Bird of Paradise
The truth comes from balancing opposing forces such as full and empty, long and short, high and low, front and back. One’s actions must be based on natural selflessness (Wu Wei). This is how the universe operates. When one follows the selfless way of Tao, he/she will be as eternal.
– Tao Te Ching #2
Practically speaking, a life that is vowed to simplicity, gratitude, unstinting work and play, and lots of walking, brings us close to the actually existing world and its wholeness.
– Gary Snyder
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How do we naturally exist in this world? At first this may seem like an odd question to ask ourselves. But with the ever increasing momentum of living in the early 21st century along with its technological, entertainment and consumer options, many of us are leading a more and more unnatural manner of existence. Stress, anxiety and high frustration levels are all indicators of a lifestyle that is somewhat out of balance or unnatural.
While Linda and I were in Hawaii we were surrounded daily by the natural beauty of tropical flowers, fruit trees and the ocean surf. One of my favorite flowers was the bird of paradise which is pictured above. Its vivid colors and unique bird-like shape captured my imagination and the flower almost seemed to be perched and waiting to fly away at any moment! It didn’t appear to be trying very hard to be itself. It just was. It was an effortless expression of its own beauty as a flower residing in an island paradise.
This is a botanical example of the Taoist concept “wu-wei.” When something or someone is expressing its/their natural state of beingness, wu-wei is happening. The translation is literally, “activity arising from out of the source.” When a person is operating from this inner core, their actions are natural, effortless and selfless. They are like a bird in paradise just doing their thing. Allow your true nature to emerge like a bird spreading its beautiful wings.
Live every moment,
Dave