“Relax,” the teacher says…. **
Relax. It sounds so easy, yet based on how seldom we achieve it, relaxation must be one of the most complicated pursuits that we can undertake.
**Strike a Chord of Silence, CG Walters http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0977427129/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0977427145&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1F3XBD2Y0FMXP0W1R61J
Video footage taken in Nags Head, NC US, 23 October 10.
Many thanks to our friends Tommy and Lee Cahoon for the invitation to their wonderful home and a very relaxing weekend.
Video: Relax, the Teacher says
CC in English, Agora fechou legendas em Português, ahora tiene los subtítulos en español, Jetzt hat Bildunterschriften geschlossen, in deutscher Sprache, a sous-titrage en français,現在、キャプションを閉じている日本, Chiuso didascalie in italiano
Blessings and joy to you today, dear ones,
“Relax,” the teacher says.
Relaxation is the prerequisite to health, joy, wisdom and so much more.
Relax. It sounds so easy, yet based on how seldom we achieve it, relaxation must be one of the most complicated pursuits that we can undertake. I suspect part of the problem is in the language we use.
“Relax.” The word is a verb. Verbs are action. Used in such a way, the single word, Relax, is direction–a command to perform the action of no action, of release—of tranquility. Yet, performing or doing is contrary to the intention of the directive.
Relaxation is a state of being, like peace. What one needs to achieve this relaxation is not another activity or action but the Taoist Wu Wei, “non-doing”… release what you are (or have been) doing.
An excellent explanation of Wu Wei comes from Alan Watts:
“...Wu-Wei, meaning not to force, refers to what we understand of one’s acting accordingly to the nature, of one’s moving in order to avoid a stroke, of one’s swimming downstream, sailing before the wind, rolling like the waves or one’s bending in order to win.” (From Alan Watts - “Tao: the
Another expression of this Taoist perspective comes from the
Tao Te Ching - verse 48
In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired.
In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.
Less and less is done.
Until non-action is achieved.
When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.
The world is ruled by letting things take their course.
It cannot be ruled by interfering.
(Translation by Gia-fu Feng and Jane English
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