A Fable to Learn Laotzu "Effortless" Philosophy

The philosophy teaches us to become less meticulous, and more insightful through effortless understanding, discovering the rule of nature, inherited the spirit of Mother Nature.

Lao Tzu and his philosophy about following nature's patterns & rules, rather than using forte forcing to solve problems had gained respect by both the Eastern and Western societies. Regardless of the verified historicity, Lao Tzu is revered as the founder of Taoism, a major philosophical and spiritual tradition in China. The Tao Te Ching (or Daodejing), a foundational text of Taoism, is attributed to Lao Tzu. Modern scholars believe it was likely compiled by various authors over time, but Lao Tzu remains the symbolic source.

 Although due to historical limitations, some named philosophers in Ancient times were males, I believe their female associates (family members, team members, etc) had made significant contributions to sharing collective wisdom. Here is an interesting fable to teach us the philosophy of Laotzu.

In the deep valley, where mist clung to the forests and wisdom whispered in the wind, lived an insightful philosopher named Lao. Unlike other gardeners who meticulously pruned flowers, Lao's garden was tangled, vines snaked through crooked branches, wildflowers bloomed naturally, and a single, gnarled peach tree stood resolute in the center.

One day, a group of students, both ladies and gentlemen were eager and ambitious, approached Lao. "Master," they bowed, "why is your garden so untamed? Lao chuckled, with a sound like wind chimes, and said, "Nature thrives when left to its course. The river doesn't force its way to the sea, it simply flows. The peach tree doesn't strain to bear fruit, it blossoms when the time is right. We need to respect Mother Nature, isn't it?" "The Master's power is like this. They let all things come and go effortlessly, without desire." [Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching]

The students frowned. "But how can we achieve greatness without effort?" Lao led them to the gnarled peach tree. Its branches, though twisted, held fat, juicy peaches, basking in the sun. "See," Lao said, "the tree expends no energy on its appearance. It focuses its strength on what truly matters - bearing fruit. That is the way how our mother nature nourishes our world. Effortlessness is not about laziness, but about focus and harmony; how to align your own strength with the natural flow." When we respect nature, capture the quintessential of life, and discover patterns of the natural world, we can achieve more with less.

The garden demonstrates the beautiful natural world, with butterflies and bees dancing effortlessly from blossom to blossom to pollinate the flowers, and birds singing around cheerfully. The young girls asked a lot of interesting questions, they cultivated a lot of flowers and plants at their home, and now they knew the butterflies and bees dance with purpose -doing pollination for the plants, and they became better natural scientists in Ancient times. "The wise person is the one who knows what thy does not know." "Knowing how to yield is strength."

Suddenly, all the students understood. True achievement wasn't about forcing a result, but about understanding the nature of things and acting in harmony with it. From that day on, they learned from the effortless flow of the wind, the unwavering strength of the mountains, and the wisdom of the untamed garden.

In time, lady naturalists became less meticulous but spent their energy on nourishing a great environment to reap what they sow, not through struggle, but through effortless understanding, discovering the rule of nature, respecting their ancestors, and inheriting the spirit of Mother Nature.

"In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control."

Posted in: Parable,Profundity