It seems to me, as we turn from the "still point within" in daily meditation to each days course before us, we need the fluidity best described in Taoism: attuning ourselves to the movement of life (the Tao) with the softness and changeability of flowing water. Translated into modern terms, this is a time for responses that are creative, flexible, and adaptable. As Alan Watts put it in his book, Tao: The Watercourse Way, "[T]he art of life is more like navigation than warfare* for what is important is to understand the winds, the tides, the currents, the seasons, and the principles of growth and decay, so that one's actions may use them and not fight them.” And, “The human organism has the same kind of innate intelligence as the ecosystems of nature, and the wisdom of the nerves and senses must be watched with patience and respect.” Within us, because we are of the wholeness of life, we have access to the guidance and direction needed for finding our way, for healing, relating, and living full lives while things continue to change. We learn to follow the movement of life that is harmony with the way life is unfolding.
(*Watts uses the word "warfare"as a reference to Sun Tzu's ancient treatise, The Art of War. Originally written as an analysis of Chinese military strategy and philosophy. It has gained great popularity in the west as a philosophy and strategy for leadership in business and success.Watts redirects us to "go along with the flow of things in an intelligent way.” (Susan Nettleton)
#15. The Tao Te Ching (The Way of Life, tr. Witter Bynner)
Long ago the land was ruled with a wisdom
Too fine, too deep, to be fully understood
And, since it was beyond men's full understanding,
Only some of it has come down to us, as in these sayings:
'Alert as a winter-farer on an icy stream,'
'Wary as a man in ambush,'
'Considerate as a welcome guest,'
'Selfless as melting ice,'
'Green as an uncut tree,
'Open as a valley,'
And this one also, 'Roiled as a torrent,
Why roiled as a torrent?
Because when a man is in turmoil how shall he find peace
Save by staying patient till the stream clears?
How can a man's life keep its course
If he will not let it flow?
Those who flow as life flows know
They need no other force:
They feel no wear, they feel no tear,
They need no mending, no repair.