Open Mind, Open Heart discussion

Verse 15:

The ancient masters were profound and subtle.
Their wisdom was unfathomable.
There is no way to describe it.
One can only describe them vaguely by their appearance.

Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream.
Alert, like men aware of danger.
Simple as uncarved wood.
Hollow like caves.
Yielding, like ice about to melt.
Amorphorous, like muddy water.

But the muddiest water clears
as it is stilled.
And out of that stillness
life arises.

He who keeps the tao does not want to be full.
But precisely because he is never full,
he can remain like a hidden sprout
and does nto rush to early ripening.

Don't rush your spiritual growth...I often joke, "I want enlightenment and I want it NOW!" hehehe but I know that's not how it works.
Keep things simple and uncomplicated, this verse advises. Develop inner qualities by keeping still, not getting caught up in the everyday....

Oh, this is such a beautiful metaphor:

"But the muddiest water clears
as it is stilled.
And out of that stillness
life arises."

And it's true. Stillness is powerful.

Even when the mind is running away with itself, even when we're totally confused and distracted and lost in the illusion and we forget who we really are... we can choose to slow down, become still, and let all of the unimportant daily drama fall away.

In that stillness, we let go of the stress and the fear and all of that other baggage we didn't realize we were carrying around. When we let go, we find freedom and pure, creative potential.