“All supposed problems are of the mind.
What is mind?
Mind is a collection of thoughts.
Where are the problems when they are not thought about?”

“The most efficient means to
destroy any problem is to
ignore the problem.
In the absence of the energy
required to sustain it,
it withers and dies.”

“When clarity is present there are no problems.
Why rely on the mind to provide the solution?
It is the mind that birthed the problem.”

Wu Hsin

These quotes from Wu Hsin really got me pondering today. I noticed how my initial thought was to dismiss the second perspective. After all, ignoring problems will not bring about solutions … It also brought up a core belief of mine that not addressing problems leads to passivity, inaction and fatalism. Now there’s a judgment for you…

It seems to be human nature to find problems and then we are driven to fix them. It is the cornerstone of most western cultures. Is this simply a habit of our thinking?

On the other hand, why would we want to efficiently destroy a problem. A problem is an obstacle that our thinking has created. Is the answer in its destruction? As the Zen proverb goes “The Obstacle is the Way”.

There is an opportunity for new kind of mindful awareness when we come across problems.

As long as we are externally focused we will come across problems and have a need to try to resolve them. When we turn our attention inwards to find clarity in the presence within, thoughts fade away.

What if we were to take Wu Hsin’s approach?

How would the world around us be different … and how we would be in it?

Just pondering 💛