A great master received a university professor who came to enquire about wisdom.
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The master served tea. He poured the visitor’s cup full, then kept on pouring. The professor watched the cup overflow until he could no longer restrain himself.
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“It is overfull. No more will go in!”
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“Like this cup”, the master replied, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you wisdom unless you first empty your cup?”
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Erase your preconceived notions. It doesn’t matter what you’re training toward – it may be time to empty your cup.
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The Zen message above is simple: if you’re already full of ideas about how things should be, there’s little room for new perspectives.
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Incoming information can’t take root if it’s filtered through what you think you already know.
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If you take a moment to give your mind the “all clear” signal, you do greater justice to yourselves and your karate – you make room for learning.
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You have to empty your cup.
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Written by Adam Carter