the path of least resistance
It’s something I’ve truly learned to respect this past year, but I don’t think I had quite realised the full extent of this beautifully simple saying… so often quoted but so little is it fully practiced.
But what does it mean?
Well explained plainly, it is taking the easiest option. It is the decision which encounters least barriers and requires little force or effort. Like the notion of “swimming against the tide” choosing “the path of least resistance” eludes to the fact perhaps you are struggling against the overwhelming pull of fate. AKA hella hard work to pull it off, whatever it is you’re working on, perhaps it was not meant to be.
But when we embrace our options that feel least resistant, we suddenly feel as though we are in our “flow state”. Suddenly those locked doors are unlocked golden gates complete with an overhead voice of Siri leading you along the way. Suddenly the domino effect is in full tumble, and all we needed to do was take one step in the correct direction. When we ignore those signs gently trying to guide us (usually the voice of your intuition) we are met with concrete blocks the size of houses and yet we are STILL TRYING to knock it over… and then wonder why we are sad, tired and sick by the end of all our fruitless attempts. Twas never your path my love.
I almost feel like this concept is synonymous with the paradox of “co-creation” and “surrender” because within the blurred lines of these two seemingly-opposing approaches (though we know everything is in fact one and simply the a gradient like the shades between night and day) exists the power of discernment. One is active, one is passive. The yang and yin.
Wu-Wei
Similarly, in Japanese philosophy there exists the notion “Wu-Wei” which means “without exertion” or “action through non-action”. I like to think of this as effortless action: although we are engaged in activity it is not tiring nor draining because we are in flow. The action is not forceful, therefore requires no extra exertion or energy and therefore is non-action. (Similar to my lil domino-block-analogy) This is at the heart of Daoism and promotes a right-approach to decision-making and action.
Whether you call it “the path of least resistance”, the “Wu-Wei” or “co-creation and surrender”… the method of administering the medicine is the same. You must discern for yourself the right path and resist the temptation. It is not the act of simply not-doing-anything-at-all-and-making-no-decisions. NO.
The temptation we are aiming to resist could manifest as ego, old behavioural patterns, trauma, toxic behaviours… it could be greed, lust and laziness. But what does each of those temptations ALSO have in common? No, not fear, pain or some form of archaic sin (well maybe actually…) it is in fact desire.
Desire is the hungry ghost which keeps you trapped in cycles.
Desire is the hunger to fill a gap inside yourself which you satiate with temporary fixes.
Desire is a bottomless pit which will continually feed you stories in which you are not enough, not you alone.
So desire is the voice which distracts you with hunger.
It will keep you distracted from truthful life, chasing temporary things.
Desire is a mind-melting craving to feel I AM ENOUGH.
Desire will entrap you into a constant state of fear, where your powers of discernment will become weak. Desire leads to a fog of confusion and dissociates you from your discerning faculties.
SO the paradox being we must discern which path is ego led and which is not, but often the desire (the ego) itself is the very thing that numbs our discernment.
“The way never acts yet nothing is left undone.
Should lords and princes be able to hold fast to it,
The myriad creatures will be transformed of their own accord.
After they are transformed, should desire raise its head,
I shall press it down with the weight of the nameless uncarved block.
The nameless uncarved block
Is but freedom from desire,
And if I cease to desire and remain still,
The empire will be at peace of its own accord.”
Chapter 37 of the Tao Te Ching
The passage above is incredibly potent.
“The way never acts and yet nothing is left undone” meaning the Dao way and the “Wu-Wei” is an approach, when administered, will enable us to discern where to send our efforts with ease, skill, intellect and sustainability. And like any muscle, the more we use this approach to life, the easier everything will become. Like the master of a martial art, with time and practice, it seemingly becomes more graceful and more effortless. So too is the Wu-Wei… or the “path of least resistance”.
“Transformed of their own accord” this is a promise that life will alchemise, WE have the power to alchemise, and transform when we listen with the ear of our hearts, the discernment and wisdom of our body, and flow down “the way”.
My mother used to always say “the devil tries hardest when you’re at your best” and I have always believed she is correct. The devil is an internalised figure. The devil is our material-realm ego who loves attachment. The devil is our shadow, with a different face of each of us, who arises to test us at a point of true fundamental change. When we are on the brink of a true irreversible transformation. And that devil may also be named desire. Here in the context of the passage above “desire tries hardest when you’re at your best”.
(Also just gonna throw “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” put there for you all to think about…)
Will you self-sabotage your powers of discernment and listen to the devil or maintain faith in the power of Wu-Wei?
“The nameless uncarved block, Is but freedom from desire, And if I cease to desire and remain still, The empire will be at peace of its own accord” As we free ourselves from the slavery of the hungry ghost of desire, we allow ourselves to be at ease. As I mentioned above… that feeling of I AM ENOUGH will disempower desire (or the devil within) and empower our higher self who trusts the flow.
“The empire will be at peace of its own accord” AKA the order/command/self will no longer be at war (which I read as the internal battle between desire & freedom) as a result of listening to the ear of the heart, thus creating harmony. The etymology of the word accord is one mind but even older still… it means the heart. Surely SURELY the truest, most pure and powerful embodiment of acting of “one’s own accordance” there possibly could be.
So I read this passage as:
As you learn to trust the power of your own discernment and follow the path of least resistance, you create space to transform and empower yourself. You must ignore the voice of fear disguised as desire and remain disciplined to this approach. Listen with the ear of your heart and live free from the internal battle between love and fear, trust the flow and live in harmony.
The more you practice this approach, the easier and more peaceful life will become.
Desire is fear in disguise.
I just want to quickly add in another link to this “path of least resistance”, “Wu-Wei”, “co-creation and surrender” discussion and mention the lovely Marianne Williamson who notes the two forces love and fear who, like everything else in seeming-polarity… also exist as paradox. Though they are opposite, they are in fact one like the sliding scale between night and day, all are shades of illumination. Love and fear are all shades of love. So when we are met with desire, who tempts to pull us away from our flow love-state, it is in fact also the hungry ghost of fear.
Desire is fear hidden in a red velvet cloak whispering sweet empty promises of pleasure and fulfilment.
Why? Why do I say desire is fear in disguise?
Because desire is the voice saying you are not enough as you are, which in turn means you are afraid of not being enough. So you aim to fill it, by acting out of desire… which is often a forceful act of hunger.
Love acts from trust, ease and flow.
Love trusts the path of least resistance.
When we use our magikal powers of discernment and follow the path of least resistance and Wu-Wei, we trust our universal guidance.
Further thoughts…
When we give in to desire and temptation it truly is a temporary fix.
And in this modern world of instant gratification, I fear we are exercising so much of our decision making from a place of fear. We feed the hungry ghost who whispers to us constantly “not enough not enough not enough”.
But what are your most love-filled memories?
When have you felt the most full?
When was your heart so full, it wanted to explode?!?!
Who were you with, what were you doing, what were you thinking about? Because I bet it wasn’t in a moment attempting to satiate your hungry ghost named fear disguised as desire.
You have the power to transform yourself and your life so that you feel heart-full. Listen with the ear of your heart. Use your discernment to follow the path of least resistance. Free yourself.
Choose love, trust, truth and beauty.
Always.
You are enough,
A