"The meaning of emptiness and its uses are a deeply mystical pursuit in both Taoism and Buddhism," states Johndennis Govert in his book "Feng Shui, Art and Harmony of Place."

I paused to reflect on that. What does "emptiness" mean to me?

I'm about to have new carpet laid in my home and that means that everything I own has to be packed up and moved. First the upstairs stuff comes downstairs and then I put that back and reverse the process. You better believe I am throwing things away. I am definitely looking at what "emptiness" means to me.

What an opportunity it is will be to re-choose exactly what and how much I will put back in my environment. How lovely to start with an empty space and put in one item at a time, consider it and feel the energy around its placement before adding something else.

I will need to be sensitive to emptiness, which may be either an open space or an absence from a particular place. I gave away a large Mission couch and its absence has created a more fluid flow of energy in the room it used to occupy.

I want to contemplate emptiness in the space around me. I want to be more aware of being empty when I meditate. In the acting profession we say, "Less is more." I want each word I speak and every action I take to be purposeful and meaningful. I want to tune into the silence within me and draw from its depth of love and compassion. I choose to bring that deepened awareness of emptiness into my life experience in the work I do, the conversations I have and the actions I take.

Johndennis continues. "Not only does all life partake of enlightened nature, but enlightenment is of the clear nature of emptiness that runs through every thing and every being." I looked at my animals to see the nature of emptiness within them. They do not worry. They do not plan ahead. They respond in the moment. A string dangled in front of my cat elicits a quick swipe of a paw. My dog comes over when he thinks I am cooking something promising. They sleep when they are tired and get up when there is something interesting to do.

This emptiness is called the Tao or wu in Chinese. "The Chinese idea of wu (mu in Japanese) is of a mysterious and deep but vibrant potential that continually boils over in creation into beings and things," states Johndennis.

We live in wu. We live in a vibrant potential. Learning to recognize wu and then using it effectively is the work of a lifetime.

Lao Tzu in the Tao Te Ching states, "Tao never does; yet though it all things are done."

I only know to go to silence. Perhaps if I pause throughout my day, disengage my mind, put out all my feeling antennas and absorb the atmosphere around me I will be more aware of the presence of wu.

When I cease to strive, when I relax and allow myself to be carried along with the harmonious flow, never efforting, never doubting, just listening and feeling and allowing my steps to be directed, I will come close to expressing this vibrant potential.

"Kind Prince, what then is the Way?"
"Venerable Teacher, I cannot respond in words, I can only embrace it in wholeness."
"Kind Prince, do not embrace the Way. Be the Way."