Action vs Acceptance

Action/Acceptance

I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to change the world. On the other hand there is something to be said about accepting things the way they are, and trusting that everything is unfolding the way it needs to unfold.

I am constantly working on finding the proper balance between learning as much as I can about world events, and wanting to run far, far away from them. I envision a tiny cabin in the woods, off-grid, with water access only, and knowing about only what is happening in the immediate area.

Then I consider the Zen saying that advises that we should never be bound by daily events, but neither should we withdraw from them. Balance is required.

We are not passive actors - simply thinking about something helps to make it happen. Therefore, we have to stay engaged, but remember to balance that with going with the  flow and living life pure and passionate, untainted by worry, regret, frustration or anger.

There are undoubtedly larger cycles of which our current civilization is unaware. Unlike our ancestors who seem to have had a more far-reaching vision than the next election cycle, the Mayan calenders for example, one of which operates on a 5000 year cycle.

What is currently happening in the world is part of the cycle that must play out before we reach the turning point and balance is restored.

A tree must lose its leaves in the fall and go dormant for weeks - during this time it seems dead. But in the bigger picture, last year's leaves mold and decay eventually entering the soil, then the tree. In the spring what once seemed dead reaches a point where it can't do anything but burst forth with new and glorious life. The cycle is complete, to begin again.

We must fight the desire to flee, turn to violence, or throw ourselves from a bridge. With a balance between allowing things to happen with acceptance, and taking action to change what we can within our own sphere of influence, we can create a better world while enjoying this one at the same time.

“After a time of decay comes the turning point. The powerful light that has been banished returns. There is movement, but it is not brought about by force. The old is discarded and the new is introduced. Both measures accord with the time; therefore no harm results.”--I Ching