You Are the Pond, Not the Ripples: Finding Stillness Beneath Emotion

Think of a still pond. Its surface reflects the world above. Calm, clear, and serene.

Then a rock is thrown in, and ripples spread outward in widening circles.

The surface moves and distorts, but deep below, the water remains undisturbed.

At its depth, the pond is always still.

Our inner world works much the same way. When something, or someone, disturbs us, waves of emotion begin to ripple across the surface of our consciousness. Anger, fear, irritation, shame - these are all movements of the surface, temporary states created by external events or even our own internal thoughts.

But beneath it all, there is stillness.

You Are the Pond, Not the Ripples

It’s easy to forget this. Most of us live ripple to ripple, moving from one emotional disturbance to the next, mistaking the turbulence for who we are. We identify with the motion, with the reaction, with the noise at the surface.

But you are not the ripples. You are the pond. The vast, calm awareness beneath them.

When anger rises, it’s a ripple. When fear flares, it’s a ripple. When anxiety tightens your chest, that too is just a ripple. The surface of your being has been touched by a force, an external situation, a memory, a fear, a thought. But the deeper truth of who you are remains untouched, steady, and whole.

Seeing the Ripples Without Becoming Them

The practice of managing anger and other unwanted emotions begins with remembering this truth. When you notice the ripples, pause. Don’t fight them, and don’t feed them.

Simply observe: Ah, there’s movement on the surface.

That moment of awareness creates space, a gap between you and the emotion. In that space, you can breathe. You can see clearly. You can choose how to respond rather than be swept away by reaction.

Stillness doesn’t mean you don’t feel. It means you know where your center is. It means you can feel deeply without losing yourself to the movement.

Returning to Stillness

The world will always throw rocks - challenges, conflicts, disappointments. The wind will always blow across your surface. That’s life. But the pond doesn’t need to become the storm.

When you feel disturbed, close your eyes and breathe. Imagine the ripples settling.

Feel the depth within you. Calm, grounded, and steady.

You are not your anger.

You are not your fear.

You are the pond.

The ripples will pass, but your stillness remains.