DYNAMISM AND STILLNESS

The Tao is often associated with tranquility and serenity. When it is true that the tranquil and serene can be found in the Tao, they do not represent all of it. Reality is all about complementary pairs, so if we have a quiet part of life that benefits us, then there must also be an active part of that is equally beneficial.

This active component is the dynamic side of the Tao. Its physical manifestations are motion and action. Its emotional manifestations are excitement and passion. It is something that energizes you, motivates you and inspires you. It is the liveliness that puts a spring in your step and a big smile on your face.

This may not be what many people expect to see in the Tao, but it is an indispensable part of the whole. Dynamism in life is just as important as stillness. True cultivators of the Tao do not favor one over the other; they balance both to harmonize the energy of life.

The Tao Today

Many lack the mastery to balance the active with the inactive. Those with too much dynamism lead overwhelmingly stressful lives, and those with too much stillness lose themselves in an inactive trance. If you find yourself in either camp, give yourself a measure of the complement, either a moment of peace as a break from your busy life or an activity that gets you moving. it is only when you have both aspects in your life that you can begin to approach the Tao.

The Tao of Joy Every Day

~ Derek Lin