04/29/2026
In yoga class last night, a story was shared that got me thinking.
It’s a classic Zen parable, most famously attributed to the Japanese Zen master Nan-in during the Meiji era (1868–1912).
As the story goes, a learned professor went to visit Nan-in to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea.
He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then he kept on pouring. The professor watched the tea overflow until he could no longer restrain himself.
“It is overfull. No more will go in!” he exclaimed.
“Like this cup,” Nan-in replied, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”
Letting Go to Let In
We often talk about growth as if it is an additive process, as if we are simply stacking new knowledge on top of the old. But the truth is, if we want to truly learn, we have to be willing to un-learn first.
It is incredibly important for us, if we want to grow, to be open to perspectives that are not our own. However, the only way we can truly achieve that is to let go of the belief systems we hold onto so tightly in the first place.
Dismantling the Internal Wall
Rigid belief systems act like a cup that is filled to the very brim, leaving no room for anything new to be added. If we want to take down walls and remove the bricks that are keeping us separated from one another and the truths, then we must let go of what isn’t serving us any longer to let in what just might.
To be full is to be finished. To be full is to be closed. When we insist that our cup is already at capacity, we are essentially saying that we have no more room for empathy, no more room for accountability, and no more room for the lived experiences of those around us.
If we want to achieve collective freedom, we must have the courage to pour out the stale tea of our biases. we must be willing to stand with an empty cup and say:
“I am ready to listen, I am ready to see the world through a lens that isn’t mine.”
Join the Conversation
What is one belief or “brick” you are willing to set down today to make room for a new perspective?
Leave a comment below and let’s discuss how we can empty and refill our cups together.
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