Expanding Perspective

  There is a wonderful story about an apprentice and his master. To teach a lesson about how to manage the sometimes bitter tastes of life, the master instructs the apprentice to take a spoonful of salt and stir it into a glass of water. He then tells the boy to take a drink from the glass. He asks the boy how it tastes, and the boy crinkles his nose and replies that the water tastes bitter.

Nearby, there is a clear, beautiful lake. The master says, “Do you see that lake there? Now take another spoonful of salt and stir it into the water of the lake.” Together, they walk toward the lake where the boy stirs in a spoonful of salt. The master then instructs the apprentice to take a drink from the lake. The boy cups his hands into the lake, brings the water to his lips and drinks. “How does the water taste?” the master asks. “It tastes refreshing,” replies the boy.

How is it that the same amount of salt can taste so different? It depends, of course, upon the quantity of the water which contains it. When there is not enough water, so to speak, the salty taste is more intense and overpowering. The more water there is, the less we are able to taste the salt at all. Similarly, when we step back and open up our frame of reference, the salty, foul, or bitter tastes in life are diluted and washed away by our expanded perspective.

Think about a problem, an obstacle, a crisis, or a dilemma. Imagine, like a movie camera, being able to zoom out and away from the problem. The more you pull back, the broader your view, and the smaller the problem appears. Create your own expansive lake—clear and beautiful—with the capacity to hold and absorb without changing the integrity (or taste) of the water it contains.

To cultivate this sense of expanse, we need to adopt an intentional and conscientious way of responding to difficult situations in our lives. Here are a few ideas and strategies of doing so:

Pause before responding—Give yourself time to refocus and process the situation

Shift gears—Allow yourself to step away from a situation temporarily, create a healthy diversion, and explore ways to enhance your perspective

Use imagery—Visualize a vast and beautiful lake, or imagine the internal space of your body and mind expanding, capable of accepting life’s challenges without losing the integrity or substance of who you are

Embrace openness—Maintaining an open stance allows us the opportunity to learn, grow, and discover new aspects of ourselves and others

Practice Mindfulness—Our ability to refocus on the present moment, over time can strengthen the brain’s ability to respond appropriately and effectively to life challenges

The objective is not to eliminate the metaphoric “salt” in life altogether but, rather, to learn how to prevent the bitter taste of it from overwhelming us. Remember, a little salt in life increases the taste, adds flavor, and creates enhanced character.