"Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better."
Albert Einstein
These days many of us may start our day with a demanding list of tasks that need to get done - each with their own sense of urgency. This, unfortunately, can tend to put us into a 'task-driven' frame of mind which may leave us feeling exhausted and unfulfilled. It’s worthwhile considering that sometimes the best course of action may be to follow the way of nature.
The ability of a tree to grow and give life to so many others naturally fulfills the purpose for which it was created, yet it accomplishes this task effortlessly, without 'doing' it. The sun's cycles, the earth's revolution, the moon's orbit, rivers' flow to form and nourish valleys... Each is incredibly productive and well-suited to naturally produce what it was created to deliver - and does so tirelessly!
Perhaps we might be able to do far more with much less effort by aligning with the natural flow of life.
This is the essence of The Tao (the Way), an ancient chinese philosophy that highlights the natural flow of life. Central to the Tao is Wu Wei, the understanding of "non-doing" or "effortless action". It refers to the alignment of our actions with the natural flow of the Tao, without forcing or striving. As Lao Tzu once said, "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished".
Finding Flow
As we look around the world today, there always seems to be so much to do. Unfortunately, the concept of "non-doing" in our modern world may seem impossible while we are striving for advancement or individual success. In fact, to some people, 'non-doing' may seem lazy or passive. However, Wu Wei is not so much about ‘doing nothing’ as it is about aligning our movement with the natural flow of life.
I remember an experience I had once as I was climbing the sacred mountain of Wollumbin in Northern New South Wales.
As I was walking up the mountain I naturally fell into a deep & reflective space, aligning my in & out breath with each step.
I felt my whole being slow down. In fact, I felt like the mountain was breathing me. Other people passed me seemingly in a race to get to the summit. Nevertheless, I tirelessly continued on. I ended up reaching the top in a state of pure ecstacy, full of energy and just in time to see the sunrise.
While each of us may occasionally experience this state of flow during high points of physical activity, romantic passion, or artistic endeavour, we tend to think that these exceptional encounters are the domain of the elite and are out of reach from our everyday lives. But what if this flow state was actually our most natural way of being? What if we all had direct access to feeling connected and in flow every day, regardless of what we were doing?
Fortunately, the essence of the Tao is about simplicity and there are actually some small things we can do (and not do!) each day to help us align with the natural flow of life. Here are a few you could try for yourself:
Spend time in Nature
Spending a few days in nature is a powerful way of coming back into presence. The worries of the world mean nothing deep in nature. Sitting under a tree which has stood there for decades (or perhaps centuries) gives one a different perspective - far away from the busy ness if life.
Letting go of attachment to a particular outcome
Quantum physics demonstrates, each moment contains an infinite array of possibilities. This is part of the natural abundance of the universe. However, when one becomes attached to a particular outcome it severely limits these possibilities of how the universe or situation can respond.
Those who seek a particular outcome may find themselves chasing it for a lifetime without ever achieving it. As Deepak Chopra explains in his book the Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, the search for security is actually an attachment to certainty, to the known. Chopra points out that ultimate success lies in our willingness to detach from the known, step into the unknown, and surrender our desires to the creative mind that orchestrates the dance of the universe. The unknown is the field of all possibilities, ever fresh, ever new, always open to the creation of new manifestations. This field can orchestrate an infinity of space-time events to bring about the outcome intended. But when our intention gets locked into a rigid mindset, we lose the fluidity, flexibility, and creativity inherent in the field.
Practice Spontaneity
One of the fundamental principles of Wu Wei & non-doing is that the essence of flow is not premeditated, but arises spontaneously.
How to practice spontaneity? Start by allowing youself to have at least one day a week where you have no plans. Follow your heart and see where it leads you. The greatest adventure of your lifetime beckons.
The more you can live from a state of 'non-doing' the more you will find yourself 'in-flow'. This is when you will start tapping in to the natural abundance of the world around you and connect with the right people at the right time and right place.
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