The Tao of Change

Holding onto things that vanished
into the air
left me in pieces.
But now I’m rising from the ashes,
finding my wings,
and all that I needed
was there all along,
within my reach,
as close as the beat of my heart.
(Time of My Life, David Cook)


Have you ever observed how you respond to a big change in your life? Perhaps a move to a new job or city, a big transition at work or an end of a relationship; maybe a disease? We tend to do better with a change that is initiated by us and stand ready to take action and responsibility.  However, if the change is imposed on us, we tend to feel more like victims of life.

Change is not something we need to be afraid of. The Tao traveler learns sooner rather than later that change always works to your advantage. Change is here to break us out of familiar patterns that no longer work to our advantage. Maybe it will feel a bit uncomfortable for a few days to adjust to the fact that you are thrown out of your comfort zone, but soon we can adjust and run with it.

When you stand ready to engage with your new life and participate you always realize that a door has swung wide open for you. You smile when it occurs to you that the agents of change that you were weary of only yesterday are in fact here to propel you to a better and happier way of living. When you adjust to the Way, help is always at your disposal.

The Tao wants to expand our opportunities and take us to a path to unconditional love.  It is natural that we will experience a period of denial and struggle, but soon the adjustment becomes the new way of thinking. As we go with His plan we realize that every step is just perfect as is. The Tap makes you realize your strength, unleash your potential, and gives you a perfect opportunity to express yourself. Don't be afraid, the Tao is with you every step of the Way.

By Christian and Su Zhen

Safe and Sound

I could lift you up
I could show you what you wanna see
And take you where you wanna be

You could be my luck
Even if the sky is falling down
I know that we'll be safe and sound

I could fill your cup
You know my river won't evaporate
This world we still appreciate

You could be my luck
Even in a hurricane of frowns
I know that we'll be safe and sound
(Capital City, Safe and Sound)

How do you feel when the storm of life is sweeping over you?  I have noticed that I tend to shut down, soaked in bitterness, asking " Why me?" But if you really observe what is going on, we are just afraid of an upcoming change. We fear that your lives get uprooted and that we can't handle it. Well, how do we know how exactly what we will experience in the new situation? Isn't it always the case that every transition is soon enough absorbed and considered normal again?

We want to hold onto something; we want someone to make us feel  safe and grounded.  The Tao sometimes shakes us a little to encourage us to let go of all kind if insurances. Ironically, we are always grounded and safe as long as we are open to change. If we hold Her hand we need no external protection. When we open up to life we can always manage to walk in the middle of the Way.

When the flood of life comes, we tend to be carried away when we are not mentally grounded in the Tao.  We feel lost and start to panic.  We want to grab something just to feel safe.  Like in the movie “Inception”, as soon as you recognize that you are well grounded, the feeling of panic and the desire to grab something disappears. Why do we need to hold onto something if we know that we are centered in the force that drives the change? Like an experienced wind-surfer, we can use the changing winds and waves to our advantage by constantly adjusting to them.

Let the Tao make you fall in love with the ever-changing sceneries, the arrival and departure of scenes and friends. Soon you get the hang of it, and whenever you see Her smile you know that you are safe and sound.

By Christian and Su Zhen