"Tell me a fact and I’ll learn. Tell me a truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever. "
Native American Proverb
One day Buddha was walking with a few of his followers. They stopped near a lake to rest and talk, and Buddha asked one of his disciples to walk to the lake and bring back some water to drink.
When the disciple reached the lake, he noticed that the water was muddy. Several people were playing in the lake and another group was washing clothes. He thought that it would not be good to give this muddy water to Buddha to drink, so he returned empty handed and explained why.”
About an hour later Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get some water to drink. The disciple obediently returned to the lake and discovered that the swimmers and washers were gone. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked clear and clean. So he collected some water in a bowl and brought it back to the Buddha.
When Buddha looked at the water in the bowl he raised his eyes to the disciple and said, "To get this clean water, you allowed the mud settle down on its own. You did not have to put effort into it; you just let it be. Your mind is like this water. When your mind is disturbed, give it a little time to quiet down on its own. It will happen."
Buddha was teaching his disciples about creating peace of mind effortlessly by allowing things to naturally settle. Sometimes instead of trying harder to make things happen the way we want, it is more productive to take a break, to back off, and allow some calm and peace to restore the order of things. The art of allowing is the foundation for manifesting what we desire. It is about accepting and making peace with what is, and becoming willing to receive what we want in a very simple way. Allowing invites us to let go of holding patterns of control and resistance, to transcend limits of ego, and to be more at peace. This story reminds us that everything passes in time and it is not necessary to cling to an upsetting moment or event. As winter now passes into spring, may you allow yourself maximum enjoyment of each day.
Native American Proverb
One day Buddha was walking with a few of his followers. They stopped near a lake to rest and talk, and Buddha asked one of his disciples to walk to the lake and bring back some water to drink.
When the disciple reached the lake, he noticed that the water was muddy. Several people were playing in the lake and another group was washing clothes. He thought that it would not be good to give this muddy water to Buddha to drink, so he returned empty handed and explained why.”
About an hour later Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get some water to drink. The disciple obediently returned to the lake and discovered that the swimmers and washers were gone. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked clear and clean. So he collected some water in a bowl and brought it back to the Buddha.
When Buddha looked at the water in the bowl he raised his eyes to the disciple and said, "To get this clean water, you allowed the mud settle down on its own. You did not have to put effort into it; you just let it be. Your mind is like this water. When your mind is disturbed, give it a little time to quiet down on its own. It will happen."
Buddha was teaching his disciples about creating peace of mind effortlessly by allowing things to naturally settle. Sometimes instead of trying harder to make things happen the way we want, it is more productive to take a break, to back off, and allow some calm and peace to restore the order of things. The art of allowing is the foundation for manifesting what we desire. It is about accepting and making peace with what is, and becoming willing to receive what we want in a very simple way. Allowing invites us to let go of holding patterns of control and resistance, to transcend limits of ego, and to be more at peace. This story reminds us that everything passes in time and it is not necessary to cling to an upsetting moment or event. As winter now passes into spring, may you allow yourself maximum enjoyment of each day.
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