Wednesday, August 12, 2015

The Tao is Serene amidst Life's Ups and Downs

Let whatever comes come, let whatever goes go. Why do you worry?
(Sri Ramana Maharshi)


Exuberance feels good and disappointment sucks. Different as both feelings are, neither is part of the Way. The Tao is always serene and peaceful but incredibly potent. The Tao simply is beyond life's never-ending ups and downs while pulling the strings for everyone and everything just like marionettes in a puppet show.

There was a time when I thought the Tao traveler can - or should - always be Zen. I think that is wrong. Being a spiritual traveler doesn't protect us from life. We are human like everyone else. Of course we will be emotional about life's ups and downs. The trick though is to go home after a tough day, get some sleep and be ready to face life's tasks at hand rejuvenated, completely unscathed by yesterday's developments and pretty indifferent about what lies ahead. Don't get me wrong though, we are not indifferent about getting our mission done; what we couldn't care less about is how exactly the Tao gets us to our next destination.

The one advantage that we spiritual travelers may have over others is that we are less prone to jump on life's roller-coaster ride. When the storm hits us we figure that eventually it will run out of rain, just as we can already perceive the upcoming decay in a perfect moment. We face life just like everyone else but the voice in our head doesn't get to us. Not because we are somehow superior, but simply because we have learned to perceive the Way in action. Where She walks, the ego has little choice but to shut up.

Why does the "holy now" always feel fresh and never ceases to surprise us? It is to give us the chance to break free from the whispers of the mind and the cravings of the heart. The presence of the Way gives us the ability to connect with the holy now. If it wasn't for the excitement of not knowing what comes next, the inner robot would soon take over. The Tao can keep us on our feet at times, and we certainly have our nights when we fall in bed exhausted like everybody else, but at the end of each day a treat tends to be waiting for us. I would think that his holds true for nearly everyone, but it is easy to overlook the silver lining in the storm cloud when the going gets tough.

Let's teach each other how to look out for the many signs pointing to the Way. Let's keep each other sane and serene by walking Home together. 

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