DOING AND BEING

Sometimes, people experience a culture shock when they study the Tao from authentic Asian sources. Things seem quite different from their expectations because there is an emphasis on the right way to get things done. “Why emphasize doing so much?” they may wonder. “Isn’t the Tao about being?”

The Tao is actually about both. The tranquil Tao of being is certainly important, but so is the dynamic Tao of doing. The two form a complimentary pair, and in order to really progress in the path, one has to master both tranquility and dynamism.

Westernized versions of the Tao often gloss over the importance of action. Some books speak against taking action, and even the planning of actions is frowned upon. This is strange to the practitioners of the East, who have no hang-ups with day planners or to-do lists, and cannot understand why some people think getting rid of them represents great wisdom. To them, the Tao is the harmonious balance of the composed mind with well-planned and well-executed actions. Both are necessary, and both must be present in a complete individual.

The Tao Today

Have you also been under the impression that the Tao is about the action of no action? You may have read a distorted translation, or writings about the Tao based on such translations. look to the people who practice tai-chi, qi gong and other martial arts to see how the Eastern mind-set really works. You know you cannot become proficient in those disciplines just by thinking while doing little or nothing. It is exactly like that with life.

The Tao of Joy Every Day

~ Derek Lin