Clearing Muddy Minds
by Janice Chrysler
“It is said that once early in his journey to enlightenment while Buddha was walking from one town to another with a few of his followers they happened to pass a lake. Needing a rest, they stopped here. Buddha then called one of his disciples to him and asked, “I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there.” The disciple, eager to help Buddha walked to the lake, prepared to bring back water.
However, just as he came to the water’s edge, a large bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As it did so, the water soon became very muddy. Looking at this murky mess, the disciple thought, “I cannot give this muddy water to Buddha to drink!” So he came back and told Buddha, “The water in there is very muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.” After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently went back to the lake. Once more he found that the lake was muddy. He returned and informed Buddha there was no change in the water and it was still unfit to drink.
After sometime, Buddha again asked the same disciple to go back. This time when the disciple reached the lake he was happy to discover that it had cleared.. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked crystal clear. So he quickly filled his pot with water and brought it to Buddha. After looking at the water, Buddha turned to the disciple and said,” See what you did to make the water clean? You let it be…. and the mud settled down on its own – and you got clear water. Your mind is also like that! When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless.”
Have you ever found in your life a time when things seem to be going along quite smoothly, then, just like the bullock cart crossing the lake in the above story, things happen that get things all stirred up? Perhaps it is from outside sources, another person’s attitude, comments or anger that is directed toward you or your thoughts and beliefs. Your emotions are stirred and become churned up like the lake and your thoughts become muddy and unclear. It is during this time of unrest that you may be tempted to act in haste and speak out unkind words, behave in a negative fashion or even to think negatively about yourself allowing guilt, remorse and regret to shadow your thinking.
In this story, the Buddha sends the disciple back to the lake only to find it still murky and unfit to drink. No doubt, the disciple was a bit puzzled as to why the Buddha would send him back a third time, but trusting in his wisdom, went once more to the lake and this time all was clear. He must have been surprised when Buddha asked what he had done to make the water fit to drink? After all, he really had done nothing.
Can it really be that simple? This is what we are told we need to do in life when things are unsettled. Life is meant to be with ease and grace, not with struggle and strife. Even through the difficult times, we are reminded to find that inner peace and allow things to settle around and within. If we allow ourselves to get caught up in the turbulence we contribute to keeping the water muddy. We need to step back and patiently wait for the Universe to assist us in clearing the waters. This can be the hardest test of all…. waiting. However, it is during these times of reflection and contemplation that much can be discovered about ourselves, our journey and our role in the world around us.
Most of the time, the waters are stirring within and no one else knows. Our emotions may feel like they are going against the current and the waters are rough and uncertain. We attempt to put on a face for the world and in doing so feed the storm in our souls. Meditation, energy work and simply breathing can help to calm the winds of this storm and soon we will be focused and able to deal with whatever comes our way. The answers, although at times difficult to work through, will come to us with ease and with it a knowing that what we need to do is for the higher good.
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