Five Ways to Empty an Overly-Full Mind

Whether it’s from knowledge or questions, things to do or things left undone… from time to time we all find ourselves in the position of possessing an overly-full mind.  Consider this story of the student and the Zen master:
 
A student went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the student talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor’s cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The student watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. “It’s overfull! No more will go in!” the student blurted. “You are like this cup,” the master replied, “How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup.”
 
As growing business owners, it is essential to have a mind like a teacup: empty and ready to receive.  In this state we may be observant to the changes in our environments, sensitive to the possible effects of those changes, open and creative with the possibilities we face, and agile enough to bend and give when the winds of change invite (or require) us to do so.  When our minds are overfull, we may become dismissive of signals, blind to consequences, narrow-minded in our thinking, and inflexible in our beliefs.
 

It is what we think we know already that often prevents us from learning.

– Claude Bernard

 
Here are five different ways I “empty my cup” when my mind feels overly-full:
 
1. Take off my shoes.  A quick way to get myself out of my head and back to the present moment is simply for me to slip off my shoes and feel the texture of the floor with my feet.  With this simple trick, I become aware again of where I am and what I am doing.
 
2. Breathe in some space.  When my mind is going a million miles a minute, I picture the inside of my head as a big balloon.  With each slow, easy in-breath I expand the balloon just a bit.  As the balloon expands, I see a higher-view of where I am.  At first it may be me at my computer, typing.  Then it’s me in the office.  Then it’s me in the building.  I can barely see myself at this point, but I keep going.  Then it’s me in San Diego… me in California… me in the United States… me in North America… Me in the world… me in the solar system… me in the universe.  And suddenly all those thoughts don’t seem quite as urgent as they once did.
 
3. Hit the surf.  There is nothing like the sound of waves lapping at a beach to quiet my mind.  (My mind loves the white-noise of water in movement.)  Since I can’t always head over to the shore when I want to, I do the next best thing: I watch an online video of waves breaking at some amazing location.  And because there are so many of them out there, I can choose to visit a favorite beach, or explore someplace new.
 
4. Wash the dishes.  I learned this one from Thich Nhat Hanh.  When engaging in an activity, ONLY do that activity.  For me, washing the dishes has become ingrained as a reminder to become fully present to where I am and what I am doing.  When I wash the dishes, I’m not thinking about the next thing I need to do.  I’m not thinking about what I could be doing instead of washing these dishes.  I’m not thinking about what I could have said to that guy a few hours ago.  I’m not thinking about how nobody seems to do the dishes around here.  I simply wash the dishes.  I feel the slick soapy surfaces of the plates.  I feel the heat of the water.  I hear the squeeky sounds the sponge makes as I scrub.  Washing the dishes has become one of my favorite activities.
 
5. Skate.  I used to love to skate when I was a kid.  Earlier this year I got out the roller skates and started skating by the bay.  The sun is shining, my music is playing, I fall into a skating rhythm, and before I know it I haven’t been thinking for a while!
 
What are some of the ways you “empty your cup” when your mind feels overly-full?

I cannot wait to see what you draw forth,