from Verse One Hundred Forty-TwoTo imitate the four seasons means to grow in spring, develop in summer, harvest in autumn, and store in winter, giving and taking in moderation, dispensing and collecting with measure.~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~
One of the hallmarks of modern society is that most of us always seem to be in a rush. We rush to get somewhere and we rush to return. We rush through meals, work, vacations and even sleep. Because our body is always in a rush, so too is our mind. Millions of facts, thoughts, opinion and who knows what else percolates through our minds at dizzying speeds.Because we seem to scurry around, people are always looking for shortcuts, ways to circumvent the schedule, order, itinerary, or chronology. If I only can shave off a few minutes or skip a few steps, we tell ourselves, I can more quickly move on to the next thing. Unfortunately, when we get to that next thing, we again look for a shortcut because there are so many more next things.
Is it any wonder that so many of us feel physically and/or mentally exhausted all the time?
What I believe the above passage underscores is that everything in this life has its own season. When we rush about and try to devise shortcuts, we lose the mindfulness to recognize that the processes of life are cyclical and, by attempting to circumvent the cycle, we find ourselves continually swimming upstream against the current.
The person who is content to allow things to unfold as they will is more likely to be able to discern the channel of the stream and the direction of the current. Such a person can easily flow with the cycles of life.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
And there are practices -- e.g., qigong, meditation, diet and TCM -- that help one "flow with the cycles of life." And those cycles are in each day, as well as measured in one's lifetime. It's hard to just decide to be content; you need methods and commitment. This is NOT religious stuff.
ReplyDeletei really like this post... as someone who literally observes these cycles in nature daily. i think it is important to follow the seasons and the implications for them... spending a fourth of your time in starting new projects, a fourth cultivating already started projects, a fourth finishing them, and a fourth resting from them and enjoying the fruits of your labor.
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