Resist Nothing -- What A Concept

Last week, I listened to Thaddeus Golas’ The Lazyman’s Guide to Enlightenment. In it he explains his concept of “Resist Nothing”. I am very attracted to this concept.

Then, (by coincidence?) I received an email the next day containing the following passage from Tao Te Ching (a 2500 year old work written by Lao-zi (Lao -tse)):

"When we learn to work with our own Inner Nature, and with the natural laws operating around us, we reach the level of Wu Wei. Then we work with the natural order of things and operate on the principle of minimal effort. Since the natural world follows that principle, it does not make mistakes. Mistakes are made - or imagined - by man, the creature with the overloaded Brain who separates himself from the supporting network of natural laws by interfering and trying too hard."

I thought this to be another wonderful illustration of Golas' concept of "resist nothing". If the natural world follows the principle of minimal effort, which to me sounds a lot like no resistance, then it makes sense that by interfering and trying too hard, we can actually get in our own way.

As an example of this, Shelly and I have signed a contract to buy a small horse. As I look back on the eight week process, I realize that it could have been a very trying experience, involving incompetent real estate agents holding up other decisions and plans, and the tension and fears that normally accompanies this type of major purchase and change in lifestyle.

We have realized that by accepting the process, and having no resistance to the process, and allowing things to work themselves out, we have been at peace for the greater part of the time. We consciously chose to allow whatever happened to happen and looked for the best. Every decision we made was based on values and definitions of our success. Therefore, we are living our lives based on our definitions of values and success, and not allowing the process of buying a property to control us. We left the outcome in the hands of some other Power that has that control. We resisted nothing.

It has been a wonderfully freeing experience and not one we could have done ten years ago.

The point of this somewhat rambling article is this:

The next time you feel resistance, stop! Take a moment and ask why you are resisting. Is it fear of the unknown, or fear of loss? Could it be there is something there that you need to learn, but do not want to go through a perceived pain or change? Is it an argument that you must win to be right? Maybe your energy comes from tension?

Think oak tree and bend in the wind!