How to Adopt the Philosophy of Water

 

I would argue water is the best element out of all the elements available in the Pokédex because water is infinitely adaptable and it embodies the human experience more than fire, wind, or earth. One that adopts the philosophy of water will be unfazed by the ups and downs of life and find inner peace.

Water is infinitely adaptable because it adopts the shape of the vessel that contain it. Anything that cannot adapt is bound to break. Most things aren't immortal because at one facet or another, they're unable to adapt to one or more changes in the environment. In humans, aging is the gradual erosion of the body's ability to adapt to stressors. For example, as one ages, their skin loses elasticity over time, making it vulnerable to wrinkles and tears. I practice the art of accepting the impermanence of all circumstances of life by embracing uncertainty in my day-to-day life. Instead of planning every minute of my day, I outline a few of the most important tasks I must get done for the day then leave the rest of my schedule open for any surprises. I remind myself everyday that the only things that are permanent are death and taxes – as Benjamin Franklin said.

Water embodies the human experience because it oscillates. Undulation is the center of human life. People go through happy times and sad times; one might wake up motivated one day and burnt out the next. Women experience menstrual cycles. The circadian rhythm controls ones sleep and wake cycles. Everyone has periods of overwork when approaching deadlines and periods of idleness when on vacation. If one can sustain a single state of mind for extended periods of time, he'll cease to be human and become more like a machine. Similarly, water ebbs and flows, creating waves as it washes sand on a beach. Part of the philosophy of water is being patient with and embracing the oscillations in life. Instead of forcing yourself to do work when you are tired, remember the process of undulation and your energy will return to it's peak with time. 

Preventing oscillation in life leads to repetitive stress injury. One that persists through tiredness will only build an energy deficit that will take more time to recover from. Burnout is the result of continuously forcing yourself to complete a task despite tiredness and boredom. Those emotions indicate that you are in the trough of your motivation cycle. The philosophy of water is about being open to changes in mental state and being connected to the natural order of things.