Muddy Water
Hey family!
Recently, I came across an excerpt from Alan Watts where he describes the state of a clear pond that’s been clouded by mud. If one tries to clear the pond themselves using their own power, their thrashing around will only disturb the pond and the sediment just gets tossed around more, making the water even less clear. But when the pond is left alone, naturally the sediment will fall to the bottom. Before long, stillness will allow the pond to separate the mud from the clear.
The muddy water illustration is a subtle reminder that, like all else in nature, the most convoluted circumstances may be best solved with stillness. For a long time, I feared that staying still meant that the thoughts I avoided would catch up with me and hit me all at once. On the flip side, it turns out that it’s during moments of stillness when my head is the most clear.
The silence and stillness that I used to run away from now presents itself as the ultimate cure.
Whenever I give myself a chance to let my thoughts come and go without me claiming them or passing judgement on them, there’s opportunity to experience clarity and feel peace regardless of the circumstances. It’s only when my mind is still that I am able to act effectively. After all, it’s pretty hard to act with intent if my thoughts have no clear direction.
When we chase a stimulus or a distraction to try and minimize the moments of quiet that we have with just our thoughts, we get in our own way of experiencing peace.
Don’t thrash around and struggle to silence your thoughts. Don’t fight or run from the stillness. You’re allowed to just sit, to just be, and to observe the thoughts that arise without making them apart of your identity. Settle into the stillness, and you’ll find that clarity (separating the mud from the clear) will come with time.
In a world of constant noise and distractions, a quiet moment to yourself has immeasurable value. It’s access to your own personal oasis found right there within you, whenever you need.
The quote for this week is from Lao Tzu:
“Who can be still until their mud settles and the water is cleared by itself? Can you remain tranquil until right action occurs by itself?”
Reflection question(s): When can you make time to sit in stillness with yourself, remembering not to judge or claim any thoughts that arise? Can you trust that right action will occur by itself?
