The Tea and the Teacup
Finding meaning in what you love.
is a classic metaphor in many spiritual teachings, especially Zen, concerning tea and a teacup.
Just to keep it short it says that life there will be where you may have tea (content), but no cup (form) to pour it in. In such a case finding a cup will have great meaning for you in a way that it would not if there was no tea to pour into it.
On the other hand, there will also be times where you may have a cup (form) but no tea (content) to pour into it. Now the cup, though aesthetically pleasing, is functionally useless. Yet that cup gains meaning if there is no tea to pour into it. If there is no tea, the cup may not even be noticed. This is how it is with an idea, a thought, a passion, an interest, some innovation, or some experience. Like tea, it will have a great meaning for you in a way that it might not if there was no empty form to be filled.
Imagine Medium.com with no writers, or a writer without a place to share their work?
Meaning comes from the merging of form and function.
It appears; concerning the meaning of “meaning” that part of what it means to be a human being is to have a creative idea, a thought, a passion, or an interest — “some specific content or experience that we love.” But what is often lacking is a place through which to express this “content.”
So, in the end, you may give meaning to an idea or experience that you have created. Or you may accept an idea or concept that crosses your path simply because you have the form but nothing to put in it. This is often how we turn an idea into physical reality. This very same concept can also be applied to religious faith, rituals, ceremonies, and many other ideas, and forms. We each have an idea about what is “spiritual” and we each need a form to pour it into. We create or choose rites, rituals, ceremonies, sacred texts, and a building for a mosque, temple, or church… and of course, we create the clergy to tell us how we should think, speak and behave.
I offer this metaphor not to magnify or diminish what has meaning for you. It is simply to emphasize that it is through meaning that we create hope and the possibility for joy and celebration in life and living. Some of us need these rigid physical forms to give our lives meaning.
So as you can see human beings are hard-wired to create meaning even where there may not be any. To live life without meaning is to live without experiencing love and to slide into despair.
Takeaway
So as you can see human beings are hard-wired to create meaning even where there may not be any. To live life without meaning is to live without experiencing love and to slide into despair.
This love grows over time. we understand the different types of love out there, we can become conscious of how deep our connection is with ourselves and the other people in our lives.
Are you having a hard time loving in these times? Learn to love through my series of short stories on “Love!”
Here is the Introduction to the series…
Read all of my stories at…
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About the Author: Lewis Harrison, is a student of love. A Results-Oriented Life Coach, speaker, and strategist specializing in Self Improvement, Personal Development, Love, and Happiness.
I’m passionate about offering advice on creativity, innovation, inspiration, self-improvement, life lessons, mental health information, love, & movie reviews.
I am also always exploring trends, innovations, areas of interest, and solutions to build new stories upon. If you have any ideas you would like me to write about just email me at LewisCoaches@gmail.com
