"Is Your Cup Overflowing?"

This is a modified version of a story that has been told in a variety of ways throughout the years. As Dr. Megan McKenna so aptly reminds us, “All stories are true, and some actually happened.”

There was a professor of theology who comes to a Spiritual Master asking to be taught about spiritual matters so that he could be enlightened. The Spiritual Master said they could discuss the matter over tea. The Spiritual Master began pouring tea into the visitor’s cup. As the tea reached the top of the cup, the Spiritual Master did not stop, but continued pouring the tea, causing the tea to overflow onto the table, the floor, and the visitor’s clothes. The visitor could no longer watch what was happening, and blurted out to the Spiritual Master, “Stop. Can’t you see that the cup is full, and no more tea will go in?” The Spiritual Master stopped pouring, smiled, and said to the visitor, “You are like this teacup. You are so full of your own thoughts, opinions, and self-importance that nothing more can be added. Come back to me when you have an empty mind and humble heart."

What thoughts, desires, attachments, opinions, worldiews, preconceptions, prejudices, judgments, and the like fill your mind and heart, and that prevent you from being open and free to receive the gift of God's "way, truth, and life" (Jn 14:6), to enlighten and transform your mind, heart, and very being?