In a world awash with data, please remember: there is something immensely valuable beyond information. A beautiful, divine silence exists beyond the mind-stuff.
There is a miraculous, subtle force in play which moves us gently toward this silence. This is the story of how this force worked on me.
In my twenties, I was steeped in the intellectual world.  I was reading spiritual texts, but they did not penetrate.  When I turned twenty nine, I moved to a suburb of the city in which I was living. This move lessoned to a large degree the noise and distraction to which I was subjected. In astrological terms, I was in my Saturn return, so the miraculous force had the stars on its side.
One night, at a dinner party, I exchanged a few words with a new acquaintance. She mentioned she spent six months in the U.S. and six months in India. I didn’t think much of it.
A few weeks later, I was standing in line at a cafe, and I caught sight of a group of four people laughing and enjoying. Upon looking more closely, I noticed the woman I had met at the dinner party. I was wearing a tee-shirt with the logo of a theatre company with which I had worked. My acquaintance said, “I didn’t know you worked in theatre. This man is a world-renowned theatre artist from Germany.” Introductions were made, and I sat down with them to have a coffee.
Two minutes later, I was crying my eyes out.
I have no recollection of what transpired between the introduction and the crying. However, I do remember, after I finally calmed down, the German artist saying, “You are ready.”
There is an ancient saying. The student does not find the Master; the Master finds the student. In this case, the Master used one of his disciples to find me.
A few weeks later, I was immersed in a Zen Theatre course, which combined theatre exercises with meditation techniques.
Shortly thereafter, I became the disciple of an enlightened Master, and began to learn the methods which helped me to have a glimpse of that which lies beyond the spoken word, beyond the zippy thoughts, beyond the emotions, and beyond the sensations of the physical body.
It only took one glimpse of this peace, this silence, this blissfulness, to know that in the end, this is all I need.
Musings of a Disciple 
A lovely reflection. Thanks for sharing.
If emptiness is fullness, who is holding my half-empty/half-full glass?
The watcher?
I wonder when I may meet my teacher then, or if I will ever be ready?
Your comment touched me, Viv. I read a little about you — you seem like a lovely, intelligent person. I wonder: in addition to your writing, have you discovered meditation? One other tidbit for now: I was diagnosed by Western doctors as having bipolar illness. Some of my writings address this label, from both Eastern and Western worldviews. Take care!
I do meditate, regularly, hence the series of guided meditations using fragrance. A good number of people find guided meditations a helpful starting point.
For myself I find that drumming meditations are often the best way.
I have no diagnosis for bi-polar but it has been raised and I am starting to feel that it may be a facet of my troubles. I am being referred to a neurologist following an episode that had certain fit-like qualities about 6 weeks ago; it may also be that my lifelong battle with depression has an organis and treatable cause.
Thank you for your kind comment. You take care too!
Yes — guided meditations can be beautiful. I also love drumming circles. As you likely know, we are both biochemical and bioelectric beings. And as meditation effects in a good way the chi energy in the body, it has an effect on psychological diseases of all stripes. (Read my posts on serotonin and the pineal gland…) Don't get me wrong — I take meds for bipolar. But I take the minimum needed for a stable base line. Then I let awareness of the inner and outer guide the rest…Much Love and good luck to you.
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