On every parable you ride to every truth. —Friedrich Nietzsche
Missed last week’s? Check it out below.
The glass is already broken: zen parable
“You see this goblet?” asks Achaan Chaa, the Thai meditation master. “For me this glass is already broken. I enjoy it; I drink out of it. It holds my water admirably, sometimes even reflecting the sun in beautiful patterns. If I should tap it, it has a lovely ring to it. But when I put this glass on the shelf and the wind knocks it over or my elbow brushes it off the table and it falls to the ground and shatters, I say, ‘Of course.’ When I understand that the glass is already broken, every moment with it is precious.”
Food for thought
Negative visualization, a Stoic practice of imagining the worst-case scenario, accepting it, and you’ll appreciate what is, and be prepared for what could be.
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. —Steve Jobs
It’s a powerful tool that builds resilience and grit. Also, it fosters gratitude. Everything is precious, we do well to remember as much as possible, so that when the shit hits the fan we can say, ‘of course,’ and move from a place of grace.