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This article is one of the top results for searches related to Alan Watts' "muddy water" quote. If you find it useful, learn about our online, self-paced program - Awareness-based therapy (ABT). Thanks for reading what we write. - Jon, December 2017  "Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone." - Alan WattsThe above picture and quote have been making the rounds on social media.
This is only a snippet, however. Here is the entire quote: "Furthermore, 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." It comes from Watts' book "The Way of Zen," and this particular passage is discussing how most people in modern society view something like "sitting and meditating" as a waste of time. The common view is things need to be fixed in our lives and the world, and in order to fix them we need to think more and do more. Sitting and meditating doesn't lend itself to either of those! Watts makes this observation to support his original quote: "Yet it should be obvious that action without wisdom, without clear awareness of the world as it really is, can never improve anything." The emphasis here is "clear awareness of the world as it really is." The average person is exposed to tens of thousands of thoughts every day, and we find ourselves at the mercy of an inner narrative that comments on, labels, and judges everything (including ourselves!). Reality gets buried under all this mental noise. Put simply: we don't see things as they are, we see things as our minds present them. We get lost in thoughts and emotions, and follow our mind wherever it leads. It becomes an endless cycle, and reinforces the belief that the answers to life's problems are "do more," "try harder," "go faster." But, you can't solve the problems created by thinking with more thinking. That's important, and bears repeating: You can't solve the problems created by thinking with more thinking. That's why sitting and meditating is important. You are training yourself not to get caught up in thoughts, emotions, and mind-made activity. And, when you are able to consistently move your attention away from the mental noise, you create space that allows you to see reality clearly - without the filters and constructs your mind adds to it. This, in turn, helps you be more skillful in your behavior (decisions, actions, and reactions). Another way to say it is, moving your attention away from the mental noise is analogous to leaving muddy water alone: you are left with a clear view of reality (unclouded by thoughts you are no longer indulging), just like you are left with clear water (unclouded by the sediment that settles to the bottom). >>> What if we told you the biggest problem in your life is that your mind is the biggest problem in your life, and you don’t realize it? It is. But, our online, self-paced program can help you stop being a prisoner of thoughts, emotions, and urges. Find out more about the ABT program here. <<< A request: This is an ad-free (and, pop-up free) site. If what we write helps you, please share it by copying the URL http://www.thetadprinciple.com/daily-musings/muddy-water-mental-noise-and-alan-watts and posting it to social media (or, email it to a friend!). Thank you! Comments are closed.
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