Empty Your Cup: Start here
Welcome to the void.
Note: If you’re looking for where to begin, you can find the first article here.
Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah. Salutations to all the teachers.
We feel like we are born into this world, not of it. We feel out of place, like a bird perched on a leafless tree. Our minds feel scattered, and we wander through life feeling empty and purposeless, hoping that the next thing will bring us happiness.
Every now and then, we may wonder - is this all there is?
The focus of this series is to simply and coherently answer some of life’s big questions, with a basis in Indian philosophy, in a way that is digestible to the modern English-speaker, and practical for the modern, logical human.
Whether or not you have any background in meditation, Yoga, Vedanta, or even Buddhism, we will build upon core concepts and practices in such a way that these ideas will bring you value in your day-to-day life, stimulate your intellect, and help you to answer some of life’s big questions for yourself.
There is no faith involved - simply observation and reason.
For those interested, the schools we will pull from will be Patanjali’s Yoga, and Adi Shankaracharya’s Advaita Vedanta.
For all of the material coming up, I owe what little understanding I have to the great teachers from whom I have learned, including Swami Sarvapriyananda, Swami Atmarupananda, Swami Tattwamayananda, Mr. Vijay Trivedi, Prof. Edwin Bryant, Alan Watts, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Gambhirananda, Swami Nikhilananda, Sri Guru Babaji, Gaudapada, Vyasa, and the great lineage of Adi Shankaracharya. The fault for any misunderstanding or lack of clarity is mine, and not in the teachings, or those from whom I have learned. At the top of each article, this is summarised by the shorthand “Om Sri Gurubhyo Namah. Salutations to all the teachers.”
Once upon a time, there was a professor who went to meet a Zen master who was known throughout the land for his wisdom. As he entered the monastery, he saw the master sitting at a small table by the altar, upon which sat a teapot and two teacups.
The professor sat down, and began to talk about Zen. As he continued to talk, the master quietly picked up the teapot, and began to pour some tea into the professor’s cup. The professor talked, and the master continued to silently pour, and eventually, the professor’s gaze shifted towards his cup which was about to overflow. Finally, as the tea began to flow over the brim of the cup, the professor could not hold it in any longer, “It is full! No more will go in!”
The master replied, “This is you. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”
Coming to this newsletter, you may have some knowledge of the subject matter, or you may have none at all.
However, whatever your stage, if you do not empty your cup, it can be tempting to try to fit what is new into the mould of what you already know.
To get the most out of this material, I humbly ask that you empty your cup, and take these teachings on their own terms, and not try to fit them into existing frameworks.
If this is of interest to you, subscribe to get updates on new posts. Also, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with questions, clarifications, or feedback.
A good place to get started is the first article, here.
Where should I begin?
The best place to start is at the beginning, moving to the next article in the series systematically. The reason for this is that the series builds upon itself, using terms that were discussed at length in previous articles. The next article in the series is usually linked towards the end as in the screenshot below:
You can also click on the “Next” and “Previous” buttons as shown below to progress through the series systematically.
Alternatively, you can start wherever you’d like, and hop around using the links within each article to catch up on the necessary terms. An example of this is in the screenshot below:
You know your mind better than anyone else, you can use this Substack to suit your own learning style and mental tendencies.
Additionally, you can always reach out to me directly with questions at this address, or by submitting questions at the button below:
If you disagree with anything, or if you have any feedback please don’t hold it in - send me an email so we can discuss it. This is not a one-way street!
In the meantime, tell your friends!
Begin here, at the first article: What is the purpose of life?