Attempting to battle phantom fears or obsess over past mistakes only drains the energy needed for the present moment. True inner peace begins when we stop waging war against memories, illusions or situations that no longer exist, choosing instead to anchor our awareness in what is real right now. This insightful reflection offers a grounding perspective on breaking free from unnecessary mental struggles and embracing clarity.
“After the great rains, the lion was faced with crossing the river that had encircled him.
Swimming was not his nature; but it was either cross or die.
The lion roared and charged the river, almost drowning before he retreated.
Many more times he attacked the water, and each time he failed to cross.
Exhausted, the lion lay down, and in his quietness he heard the river say, “Never fight what isn’t here.”
Cautiously, the lion looked up and asked, “What isn’t here?”
“Your enemy isn’t here,” answered the river. “Just as you are a lion, I am merely a river.”
Now the lion sat very still and studied the ways of the river. After a while, he walked to where a certain current brushed against the shore, and stepping in, floated to the other side.
– From The Little Book of Letting Go by Hugh Prather
Hugh Edmondson Prather III (1938-2010) was an American self-help writer, lay minister, and counsellor, most famous for his first book, Notes to Myself, which has sold over 5 million copies, and has been translated into ten languages.
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