Heaven
embraces the horizon.
No matter how jagged the profile,
The sky faithfully
conforms.
Wherever
you are, the sky constantly meets the horizon. It conforms
absolutely with the earth’s surface. Changes in the earth or sky do not
affect this perfect adaptation. There might be clouds, it might be
night, there might be mountains or trees or even buildings on the
horizon, but the relationship remains.
No matter what circumstances life
may present, we must adapt exactly,
whether we think the situation is good or bad. Resistance is useless.
Instead, we should concentrate on perceiving whatever circumstances
surround us. For example, if one is in a leadership situation, one must
adapt one’s vision to that of the group; the successful leader
articulates and brings consensus to the group. Being flexible and
constantly adjusting to the times is one of the secrets of Tao.
We often think of the landscape as
being in the foreground and the sky
as the background. It is because the sky is always in the background
that it can meet the outline of the foreground perfectly. If we emulate
this feature of bing in the background, then we too can find perfect
conformity with life. Such adaptation is not passivity, however. It is
concordance. It is because the sky is in the background that it is in
fact supreme. So too with ourselves. If we know how to adapt, we end up
being superior.
adapting
365
Tao
daily
meditations
Deng
Ming-Dao (author)
ISBN
0-06-250223-9
