REFLECTION

Moon above water.

Sit in solitude.

If waters are placid, the moon will be mirrored perfectly. If we

still ourselves, we can mirror the divine perfectly. But if we engage

solely in the frenetic activities of our daily involvements, if we seek

to impose our own schemes on the natural order, and if we allow

ourselves to become absorbed in self-centered views, the surface of our

waters becomes turbulent. Then we cannot be receptive to Tao.

There is no effort that we can make to still ourselves. True

stillness comes naturally from moments of solitude where we allow our

minds to settle. Just as water seeks its own level, the mind will

gravitate toward the holy. Muddy water will become clear if allowed to

stand undisturbed, and so too will the mind become clear if it is

allowed to be still.

Neither the water nor the moon make any effort to achieve a

reflection. In the same way, meditation will be natural and immediate.