The Line of Least Resistance

One who lives in accordance with nature does not go against the way of things. He moves in harmony with the present moment always knowing the truth of just what to do.

Wayne Dyer's translation of Verse 8 of Tao Te Ching in "Change You Thoughts; Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao (2007)

I am obsessed these days with giving up my habitual human pattern of resisting reality so I can simply fall into the flow of Life.  Where I once efforted and felt the need to "force" this human to do things....which often equated to struggling against something...I am determined ( I suppose determinantion is a form of force...my bad lol) to relax into what is and follow the line of least resistance.

That is one of the reasons I resumed a Tai Chi practice, a practice based on ancient Taoist and Zen philosophy. I want to observe, understand, honor, and go with Life energy rather than against it. 

Even though you can not describe energy or you cannot even describe reality everyone knows perfectly well what it is...you simply feel it. And you feel energy through a multitude of vibrations..

Well if that is the case, crazy lady, why do so many humans strive, work hard, struggle against, and fight to survive this energy?

Hmm!

Watts tells us that we can't feel all these waves of energy at once. So, we learn to select using our very selective sensory organs and our conditioning. We learn to consciously choose what is important and what is unimportant; what is pleasurable over what is unpleasurable. We are conditioned to determine what is worthy and what is unworthy of our living experience. And we are taught to actively pull the pleasurable into our experience and forcefully push the unpleasant out of our experiences. Our selecting leads to preferring andtensing up against...both requiring resistance which is like struggling to swim against the natural flow of a current. 

So, why Tai Chi and what does it have to teach about going with the flow?

Many thing, in fact. One of the simplest things this ancient practice (based on both Taosit and Zen philosophy)  teaches, which can have the greatest impact on our lives, is how to step mindfully but without effort...

Huh?

Watch how you step and make each step count. Place the heal...slowly, gently on the earth and then naturally roll forward onto the balls of the feet when moving forward; step slowly, gracefully backwards by placing the balls of the feet on the earth before rolling onto the heels.  With each step ground, balance...find your stable center before moving to the next step. Take one step at a time. This is the same directions given in Zen walking meditation.  We do not need to stomp our feet mindlessly down with force, effort, and speed to get up ahead somewhere fast. Each step can be a breath...each step can be an effortless and resistance-free "Yes" to Life as it is. As far as Tai Chi as a martial art...There is more grounding power, more balance and stability in the step that is mindful, natural and relaxed than the step that carries force.

Alan Watts reminds us that everytime we do something we are falling...if we knew that we wouldnt make a sound when walking

 Entering the forest he does not disturb a blade of grass; entering the water he doesnt make a ripple. Zen saying about a man who follows the line of least resistance

As with Tai Chi, the line of least resistance isn't about purpose, effort, striving to achieve a goal, muscle strength, overpowering, struggle and working hard...it is about allowing, noticing the flow and going with it. We will find our greatest strength when we do that, our greatest peace. We need to be more like water.

Water seeks the low level which  men abhore...nothing in the world is weaker than water and yet it can overcome the hardest things 

Lao Tzu/ Alan Watts

Hmm! Something to think about.

All is well.

Alan Watts/ Alan Watts Oficial Org. (December, 2025) Beyond Good and Bad-Seeing Reality as It Is/Meditation and Flow. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TQLFqHegVc