Empty Space

I think I would take the tired that comes from being so active all day over the exhaustion that comes from sitting all day. The latter feels so lethargic and fattening.

I was thinking on my drive home from class about empty space. I realized when I was walking to my car that I tend to focus on cars a lot. I really like critiquing and admiring their designs but sometimes I get so sick of how automatic it is to look at their features. I just get tractor-beamed into it. I realized that there is so much more to notice around me and proceeded to purposely not look at cars. I then noticed that looking at a tree felt much better for some reason and, after some reflection, attributed that to the lack of analyzing I was doing to the tree. I was simply looking at it. I wasn't saying whether I liked or disliked the features or mentally improving on it. Those things aren't necessarily bad, but I think it does our mind good to take a break. Attaching labels, analyzing and critiquing can be tiresome and all three take a little away from the actual experience of looking at something. You notice a lot more when you just look at something. It's a wonderful thing. In fact, I find it so wonderful that I try to force myself to do it. But you can't really force it, it just happens. When your mind is silent and you stop looking for something, you get a glimpse of what it is like to really see. It sounds so metaphysical but it is true. The ramblings of the enlightened are inspired, though I don't completely agree with their ways. When you actually see...it's like things have color, dimension and attractiveness that you wonder how you could ever miss.

Anyway, as I was driving home thinking about this, I was reminded about one of my ideas of how to silent the mind. I realized you could focus on the things your mind was saying, but you could also focus on the space between your thoughts. I don't know exactly how one does it, but the idea itself makes it slightly possible. Then I started thinking about doing that with what I am actually looking at. Instead of always focusing on the object, we can look at the object but focus on the space all around the object. I wonder what this could do to a mind. Inspire more spontaneity and creativity? Quiet the thoughts a little bit more? I'm going to practice it a little bit and see what it does for me. Already I can say it feels nice. Just another perspective to keep the soul expanding.

I wasn't so crazy about it at first, but the new Passion Pit album is growing on me. This song is my favorite so far.
Passion Pit - Cry like a Ghost