Tao 2: Effortless deeds - The Road Less Traveled
The Wisdom of Tao 2 - Effortless doing…
Sages perform effortless deeds and teach wordless lessons
They don't look after things that arise or depend on them
Or claim them when they reach perfection
From Taoteching, translated by Red Pine; Copper Canyon Press
Being, instead of doing - or even, being while doing seems to be my perpetual challenge. Even when I begin a day centered and grounded - with a clear focus on gracious detachment - it is so easy for me to revert to form. And by that, I mean returning to my lifelong habit of goal-based living.
For those of us who are either recovered or recovering fundamentalist Christians, avoiding being judged by what we do instead of what has been done for us in God is a constant struggle. As an aside, I find it interesting that - even though throughout scripture God has always focused on the heart- religious legalists have always focused on the outward actions rather than the inward intention.
The wisdom of God is clearly demonstrated by the calling of King David by the Prophet Samuel. David was the smallest and least impressive-looking son of Jesse.
When they arrived, Samuel noticed Eliab and said to himself, "Surely, here before the Lord stands his chosen king!" But the Lord said to Samuel, "Don't be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
1 Samuel 16
But, I digress. The idea I need to remember is that it is always the heart that is key. It is not what I do - or even the results of what I have done that matter to heaven. And even though businesses are judged by the bottom line, heavenly metrics differ greatly from earthly ones.
So, if we are to be less focused on the outcomes, how then can we discern good or right actions from bad or wasteful ones? For me, at least, this is the crucial question in living in the now. Unfortunately, this is no easy lesson to learn - it is no simple question to answer.
Because, like life, the question constantly changes, as well as the answer. What I chose yesterday may not work today or tomorrow. Life is as varied as the sky, and as temporal as a sunset.
And, even though our days continually change, our hearts - at least our hearts when they are connected to The Way - are constant. If I think of my love for my children, although they change and grow - although they make choices I sometimes love and other times fear - my love for them remains constant throughout.
And such is the heart of God and the Way of Heaven. That heart and that Way never changes. It is ever loving and always patient. There is no need to hurry or worry, because time is meaningless compared to the full span of eternity.
And although I do not know the endpoint of my journey - even though I do not know the agenda for tomorrow - I do know that I am meant for a goodly end and a heavenly journey. If I can remember this - in the midst of frenzy and fear, in the midst of darkness and worry - then I can rest. I can rest and act only when absolutely necessary.
In the words of Tao 2 I can perform effortless deeds and teach wordless lessons. This is the first part - and hard enough in itself! The second part is just as important. Because, even if I do a loving and selfless thing, whatever good might come of it can be quickly spoiled if I become invested in the outcome.
The second and possibly more difficult part of effortless deeds and wordless lessons is gracious detachment. By this I mean allowing others to chose and live their own path, even if it is not a choice or a life I would live.
Unless I don't look after things that arise or depend on them - or claim them when they reach perfection I can foil heaven's purposes with my own misguided action.
As the old saying goes, too many cooks spoil the broth. God is fully capable of achieving heaven's ends - without my well-intentioned meddling.
On my best days, I rest and calmly live my day. One choice at a time. As you can imagine, some days are better than others. But I am glad to report that I have more of these days than I once did.
And that is why they call it a spiritual practice. It is a lifelong journey, a perpetual vocation. All around us, different choices are made.
In past days, I know I chose poorly. But today is today. And today's choice is always new. What I need to remember, is any new way of living and thinking is a new road - and surely one less traveled.
The Road Less Traveled
By Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
dg
7/18/18
89° Mostly Cloudy
River St, Chattanooga, TN, United States
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