Always Make Your Cup Empty!

Recently, I received an e-mail from my friend. I am posting it here for everyone's view.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7185311@N03/2273214311

"A master was trying to explain something to a student. Now this student was not a brand new student, but a senior student who had learned many things. He had knowledge and experience aplenty to draw upon. But each time the master tried to explain something new to the student, the student kept trying to hold it up against his own notions of the way the world is and how it ought be, and he was unable to see the lessons in what the master was trying to teach him.

Finally, the master poured a full serving of tea into his own cup, and into the cup of the student. Then he told the student he wanted to give to him some of the tea from his own cup. He began pouring tea from his cup into the student's cup, but the student's cup was already full, and all the tea from the master's cup spilled out over the cup onto the surface below. The student said, "Master, you can't pour anything into my cup until I empty it to make room for what you are trying to give me.", and the master replied "Yes I know."
"And I can't give you any new thoughts or ideas or perspectives on life's lessons until you clear out some thoughts that are already teeming in your mind to make room for what I have to teach you.

" Then the master paused for a brief moment, meeting the student's eyes with his own knowing look and calmly but sternly said: " If you truly seek understanding, then first, empty your cup!" The student pondered for a moment with a look of absolute bewilderment. Then a look of enlightenment came over him, followed by a smile, and a look of receptiveness. The master started to explain again, and this time the student saw what the master was trying to say."

  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47823583@N03/5149250072

"Learners are Brave"

        Great people love to learn. They have this endless thirst for knowledge and wisdom. No matter how many titles, Phds and millions they have, they keep on learning. Yet, most of us ordinary persons who are supposed to be hungry for knowledge resist learning. Unknown is scary for most people. When new ideas or concepts begins to challenge our thinking, we get frightened. We are afraid to leave ou

r comfort zone. We do not want to risk on anything that is not familiar to us. Thus, most of the times we are rejecting some challenging situation in our life. We do not know that the most fruitful and liberating moments in our life will come from taking risks outside our comfort zone. It is in taking risks that will mirror the inner strength we have within. 

Some people say that success lies in the courage zone, a place where courage is taking over your fears. Always put yourself in the courage zone. Sometimes, the comfort zone which we feel safe is the most dangerous place in our life. 

Great people read books daily. They have lust for learning. Some of my heroes even have libraries. These people also felt uncomfortable when faced by a daunting task and yet they proceed in grasping new ideas because growth is there. 

I remember Thomas Szasz who says: “Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one’s self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily; and why older persons, especially if vain or important, cannot learn at all.”