Waiting on What Will Be

Temper tantrum over, I turn to the new book I am reading for some guidance. Wayne Dyer's new book - Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life which is his interpretation of the 81 verses of the Tao Te Ching. So far, the biggest theme that is running through the first ten is: stop doing. Practice not doing. Choose to observe instead of act, sometimes. Trust that it is all unfolding and just let things BE instead of constantly TRYING.

Scary advice, really, for a controller like myself. It feels like I need to put a lot of effort into finding, getting, creating work for myself. Or if I go through a day with my partner where I don't feel particularly connected, I need to make more effort to connect. It is instinct (or habit) for me to DO something.

The fear is that by being passive and letting an awkward situation be an awkward situation or a disconnected day be a disconnected day or an unemployed week be an unemployed week, that I will not evoke change. Or that I won't have done my active part to help bring it about. Obviously, If I would like a job, I can't just sit in my bedroom, hidden from the world and expect that a job will fall into my lap. Or can I? No...I assume that there needs to be some sort of balance. Making some moves...sitting back and letting the rest fall into place. It is a strange balance and I am not sure really who out there manages to find it. I haven't...not yet at least. Still, since I have made a lot of effort in the last week, perhaps for the next week I can just sit back and the let the dominos cascade down.

On this note, I leave you with a beautiful take on the 9th verse of the Tao:

To keep on filling
is not as good as stopping.
Overfilled, the cupped hands drip,
better to stop pouring.

Sharpen a blade too much
and its edge will soon be lost.
Fill your house with jade and gold
and it brings insecurity.
Puff yourself with honor and pride
and no one can save you from a fall.

Retire when the work is done;
this is the way of heaven.