The pure lotus growing in muddy water is a metaphor for enlightenment. The lotus arises from all its impediments. It actually needs the impurity of the water for its nourishment. In the same way, in our own personal development, we can't just work with what we like about ourselves. We have to work with our muddy water.

Bernard Glassman, Rick Fields in Instructions to the Cook: A Zen Master's Lessons in Living a Life That Matters by Bernard Glassman, Rick Fields

 

To Practice This Thought:
Examine a personal problem or hangup and see how it can be a seedbed for new growth.

 

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