| From ancient times, the troubles of life have been | | | | sharply increases with increased speed. Fuel for a |
| visualized as storms. In the following ancient | | | | power boat is a very limited, very expensive |
| Chinese saying, the troubles of life are compared | | | | non-renewable resource. Small sailboats routinely |
| to a windstorm: | | | | travel from continent to continent or even around |
| A tree that is unbending is easily broken. | | | | the world, but a small powerboat would require a |
| - Lao Tzu | | | | virtually impossible quantity and expense of fuel |
| The meaning of this quote is that if we fight | | | | for such a journey. |
| against our Life-Storms like a rigid and brittle tree, | | | | Viewed as our boat of Life, would we rather be |
| we may be successful in resisting smaller | | | | the Sailboat and effectively transmute the energy |
| life-storms, but will snap sharply and unexpectedly | | | | of the storm to our intended purposes; or would |
| when the storm reaches some unforeseen | | | | we rather try to be the motorboat and expend |
| intensity. By contrast, if we are yielding, like the | | | | vast quantities of our own very limited energy |
| strong yet flexible willow, we can weather the | | | | resources in trying to fight against the forces of |
| strongest life-storm. This illustrates the Way of | | | | Life; or would we rather be the raft and passively |
| Acceptance - changing our attitude toward life | | | | wait for Life's forces to blow us onto the rocks |
| rather than attempting the impossible task of | | | | or wherever its winds happen to be blowing. |
| changing what life brings us. | | | | It is exceedingly exhausting - physically, mentally |
| While bending with the Life-Storms' attack is far | | | | and emotionally - to attempt to power one's way |
| superior to either rigidly resisting or being blown | | | | through life. We just don't have the energy to do |
| like a tumbleweed, consider the advantages of | | | | it even when life's storms are only blowing gently. |
| mastering the forces of our Life-Storms and using | | | | Time alone takes its toll on our fuel supply. And |
| those forces to do our Life-Work and achieve | | | | when our Life-Storms howl, and we attempt to |
| mastery of our lives. | | | | crank up our motor to maximum emergency |
| Consider the subtle yet highly effective technique | | | | overload speed, we burn out. We run out of fuel, |
| of a self-defense martial artist. The martial artist | | | | blow a gasket, or just explode - one way or |
| utilizes almost none of his (or her) own energy, | | | | another, it just isn't a pretty sight, and it's no fun |
| while turning the opponent's force back against | | | | for our friends and family either. |
| him. The greater the force with which the | | | | The third alternative - being a raft - doesn't even |
| opponent attacks, the more "free" energy the | | | | qualify as living a fully human life. Existing in total |
| martial artist has at his disposal. This is how a | | | | apathy, and remaining completely passive while |
| small but well trained martial artist can easily | | | | Life's winds and currents control our destiny is... |
| overcome powerful opponent. The more viciously | | | | well, let's just say that kind of existence doesn't |
| the opponent attacks, the easier victory becomes | | | | much appeal to me. |
| for the skillful martial artist. | | | | Most people alternate between being a motorboat |
| Now visualize your battle with the storms of life | | | | and being a raft. They first react to Life's storms |
| as occurring on a body of water - the Ocean of | | | | by trying to power through them. When that |
| Life. | | | | doesn't work well and they run low on fuel, they |
| Consider three ways one might meet Life-Storms | | | | reach the point of despair, and become the raft. |
| 1. As Raft | | | | Some people just remain rafts, but usually people |
| 2. As Motorboat | | | | refuel and revert to trying to be motorboats and |
| 3. As Sailboat | | | | trying to power through their Life-Storms. |
| Like a martial artist, a sailboat utilizes the power | | | | Choose to be the Sailboat on the Ocean of Life. |
| of its adversary. The stronger the wind, the | | | | Use your mastery of life skills to turn adversity |
| faster and more agile a well designed and well | | | | to your advantage. Power your movement |
| mastered sailboat becomes. | | | | through life by redirecting the energy of the same |
| In contrast, a motorboat must work exceedingly | | | | Life-Storms that are devastating others. |
| hard to move. And its rate of fuel consumption | | | | |