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| Level Your Life - [The Level of Effortlessness][3.47] |
Effortlessness
According to the I Ching, there is wisdom is using four ounces to deflect four thousand pounds. In "The Art of War", Sun Tzu strongly recomments that we follow the way of least effort.
In Chinese, this effortless way of being is called "wu wei", meaning "do not force the doing that is not natural." All the secrets of success in the Asian martial arts are based on this philosophy of wu wei.
To push, force or fight the flow is to cause tension and tightness; it is not natural.
Observe fish nin turbulent water. They overcome this obstacle by effortlessly surfing on the swirling eddies, by going with the flow. In the same way, you may want to follow nature´s law , blend with the force and make the effort to exert less effort.
Martial artists have known for centuries that less effort makes you more proficient and spiritually sane.
For example in the sport of running, too much effort blocks your chi and diminishes your power. Olympians have discovered that giving 90 percent effort not only is more relaxing but can also result in greater speed.
When working on a letter, a book or an article, relax, breathe and get into the flow by focusing on the joy and fun of writing - instantly, words will begin to appear where there were none before.
You will experience an inner peace and strength when you choose to practice wu wei, the effortless effort, action without force.
Declaration: Wu wei all the way ! I notice how I gain more by doing less. I love the effortless effort.
Reflection: As I review what I need to accomplish my daily life, how can I do what needs to be done more effortlessly ? How can I begin to apply the 90 percent law to my life?
