Mind like water for everyday conflict resolution
March 31, 2008
“Imagine throwing a pebble into a still pond. How does the water respond? The answer is, totally appropriately to the force and mass of the input; then it returns to calm. It doesn’t overreact or underreact…Anything that causes you to overreact or underreact can control you, and often does.”
– David Allen, Getting Things Done
Mizu no kokoro
Mizu no kokoro is “mind like water” in Japanese and a phrase found frequently in Zen literature. It refers to a state of mind that mirrors water’s flowing, reflective, and adaptive capacities.
As water flows, so too does a centered mind allow thoughts to flow without the restrictions or clogs of “stuck thoughts.” As calm water reflects, so too does a centered mind see clearly. [Read more]
