Chapter 11: The Value & Utility of Emptiness

 Thirty spokes share a single hub, but it is the hole in the center that makes it useful in a vehicle.

Mixing water with clay makes a vessel, but it is emptiness that makes it useful as a vessel.

Boring windows and doors makes a room, but it is the open space that makes it useful as a room.

Therefore, the presence of something makes it valuable, but the absence in something makes it useful.

Similar to the valley and the bellows analogy, this chapter teaches us that value and usefulness aren’t always the same thing and often come from different sources.  A tire is comprised of many spokes but it is the hole in the center that allows it to spin around an axle – it is the opening that gives it function and utility – that makes it useful in a vehicle.  The same principle applies to a bowl.  Even though it is made from clay, it is the hollow in the middle that gives it its usefulness as a vessel – an empty vessel.  The greater the space in the middle, the greater its capacity to hold things.  While a room or house is made up of walls, doors, windows, and a roof, it is the space in the middle that is lived in.  While what things are made up of may determine their “value” in terms of subjective society, it is the openness, the space in between that makes things useful.  

With the frenetic pace of life, we need to make sure that we leave some openings for opportunities and don’t overfill our cups, spread ourselves too thin, and burn ourselves out so that we have nothing left for the most important things in our lives.  Too often, we let urgent but not important things hold our dreams and highest priorities hostage.  While we build our lives, we need to ensure that we clear away the clutter and make some space in our lives for what we really want and what matters most in our lives.  As motivational speaker, executive coach, and best selling author Gail Blanke has taught, "When we throw out the physical clutter, we clear our minds.  When we throw out the mental clutter, we clear our souls."  Why?  Because as inspirational writer Eleanor Brownn has written, "Clutter is not just physical stuff.  It's old ideas, toxic relationships, and bad habits.  Clutter is anything that doesn't support your better self."  As we clear the clutter – that things that hold us back from becoming our best selves – and create space for inspiration and openings for opportunities – we will experience
the wonders of the Way. ~ DCB

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