When I empty the mind...

This image is the creation of my DD, at age 5. I’m not sure if she ever gave it a title… perhaps it does not need one.

One of my favorite things in the world is to have conversations with my DD. The prerequisite though is the emptying of my mind. Once that’s done, there is no limit. Today we started with blank pieces of paper and pencils with the intention to draw. Instead, words started coming out of the pencil. I thought of inventing a new adventure with the Famous Five (one where the chauvinistic idiot character gets what he deserves). But then DD started inventing her own characters for her story. I liked the idea and started on my characters. Then grumbling tummies led us to Chipotle, but the characters kept developing…one from Peru, one from Australia, one gender-nonconforming, one Tibetan Mastiff, etc. Some cookies, oranges and sparkling water later, we somehow got on to the subject of adding negative numbers. More algebra flowed, followed by a discussion about Harry Potter, which led DD to make an interesting observation. She said the one thing she found unrealistic about that series is that some people couldn’t do magic even if they wanted to. Many concepts in the magical world have corresponding concepts in the world we live in, like laws, governments, wars, cultures, etc. The one thing that doesn’t match is the fact that people can do whatever they put their mind to in our world. But in the Harry Potter world, if you’re a muggle or a squib, nothing you do or say can help you do magic…even if it’s something you really want.
I love the flow… it makes me feel alive. It feels natural and easy. The prerequisite is hard though… emptying the mind of judgements, fears, anxiety is hard. Staying in the present moment is hard. But, like many other things, it starts feeling easier and more natural with every empty-minded moment.


​veena