How much actually do we need from what we store in our minds?

The knowledge from the books and experts’ theories, the knowledge that describes the world and all its phenomena, and even the explanations to the things that exist in our heads and hearts: When exactly do we need this knowledge? When is it useful? And when does it stop us from looking for the answers to the questions we make? When does it prevent us from asking questions at all?

I found the words of zen master, Shunryū Suzuki, in the book of Vanda Scaravelli.* Suzuki used to say that the real art is to keep the beginner’s mind, not to achieve enlightenment.

His words helped me to regain self-confidence and trust for the inner process of looking for the answers. In the Western culture the empty mind would be rather identified with a fool, not a master. What we know matters, because this is the world of Information. It helps you to build your status. It lets you to divide and rule. Who has the Information is one step ahead. Who is the expert, is respected and heard. The Information means the power and money; more and more money in the global village where it is hard to say what is real and what is fake.

Zen is from this weird land where you can doubt and just say honestly “I do not know”. Not knowing means that you can take your private trip for knowledge and your inner compass will be your heart and intuition.

When you replace the knowledge with an empty mind, you create space where new things can happen. You observe, accept and let things go at your own speed. This is a big luxury and you can give it to yourself. The time you spend observing what is, in a free and open way, will be the most beautiful and the best investment. The knowledge that you gain in this process becomes an integral part of your soul, because it is a direct experience and the most honest work with your senses that you can perform. And with senses you discover the world. This knowledge will grow with you. It will evolve and change without the feeling that you loose something at the same time. If you fulfill your mind with a new, fresh observation every day, how can you loose anything?

*Scaravelli Vanda, Awakening the spine