Living in Simplicity  Dear Unity Friends,
Verse 37 of the Tao Te Ching reads:
The Tao does nothing,
But leaves nothing undone.
This verse reminds us to give up control. OMG – what a concept! Is there truly a way to do "nothing," yet "leave nothing undone"? We become so attached to the
outcome that we see. And we are attached to the roles we play in producing those outcomes. In so doing, we impose our judgment and expectation onto others.
Everything in our culture seems to revolve around the idea of "doing more" and "doing it my way." It may be difficult to imagine a way of life empty of such striving.
Wayne Dyer writes, "Of all the troubles that are reported in the media – including wars, terrorism, famine,
hatred, crime, and disease – how many are the result of interfering with the natural unfolding of creation? How
much of the essential nature of ourselves and our planet is able to shine through? What would Earth be like if
government didn't meddle in everyone's lives? What if no one could be perceived as an enemy? Could there
be a world where groups of people never got together to control others or to invade or conquer – how about
where oceans, mountains, natural resources, air, plants, and animals were respected and allowed to flourish
without interference? Suppose that such a place of simplicity and lack of interference existed…it would be acting exactly as the Tao does, doing nothing and yet leaving nothing undone."
Don't we all desire for our essential nature to shine through? Even if we don't know what our essential nature
really is, we would like to be that real self. Maybe instead of striving to be this or that, to be better, to learn
more, to do more, we practice just being. This verse not only inspires us to give up trying to control others, but
also to give up trying to control ourselves, to lighten up, to dance with life, to be happy with ourselves just like we are. What patience this requires!
The next time we feel the urge to jump in and start giving advice, whether to others or ourselves, maybe we can
remember the last line of this powerful verse: When there is silence, one finds the anchor of the universe within oneself. Living in Simplicity, Rev. Robin Download a Printable Version of this Inspiration
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