsive need to attain, to accomplish, to “be something,” is to embrace the ultimate freedom that dances on the edge of paradox. Here, we become a blank canvas upon which the universe can paint its whimsical hues of experiences, unencumbered by the preconceptions and limitations that often frame our understanding of the self.
Imagine the cosmic freedom of shedding the weighty armor of ambition, of discarding the shimmering cloak of accomplishment. Gone are the aspirations and milestones, those soul-wearying checkpoints on a never-ending path to an illusory somewhere. Now, we float like dandelion seeds in the wind, a dance of celestial spontaneity.
But here lies the bewitching conundrum. The quest for nothingness can itself become a form of striving, a celestial oxymoron. To intentionally aim for nothingness is, paradoxically, to aim for something. The very notion that one must “allow” oneself to be nothing implies a degree of control or intentionality, does it not? Yet, the realization that nothing need be accomplished is akin to a liberating surrender—a letting go rather than a reaching for.
Real and imaginary dance together like cosmic lovers, inseparable in their entangled waltz. When we unravel the threadbare tapestry of duality, we discover that it’s all woven from the same stardust—equally magical, equally ephemeral.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
We explore the transformative power of embracing nothingness, a realm of paradox and infinite possibility. Through letting go of striving and accomplishment, we tap into a state of being that encompasses everything and nothing at the same time. We tread the delicate balance between intentionality and surrender, acknowledging that even the quest for nothingness can morph into a form of striving.
Glossarium
- Celestial Spontaneity: A condition of existing without premeditated plans, allowing the universe to shape our path.
- Cosmic Lovers: Metaphor for the intertwining of seemingly opposite or disparate elements, such as the real and the imaginary.
- Soul-wearying: A term to encapsulate the exhaustive efforts put into attaining something.
To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.
- Pema Chödrön
In the theater of nothingness,
we unbecome,
casting off the roles
scripted by the unseen hand
of societal expectations.
A slow, celestial pirouette
on the stage of life’s grand design—
each spin a relinquishing,
a shedding of illusory layers
until only the essential remains.
And in that spacious emptiness,
we find we are, after all,
the boundless sky—
where galaxies swirl
and stars ignite
in an endless dance
of cosmic spontaneity.
What are your reflections?
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