A fundamental Zen teaching tells us to leave no traces. Whatever you do, do it one hundred percent. Nothing left over. Sweep every bit of dust out from under the rug. Leave the spaces outside you and inside, empty, shining and clean. There’s a power in completion. It’s a power we especially need these days during a time of great change.

We are advised to leave no traces in all aspects of our lives, relationships and tasks. When a relationship is complete it means we are not still yearning for something we haven’t yet received. We’re not wondering about what happened, blaming ourselves or the other. We are complete, at peace. This is true also with the simple tasks of life.

When we are complete with just the washing of the dishes, everything is thoroughly washed, dried and in its place. No strands are left over. There’s nothing calling us back to attend to it. We don’t worry about what we’ve left over and when we’ll get it done.

Our attention is then wide open and free to go to the next task, step, relationship or era of life. We’re not carrying left over baggage along, which weighs us down continually. Without that baggage, we can be completely present and available for whatever or whoever comes next. This is an especially important instruction when someone you are close to is ill, or getting ready to depart.

Especially during times of great change and transition it is extremely important to become complete with what has gone on before. This will ease our pathway tremendously. Our hearts will lighten and we will be able to gather our resources to take the next steps. Otherwise our greatest resource, our attention, is wrapped up in what we’ve left over to do or say, give or receive in the past.

There are many wonderful ways to become complete. If something is holding you back, or weighing you down, try one way of completion each day. You’ll be amazed at how much lighter you’ll feel and ready to welcome whatever comes, and whatever goes.

Brenda Shoshanna, Ph.D. psychologist, long term Zen practitioner, author and workshop leader, has offered over five hundred talks and workshops on all aspects of the simple laws of love. She presently offers Zen talks and a workshop entitled: Freeing Ourselves and One Another. This workshop introduces the practice of releasing, based upon Zen practice and principles and the Sedona Releasing method. Brenda is also an original student of Lester Levenson, founder of the Sedona Method. She can be reached at topspeaker@yahoo.com  www.brendashoshanna.com