Happy New Year · Rooted Alchemy

Happy New Year

Cheers! Gan Bei! Empty your cup!

The empty cup analogy is one that I thoroughly enjoy and is universal to so many practices and experiences. I can remember my teacher in Beijing explaining his personal relationship to this concept and how it gave him the motivation and focus he needed to be the type of person, martial artist, teacher and friend he wanted to be for those around him.

The empty cup tells us that if we go into a situation with our mind and thoughts full of expectations we will often miss the the part that we should really be present for and looking to take away with us. I have always felt there is an intention present we when contemplate analogies and metaphors such as this, one that can be felt in context with our own personal experience. Coming into our practice with the intention of becoming a student rather than a master, studying rather than memorizing and simply looking to be more present with our practice helps us look to our own cup. Both how we are crafting it and with what we want to fill it.

In a practice such as tai ji and qi gong we are bound to have expectations, yet we can use these expectations to help shape our intention and practice as we learn more about the method and the study. The famous tai ji teacher Cheng Man Ching was once asked how long it would take to learn the long form. He replied, “two years”. The student then asked him how long it would take if he trained really hard. Without much hesitation Professor Cheng said, “three years”. He of course knew that if the student thought that training harder would somehow “hack” the method, his cup was definitely not empty, and probably had a few cracks in it.

My teacher in Beijing had a great way of looking at it. He said of course you have to empty your cup, but then what:). In the beginning you don’t actually have a cup, it is more like a teaspoon you empty to fill a cup. Then when the cup is full use your cup to fill a pitcher. When the pitcher is full you use the pitcher to fill your reservoir digging deeper until you find an endless spring so that when those around you need a drink, you will have the strength and energy you need to be there for them.

In the Chinese arts everything is circular, so wherever you are on your training path, day 1 or day 10000, it is always best to start with the empty cup and the teaspoon as that is the intention needed to reach deeper into our practice.

Cheers! Gan Bei! Empty Your Cup!

Happy New year!

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