newborn – we are tender and weak
in death – we are rigid and stiff
living plants are supple and yielding
dead branches are dry and brittle
so the hard and unyielding belong to death
and the soft and pliant belong to life
an inflexible army does not triumph
an unbending tree breaks in the wind
thus the rigid and inflexible will surely fail
while the soft and flowing will prevail
Tao Te Ching – Lao Tzu – chapter 76
“…I saw how it bends, flowing with the wind…”
My volunteer maple tree that started growing in my yard about a year ago showed me something last night. During this time of year we have A LOT of wind. Blows almost every day.
Looking at the tree a while back, after the leaves came in, I noticed that the few forks of branches are always intertwined with each other. So I separated them. Mind you this is a lanky tree, easily 12-15 feet tall, no trunk to speak of, just these spindly branches.
Maybe, to protect it from the wind, I need to tie it to something? A tall pole maybe?
Watching it last night I saw how it bends, flowing with the wind. Bending just enough, giving just enough, so it didn’t break. The branches were intertwined again and moved as one. With the support afforded from the group, the tree could bend with the wind without breaking. Apart, I’m sure the branches wouldn’t have survived.
Sometimes I get in a state of mind so bad that I want to withdraw and separate myself from everything and everyone. Nothing and no one holds my interest. In a way I’ve been drifting from some of my friends. The times that I may need them the most is when I want to hide instead of reaching out.
Watching the tree last night I realized Mother Nature’s design is not for us to weather storms alone. Find something to wrap up with and bend.
By Natalie Dowell. Natalie lives in Henderson, Nevada (near Las Vegas), and does Tech Support/Service/Quality for Satellite TV (Directv). Read her blog: I’d like to fly… Kindly contributed to Zen Moments by the author. (Natalie also wrote The Road Not Taken)
Tao Te Ching – Lao Tzu – chapter 76 – interpretation by Zen Moments.
Tao Te Ching 25th-Anniversary Edition
Translated by Gia Fu Feng & Jane English
“Truthful words are not beautiful
Beautiful words are not truthful
Good men do not argue”
“…Like a poem, this version of the Tao Te Ching is not meant to be read in one breath from front to back, but is to be at intervals internalized and contemplated. Jane English’s haunting black-and-white photos that undulate in and out on every page act as glycerine elixirs, helping the words slide into our souls for patient digestion. The photographs–of a glistening spider web, cloud-enveloped mountain tops, reflections on water, leaves in the sunlight–are as serenely lyrical as the ancient text, itself. ..”
“The most accessible and authoritative modern English translation of the ancient Chinese classic. Offers the essence of each word and makes Lao Tsu’s teaching immediate and alive.” Amazon Reviews
“Sometimes I get in a state of mind so bad that I want to withdraw and separate myself from everything and everyone. Nothing and no one holds my interest.”
That, I do believe, hit a bit too close to home.
I suppose self awareness is a good thing, but its always bad stuff I become aware of.
It can be a shock when we first tune into our inner voices, just how negative they can be – but these are just old habits of thought which can be worked with – a bit like getting physically fit.
I found Louise Hay’s books really helpful:
This atmospheric story from Natalie in Nevada, comes with a beautiful verse from the Tao. We tried to get permission to use a lovely translation, but were met with silence. So we compiled our own from about 12 separate translations and Alan’s somewhat hazy grasp of some of the meanings of the Chinese Characters.
We’re pleased with the result – I think we’ve got a poetic sense of the real meaning…
This is absolutely thought provoking. Beautiful!
I think it is a mistake to separate yourself from anything you are experiencing. Like inner voices and withdraw and separate yourself. Vanessa is right this is an old habit and old habits are the exact opposite of soft and flexible. There is no “self” to be aware of. Only what you think your self is. This is rigid thinking. Practice everyday on eliminating everything else but the moment you are in. Soon you will experience the wisdom of the universe and the path you take will be clear to you. This is not easy and in these times it may be a life long process to stop the mind from making illusions as you walk down the street. If you stay right where you are and don’t make inner voices and don’t separate yourself you will walk in bliss… but you are not done yet. After practicing for awhile and you are that moment, even it will disappear and you will be the street…and the birds, and trees and the universe. This is Zen. It is a worthy journey. These words are just a finger pointing to the moon. You have to get there with faith and without words.