In this verse of the Tao, Laotzu speaks on flexibility and receptivity. These are 2 states of being that I’ve been working on developing in my life lately. Physically, over the past few months I’ve incorporated Yoga/stretching into my regimen as a way to increase flexibility in my body. I’ve heard that one of the marks of youth is having a flexible spine - the spine being literally the back bone of this whole operation called the human body. I hope that I’m able to keep this yoga routine well into my old age and that I’m still able to do the bridge pose at age 80. But more than physical flexibility, I think being mentally flexible is also a sign of youth, no matter what age you are. I’ve learned so much from people, by not being so rigid in my point of view. It’s ok to believe in what you believe in, but I think it’s also important to be able to listen to someone and really hear what they have to say. This is sometimes labeled as being impressionable, but I’d rather take that than being rigid and closed-minded. It’s so liberating to know that I don’t know everything and that it’s ok to learn along the way. Especially when things change so rapidly these days, being flexible is a major key to survival in all the ways possible. Wayne Dyer uses the example of the palm tree as a metaphor for Laotzu’s message of flexibility. Most palm trees are able to withstand severe hurricane weather by being flexible, even with the harsh winds, they bend but do not break. I think we also should be like palm trees, by being able to withstand unpleasant circumstances by being flexible and able to bounce back after a storm.
The second topic Laotzu mentioned was of Receptivity. As a woman, I’ve noticed recently that I have a hard time accepting/receiving. It’s like as women, we’re programmed to constantly give and give and give. We give so much of our selves, and then get overwhelmed when we’re left with nothing. Let go and let God is a phrase that came to mind as I was writing this sentence. It ties in with the rigidity I mentioned earlier. Why is it so hard to just receive love, joy, abundance, without thinking the person must have an ulterior motive. At the root of it, there seems to be a lack of trust for self and other. Either that or a lack of self-worth, that I deserve to receive all the goodness I dream about.
This message has come to me at a crucial time in my life and I think we all need to be a little more flexible and receptive in our approach to life. It doesn’t hurt to hear out another’s opinion, you just might learn something subtle, or a major lesson that’ll change your whole life. And we also have to be more receptive - to love, to truth, to abundance. In order to receive we have to empty our vessels of preconceived notions, limiting beliefs that do not serve us, the lies our families/society have fed us since childhood etc. I think once we’re able to start living life in this way, there’ll be a major transformation in the way we communicate with ourselves and the Universe.
Ai Creo