To flow with the Tao.

Flow with the Tao.

All of my life from a very early age I have been a political animal. A political animal who also took on board being religious. How many times I have heard that well-known chestnut, "Two things that should never be discussed, politics and religion." Coming from where I had journeyed that kind of left me stymied, nothing to say.

What I learned from this was that there were times when you raise either of those topics and other times when you certainly did not. But then there have been times when I knew it was wrong and still ploughed in because I felt very strongly about what was being said.

In this blog, I have tried very hard never to stray too deeply into either but I am sure my views have been there beneath the lines. This may be the case today but let me promise you I am not meaning to take any side.

The "painting" on the page is an abstract I painted after looking at an ancient Chinese black and white drawing. I will purposely not say too much more about it and leave you with your own thoughts.

Lao Tzu said that we should be like a river flowing taking always the simple and easy way causing as little upset and disturbance as possible.

But let me share a rather easier tale and thought. This one comes from the American Indians.

The rivers were extremely annoyed and unhappy. When they started flowing from high up in the mountains, they were merely tiny streams and later they would increase in their volume as they reached the plains. During the winter and rainy seasons, their water would swell and overflow, while the scorching heat of the summer reduced them to a trickle. However, they still flourished and managed to keep flowing.

Now at the end of their journey, they were destined to merge with the sea. After flowing through all the mountains, plateaus and hills, they would finally lose their freedom forever.

They knew that there were no means could they stop themselves from flowing, so they flowed till they reached the vast sea. 

The rivers were very upset and complained, "Not only is it wrong that we have to merge, but it is also very unfortunate that our clean and sweet water will now get mixed with awfully tasteless and salty water of the sea."

The sea overheard them complaining and said, "If you think that you can survive all by yourself, then go away. You don’t have to merge anymore. Enjoy your clean and sweet water all by yourself.”

The rivers could never really do that. Even if they can manage to flow in the opposite direction by changing their course, they would never survive without merging with the sea. 

All rivers that did not merge with the sea dried up and died. It is only the sea that can keep the river full and flowing.

The rivers realised this and finally flowed into the sea. 

Freedom is of no use if you do not survive to enjoy it. Being isolated and on your own in the dream you are in total control is foolish pride. Peace and harmony come not out of isolation but in cooperation and unity.

I say no more and leave you with my little thought and my abstract painting that I already know is not too many peoples idea of art.  

Go with the flow in unity and love.