Shunya

शून्य

The Sanskrit word for 0 is 'Shunya'. But the real meaning of the word goes deeper. It means zero, but it also means void, emptiness, completion, origin. Everything starts from here and goes back to it. Everything was nothing before it became something.

In life and specially in tough times, there are many things that are beyond our control.

How can you use the concept of shunya to deal with the stressors of daily life?

Surrender. Become zero. Go back to the basics, to the beginner's mind. Think of this as a reset, go back to the safety and comfort of nothingness.

Let's start at zero.

Practice this as a form of eliminative contemplation:

• Think of the problem, contemplate on what you think you know about the situation- and then let it go.

• Think about your role in the situation, what is expected of you, what are your perceived responsibilities- and then let that go too.

• Think of the material assets you have, think of the labels you carry, your attributes- and then let them go.

• Carry on till you have reached the nothing-state.

Deepen your practice every day. Eliminate more and more characteristics and attachments.

This practice will help you let go of your rigid perspectives, of ideas, classifications and dualities that are not serving you so that you can be fully present in the here and now. Once your energies are less scattered because you gave up fighting all these temporary states, you will be able to focus better on the task at hand.