Soft Mind
If we want the Way to make an impression upon us, we must have a soft mind. That is, one that is willing to take the imprint of the teachings. If we have hard mind, the teachings will just bounce off and we will not take anything with us. With a soft mind like clay, the mind can be molded into the form of a sage. Having a soft mind means releasing ideas and prejudices about certain things. Sometimes you have to add water to something to make it pliable. A mind without water is one that is hard and dry. If we have a hard and dry mind, adding water will begin to soften it up. The cracked ground will begin soaking up the water and become soft. It is said that the dead tree is brittle and hard, while the thriving tree is flexible and soft. Create a soft mind and become one with the Way.
