Are you a leaf in the stream or a flailing salmon desperately trying to leap upriver?
Salmon's bodies undergo significant transformation to manage the rigours of leaping against the current. Many die en route. They are motivated by a powerful biological urge: to reproduce. And they only do it once in their lives.
They know it's hard. Exhausting. Not trivial. They prepare physically for it. They do it together as a team.
Humans, we aren't so smart. We frequently attempt to go against the flow. Then we wonder why we get tired. Why we don't make progress towards our goals. Why, if we just take a little break, we lose so much ground.
Leaves. Now they're clever! They fall and drift on the breeze. They land in the river and flow with the current. Zero effort. And they really go places!
I'm not saying that we shouldn't strive for something which goes against the grain. Just that we shouldn't lie to ourselves about what's involved. The effort and the cost.
Taoists call this Following the Way, following the Tao. It is about getting comfortable with our place in the universe and not fighting it. It is about accepting who we are, and where we currently are and making the most of it.
Salmon's bodies undergo significant transformation to manage the rigours of leaping against the current. Many die en route. They are motivated by a powerful biological urge: to reproduce. And they only do it once in their lives.
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| Scott Ableman |
They know it's hard. Exhausting. Not trivial. They prepare physically for it. They do it together as a team.
Humans, we aren't so smart. We frequently attempt to go against the flow. Then we wonder why we get tired. Why we don't make progress towards our goals. Why, if we just take a little break, we lose so much ground.
Leaves. Now they're clever! They fall and drift on the breeze. They land in the river and flow with the current. Zero effort. And they really go places!
I'm not saying that we shouldn't strive for something which goes against the grain. Just that we shouldn't lie to ourselves about what's involved. The effort and the cost.
Taoists call this Following the Way, following the Tao. It is about getting comfortable with our place in the universe and not fighting it. It is about accepting who we are, and where we currently are and making the most of it.
2 comments:
I think I can feel myself thrashing right now ... Here goes another waterfall, HEAVE HO!
Just be gentle on yourself - recognise that what you're doing is hard work and exhausting. You deserve some kindness!
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