Recently it seems that everything I’m studying points to one essential truth: nothingness. Also known as shunya or “the void” by Hindus, this is not meant to say there isn’t anything – like one might imagine space or a black hole – rather the idea here is nothing as the opposite of something. There cannot be something without nothing, and in a very real sense everything is connected by nothingness.
For example, you wouldn’t know that an object existed unless you could see its outlines, and edges are defined by the ending of an object and the beginning of nothingness (or another object). An object’s end is defined by the point at which it becomes nothing.
Many teachings point to nothingness as the great binding agent of everything we see and experience in our lives. Like the canvas on which our lives are painted. The void isn’t a sad empty place, but rather that from which all other things arise. The best way I can think of to explain what nothingness would be is in this way. Look ahead and around your area without moving your body or head – just move your eyes. You can see quite a bit in any direction, but at some point your vision is cut off – this is the point at which you can no longer see without moving. Now, try to look through the back of your eyes – imagine what that nothingness behind you is. You may get the sensation that you’re looking into the back of your skull. It’s not all black, but it’s not a white aura either. It is just nothing. That’s what I think the great void is. This always makes me wonder if things that we don’t see really always exist. In a way they don’t, since things that aren’t seen or heard or felt aren’t “real” to the experiencer.
P.S. – Don’t try this little experiment while you’re driving.
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