My favorite number - Zero

Recently, someone asked me my favorite number. We are used to being asked about our favorite actor, singer, song, movie, leader etc. But a favorite number! This was the first time someone had asked me this.

However, I had no problem in answering. My favorite number is 'zero'. 

But why zero...

You might ask. There are several reasons to this. 

Firstly, and in a lighter vein, zero was my most faithful companion in my school days. It never left me. After every test, it would be there in front of me in some or the other form. 

But more seriously, imagine a world without zero. Our knowledge of numbers would have been limited from 1 to 9. With zero, we can go beyond 9 and reach for the infinity. So, zero is the doorway to infinity, isn't it?

Anything divided by zero become infinity. All our happiness and satisfaction from any person, thing or experience gets divided by our expectations. Higher the expectations, lower the happiness and satisfaction. But, get your expectations to zero and what happens? Infinite happiness!!

When there is something, we can either add to it, subtract from it, divide it or multiply it. What we get is a variation of what was. In this sense, our options of the final outcome are limited by what was there to begin with. However, when there is nothing, the possibilities of what can be are limitless. Imagine this for a road running through a town. The direction and width of the road will be dictated by the layout of the town. Similarly, the layout of the town and the buildings, parks etc. will be governed to a great extent by the road network. However, imagine an open expanse of land where a town has to come up with it's roads, buildings, parks etc. The possibilities are endless.

This is applicable to any area of life - arts, poetry, literature, business, human relations and any other area of human endeavor one can think of. A blank canvas is a zero and the possibility of what the artist can draw on it is endless. A blank paper is a zero and the possibility of what a writer or a poet can put on it is infinite. 

Form the biggest saint to the biggest sinner, everyone is born as a zero - zero experience, zero knowledge and zero habits. The heart and mind of the baby is like the blank canvas or the blank paper. The possibilities are endless. 

In all the spiritual traditions across the world, we are told that to attain the union with the infinite, we should reduce our ego and a sense of self to zero. 

So...

If you want to fundamentally change anything in your life, whether it is a habit or a way of working or a knowledge, think like a zero. Put away all your previous experiences, prejudices and knowledge. Think, act and learn like a fresher. Otherwise, you will only end up with a variation of what you already have.  

Want to rebuild a relationship? Start from the beginning. Want to relearn a craft? Start like you have zero knowledge. Want to rebuild your life? Start from a place where there is not even a scratch i.e. zero. 

In Zen traditions this is called 'the beginners mind'.   

The next time someone calls you a zero...

Thank the person. They are telling you that the whole universe is open to you.

Be a zero, begin from a zero, start at a zero. You will surely conquer the infinite.