Pliable


76

Pliable.


The Tao Te Ching here speaks of life and death, both for humans and plants. It speaks of young and living plants, how they can bend and move, sway with the wind and continue to flourish a bloom. When the plant dies, it becomes hard and rigid, now a strong wind will break it and carry it off like a piece of discarded rubbish.

Lao Tzu in his very straightforward and down to earth way, tells us that we humans are very similar. We too at the point of death become hard and rigid lacking any life.

What we are being asked to consider here is not about life and death as such, this is merely to make us stop and give full consideration to what is really being said. 

It is so easy to become set in our ways, to have a set of rules and a routine and never waiver from it.  The creative cannot escape this criticism, in fact, they find comfort in routine. They are aware that for them doing what worked in the past and sticking to it, is how they should act and progress. Lao Tzu challenges this very idea. Being stuck in a routine is a very short step from being in a rut. Bending and being pliable, like the living being that we are, encourages us to be like the plant that flourishes and blooms.

Being pliable, adapting to varying circumstances and inspirations, we are full of life, such life and vitality will flow into all that we undertake.

Lao Tzu tells us, "The tree that is dry and rigid is ready to be put to the axe." No matter what stage of life we have reached stay pliable and supple, keep the mind open and alert to new things and ideas, you will feel like a child of your time and in turn inspire others.

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