A Bigger Container
We can talk about “oneness” until the cows come home. But how do we actually separate ourselves from others? How? The pride out of which anger is born is what separates us. And the solution is a practice in which we experience this separating emotion as a definite bodily state. When we do, A Bigger Container is created.
What is created, what grows, is the amount of life I can hold without it upsetting me, dominating me. At first this space is quite restricted, then it’s a bit bigger, and then it’s bigger still. It need never cease to grow. And the enlightened state is that enormous and compassionate space. But as long as we live we find there is a limit to our container’s size and it is at that point that we must practice. And how do we know where this cut-off point is? We are at that point when we feel any degree of upset, of anger. It’s no mystery at all. And the strength of our practice is how big that container gets.
As we do this practice we need to be charitable with ourselves. We need to recognize when we’re unwilling to do it. No one is willing all the time. And it’s not bad when we don’t do it. We always do what we’re ready to do.
The practice of making A Bigger Container is essentially spiritual because it is essentially nothing at all. A Bigger Container isn’t a thing; awareness is not a thing; the witness is not a thing or a person. There is not somebody witnessing. Nevertheless that which can witness my mind and body must be other than my mind and body. If I can observe my mind and body in an angry state, who is this “I” who observes? It shows me that I am other than my anger, bigger than my anger, and this knowledge enables me to build A Bigger Container, to grow. So what must be increased is the ability to observe. What we observe is always secondary. It isn’t important that we are upset; what is important is the ability to observe the upset.
As the ability grows first to observe, and second to experience, two factors simultaneously increase: wisdom, the ability to see life as it is (not the way I want it to be) and compassion, the natural action which comes from seeing life as it is. We can’t have compassion for anyone or anything if our encounter with them is ensnarled in pride and anger; it’s impossible. Compassion grows as we create A Bigger Container.
Charlotte Joko Beck ​was an American Zen teacher and the author of the books Everyday Zen: Love and Work and Nothing Special: Living Zen.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What does creating a bigger container mean to you? Can you share an experience of a time you felt your container enlarging? What helps you be aware of the limits of your container so you can enlarge it?
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16 Past Reflections
On Aug 21, 2023 bimwop barn wrote :
how do you build a bigger container? sometimes I think it's almost literal - expand your breathing. for me that's a way to get in contact with God. anyway that's my word for it.
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On Oct 29, 2019 renate rothwell wrote :
I imagine myself to but the possibilities to BE are much greater and extend into an unimaginable
space
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On Jun 23, 2015 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
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On Jun 23, 2015 Arthur wrote :
Creating a bigger container means for me being able to let go of who I have come to believe I am. To observe my conditioning and to realize that if I can see it, then I am not that. Then just in that observing it begins to dissolve and I have now created a little door to move into NOTHING which is the limitless space of who I truly am. With grace helping I can now move into a limitless container that has no size, no form, no texture and it is who I truly am, my Beingness.
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On Jun 23, 2015 Sanjeev wrote :
This passage basically says that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Spiritually, w are an infinite container. Physically, we are limited in time and space. This container keeps on becoming bigger as we we grow outward from physical space to mind space, from mind space to intellect space & intellect space to spiritual space. As we grow spiritually, we develop an ability to see life as it is that helps to become a better person. We end up seeing impurities or vices in physical & mental space. It is like going out of system and observe things from outside to see impurities in system
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On Jun 23, 2015 Cynthia wrote :
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On Jun 23, 2015 Pinky wrote :
I have felt my container expand when I let go of the anger I felt toward my parents for having controlled my life by putting restrictions on my 'freedoms' and by punishing me for my mistakes in my childhood and adolescent years. Yes, my anger towards my parents actions towards me evaporated the minute I learnt that the pain and suffering that a punishment entails is in fact an opportunity to become wiser, by learning and growing from mine and other's experiences. The process of lettting go is still happening, day by day, month by month and I am so much better off for it and so is my parents( or at least they will be)!
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On Jun 23, 2015 Kristin Pedemonti wrote :
A bigger container = the awareness to allow oneself to step outside of oneself and observe in a nonjudgemental state. I have felt this most often in relationship to those with whom I have difficulty; for example someone who is hurting and lashing out. I can either get caught up in it or I can take a moment, stop, think and realize their lashing out is most likely coming from hurting. Then I can respond with compassion rather than responding back with any hurt or anger myself. I also remind myself when I become angry in a situation, to do my best to stop and think and then realize in that moment I am the one hurting and to try to let it go. Sometimes easier said than done, but awareness is the key. ;) thanks!
1 reply: Bryan | Post Your Reply
On Jun 23, 2015 Maura Santangelo wrote :
Such practical explanation of developing awareness and its connection to compassion. And yes, we can only grow at the limits.
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On Jun 23, 2015 Raphaële bw wrote :
It is strange how sometimes i see myself bumping on the edge of my own person; that's where anger arises; it's hard to expand over these limits or make them, soft, agile and transformable. It takes the time of thorough observation to really understand what happens then; where is the pain and where is the pride, an angry pride to deny the pain. Thank you for these beautiful words.
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On Jun 23, 2015 Sunil,Bangalore wrote :
Where there is I,he is not there and where is he I am not there.Its a narrow passage only for the one out of the two but the container is big.I can do all my daily routine resting the soul always on him. The soul manifestation is now happening steadily while doing an e-welfare platform for the bottom of the pyramid. Experiencing the reclaiming of my human by the welfare of the underserved for my container to be really & progressively large. But be aware it's a very slippery and consciously cautious path balancing the act to make a bigger container.
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On Jun 23, 2015 paashi wrote :
Silence, reflection and objective awareness expand the container. When I get still and allow objective reflection, something expands--- the need to justify myself through the ego lens gives way to simple acceptance of events. The pride, should I say the limited false pride of having a free will begins to come into perspective and self compassion expands the heart to see the beauty of awe and wonder of all things. The energy field becomes quite visceral at times and the state of separation opens to wholeness of existence.
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On Jun 20, 2015 david doane wrote :
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On Jun 19, 2015 susan schaller wrote :
Yes. Create. A bigger me, a bigger life is created as I practice an other-centered focus instead of a me-centered world. Practicing stillness, patience, compassion, service and we-ness takes work unlearning our conditioning. I started where I could - baby steps - and my life grew. I grew. I need to daily practice so my practices continue to transform me and my life into all of us and all of life. One-ing takes time, and it is worth it: peace beyond all understanding.