Muddy Water Clears When Left Alone

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the chaos and complexity of life? Have you ever wished for a simpler and clearer way of living? Have you ever wondered how to find peace and happiness in the midst of turmoil?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might benefit from the wisdom of Alan Watts, a British philosopher who popularized Eastern spirituality in the West. He once said: "As muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone, it could be argued that those who sit quietly and do nothing are making one of the best possible contributions to a world in turmoil."

What does this mean? How can sitting quietly and doing nothing help us deal with the challenges of life? How can muddy water clear by itself?

Let's start with the metaphor of muddy water. Imagine a glass of water that has been stirred with dirt. The water becomes murky and cloudy, and you can't see through it. You might be tempted to try to filter it, or boil it, or add some chemicals to it, to make it clear again. But what if you just left it alone? What if you just let it sit on a table, undisturbed?

What would happen? Gradually, the dirt would settle to the bottom of the glass, and the water would become clear again. You would be able to see through it, and drink it if you wanted to. The water would clear itself, without any intervention from you.

Now, think of your mind as the glass of water, and your thoughts as the dirt. Your mind is constantly stirred by thoughts of the past and the future, worries and fears, hopes and dreams, judgments and opinions. Your mind becomes murky and cloudy, and you can't see clearly. You might be tempted to try to control your thoughts, or suppress them, or distract yourself from them, to make your mind clear again. But what if you just left it alone? What if you just let your mind sit quietly, undisturbed?

What would happen? Gradually, your thoughts would settle down, and your mind would become clear again. You would be able to see clearly, and act wisely if you wanted to. Your mind would clear itself, without any intervention from you.

This is the essence of meditation: sitting quietly and doing nothing. By doing so, you are not escaping from life, or avoiding your problems. You are simply allowing your mind to return to its natural state of clarity