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I keep coming back to this passage by Lao Tzu. It goes like this:
“Do you want to improve the world? I don't think it can be done. The world is sacred.
It can't be improved.
If you tamper with it, you'll ruin it.
If you treat it like an object, you'll lose it.
There is a time for being ahead,
a time for being behind;
a time for being in motion,
a time for being at rest;
a time for being vigorous,
a time for being exhausted;
a time for being safe,
a time for being in danger.
The Master sees things as they are,
without trying to control them.
She lets them go their own way,
and resides at the center of the circle.”
If you took this teaching into your life, how would this change your perspective? What if everything unfolded perfectly without you having to do anything about it? How often do we try to force outcomes, bend circumstances to our will, or impose our desires on the world?
Lao Tzu's wisdom lies in letting go of the need for control and embracing the natural order of things. It's about surrendering to the flow, trusting in the universe, and finding serenity in that surrender. So, how can we apply these teachings to our own lives? What if we embrace the idea that the world has its own wisdom, and it doesn't need our constant management. Instead of trying to force outcomes, we learn to flow with life's natural rhythms, remembering that we too are a part of that nature. What if there was a time for action and a time for stillness? How would this affect your work flow?
As I contemplate on this, the word 'embrace' stands out to me. When I can fully embrace what is, without thinking it should be something else, is when I am able to open and soften, allowing that natural rhythm to show me the way forward.
Aesthetic Response
I invite you to stay with this contemplation this week and just notice how it moves within you. Notice any changes in your mindset, in your physical body, and in your emotions. And of course if you want some creative time, sit quietly and see if there is any image that comes to mind after reading this. Spend time with paint, pastels, pencil, watercolor or any medium you feel called to, and allow your intuition to visually respond to this passage.
