When a ship at sea is in distress and another vessel arrives to lend assistance, or to rescue those on board, the common practice is to approach the distressed ship from the lee and not the windward side. In this way, the sinking ship acts as a bulwark and protection, in a heavy storm particularly, to the approach of the rescuer.
Man should take a leaf out of the seaman's log! We might find some of our problems solved far more quickly. But alas, usually when personal difficulties arise, we approach them from the windward, the stormy side, with but one result: the winds of frantic thought and waves of emotional unbalance dash us solidly and helplessly against our problem. Each effort at release but leaves us weaker and less able to meet and overcome the waves of confusion.
Why not try the approach from the lee side? Instead of attempting at once to deal with the boisterous conditions surrounding us, why not circle about momentarily, and view the situation from a distance. We then notice there is a calm aspect, a lee side, for a safe and sure approach. Then the rescue begins. It is then that the serene inner currents of our consciousness can view our problem in perspective, and we can apply the lifeboats and take the necessary steps to land the difficulty.
(From Sunrise magazine, November 1951; copyright © 1951 Theosophical University Press)