"Sit quietly, doing nothing, spring comes, and the grass grows by itself."
Zen
I can be as pastoral as the next guy and my years of yoga have helped me see the value of quiet, passive reflection. I also admire those who remain calm during turbulent times, particularly business managers who do so.
But being calm is not the same as sitting quietly and under certain circumstances, if we want the "grass to grow" we'd better do something to see that it does.
What about you?
Sitting quietly, doing nothing waiting for the "grass" to grow this "spring" or . . . ?
But being calm is not the same as sitting quietly and under certain circumstances, if we want the "grass to grow" we'd better do something to see that it does.
What about you?
Sitting quietly, doing nothing waiting for the "grass" to grow this "spring" or . . . ?
Some of the greatest military commanders were also quiet, cerebral individuals. What made them great was their planning and focus on execution once the plan was complete. Had they not planned and then executed, they would have simply been sitting waiting for the "grass to grow."
ReplyDeleteZen comes into play but in a less obvious way. You can be "Zen" like when actively directing events and people. It's not just about passivity.
ReplyDeleteBut I do agree that this Zen quote misleads because it appears to advocate waiting rather than acting.