Welcome to Morning Pages, a newsletter sharing inspirations to help you cultivate creativity and fulfillment.
“Yuan means the origin of the water. It symbolizes a steady stream of energy for life.” My mother once explained the meaning of my name:源.
I grew up in a coastal city in the northeast of China. When being next to the water, I always feel closer to home.
Lately, when I stare into the waves on the coast of southern Maine, I find myself continuously following a mindset that’s inspired by my origin: Be like water.
Women, are made of water, while men are made of clay.
— Tsao Hsueh-chin, The Dream of the Red Chamber
In ancient history, the image surrounding water is associated with the ideal of the feminine: soft, pure, and invisible. In the modern workplace, the stereotype of femininity is often linked to weakness.
However in nature, what is soft on the surface usually holds great strengths underneath. Silk is soft and smooth, yet it’s incredibly resilient. It’s even durable enough to stop bullets. Bamboo appears fragile and weak, yet it can survive the strongest storms by being flexible yet firmly rooted.
Nature shows that real strength is neither feminine nor masculine. Real strength comes from the natural you.
To be the natural you, imagine being like water.
Like water, be still and deep.
Constantly still and constantly glorious,
the stillness is not extinguished by causes,
the glory is not marred by shadows.
— Hongzhi Zhengjue, Chinese Chan Buddhist monk
Stillness is a widely held value in most spiritual traditions, yet our modern society often undervalues its importance. In difficult times, staying grounded and going with the natural flow shows confidence. In an age of constant change, being still and deep seems more valuable than ever.
A still mind like water means helping individuals see their true selves and inspiring an organization to see the north star. It also means generously putting yourself behind others, like the deep ocean that forgives and protects.
Like water, be fluid and flexible.
Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless – like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
— Bruce Lee
Water can be all things: gentle and powerful, still and in motion, floating and floated upon, light and heavy, solid and vapor. It rises and leaps. It awakens and sprouts. It feeds and nourishes. It threads and spreads. It collects and protects.
A fluid mind like water is handling constant shifts and distractions with poise and openness. The mind is able to adapt to new environments quickly, absorb new context proactively, and find order in the midst of chaos.
Like water, be attentive and gracious.
Water is constantly aware of its environment. It rises in heat. It solidifies in cold. It drops in front of sorrow. It shines in front of brightness.
Water is attentive to the lowliest, the deepest, the foremost. When there is unfairness, it collects and projects; it pours and roars; it flows to the frontline and acts selflessly to fill in the gaps. Water nourishes all things around it graciously without prejudice.
An attentive mind like water is using its senses to identify areas that need their support. It fosters belonging by being vulnerable to uncomfortable situations. It builds trust by envisioning themselves in others’ positions.
Water is soft and strong. Water is still and deep. Water is fluid and flexible. Water is attentive and gracious.
Water is natural. Water is you, the authentic you.
Next time when you feel stressed, think about water.
Be like water.
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