How many of us have fond childhood memories of playing in the mud or splashing through puddles after a rain storm? I know I do! Perhaps you were scolded for getting wet, dirty, making a mess, ruining your clothes, or even eating the mud (it happens). Today's Meaningful Monday post will dig a little deeper into that mud as a transformational metaphor for our lives.
In his book, "No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering," Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us many things. Among his teachings is that without suffering, there can be no happiness, no joy without pain, they are co-existent, and ever-changing. It's a "Yes, and" situation.
Mud is, by definition, dirty. Mud can be sticky, smelly, and gross. That's because there is a lot going on in that mud. In the mud there are microorganisms (some alive, some dead) and nutrients that germinate new life and help things grow. Out of the darkness of mud grow life-giving plants, trees, and beautiful flowers like the lotus. What we see on the surface is the manifestation of all of the work that is done deep below. In the mud.
As part of our shared human condition, one could argue that we all have some kind of mud in our lives. Our mud can show up as sadness, heartbreak, regret, or self-doubt. But if we reframe our perspective, we can acknowledge the mud as necessary for our personal growth and transformation. Like the lotus, we can "reach beyond" deep into and even play with our proverbial mud to draw out essential "soul nutrients" to learn, grow, and flourish.
"Most people are afraid of suffering. But suffering is a kind of mud to help the lotus flower of happiness grow. There can be no lotus flower without the mud."
This week's reflection: I encourage you to embrace your inner child to dig deep and to play in your mud. What beautiful flowers can you grow? What kind of joy can you experience?
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