IN THE WAY OF JOY.

On Tuesday, April 8 2014, Martin Law <martin.rainbowmaker@gmail.com> wrote:

IN THE WAY OF JOY.

"The way that can be defined

is not the true way itself."

~Lao Tzu.

In the way of joy, now there's a title to contemplate. If you only get as far as the title,there's plenty there for the mind to play with all day.

'In the way of joy', can be read in two opposing ways. Which is the right way? It's a paradox, befitting a planet still snared in duality.

The quote above is from Lao Tzu, who is generally regarded as a kind of Chinese sage, and as you know, sage is a spirit cleansing and purifying plant. It's the opening line from his text, the Tao Teh Ching, (The Way and its Power.)

In the original Chinese there is a play on words; ' The way that can be 'wei(ghed') is not the way.' Wei, as in 'Wu-Wei.' Literally, non-forced, or occurring spontaneously, without superfluous deliberation. Often superficially translated as 'doing nothing.'

Which is not quite the same as unforced spontaneity or happening naturally by itself, by contrast with un-naturally, whereby the focus is on oneself as being the presumed source of action. I can only do what i happen to do. I can't do what doesn't happen. Trying is not doing.

Children are naturally spontaneous until repeatedly told "control yourself" or "why did you do that?" When you didn't. It occurred naturally. The resulting adult form of 'self control' is more akin to self inhibition, the insistence that doing or not doing requires a mythical self to oversee it. Being unaware or outrageous doesn't count.

Spontaneity in infancy is the natural precursor to mature naturalness, whereby the illusion of separation from what happens naturally is clearly seen for what it is; an imaginary division, resulting in a sense of strain we wrongly identify with as being a self.

Rather like a low volume manifestation of stage fright or 'self' consciousness on an ongoing daily basis. The internalized command to control a self as if it wasn't you, the one trying to control, is a vicious circle, like a snake trying to swallow its tail. Or, as they say, "like putting legs on a snake," that is to say, totally unnecessary and disastrous.

In the way of joy, interpreted one way it can be read in the sense of 'living in the way of joy.' A healthy and natural way to live.

It can just as easily be read as, 'there is something in the way of joy.' Which is self evident when you look at what goes on in the human world, relative to your zoom and focus.

So it's a paradox and also a potential catalyst if you ponder it long or deeply enough. Which you most likely will, now you've read it. It may repeat itself like an echo as mind tries to resolve a contradiction. A semantic, rather than an optical illusion.

As you know, catalysts turn into butterflies, which are universally symbolic of a liberated soul, and flitter spontaneously from flower to flower, doing what they do naturally without needless effort (Wu Wei). Though it's quite natural to use effort till it's seen to be no longer necessary.

Who is living in the way of joy? Being of the way in joy. Or otherwise, who is in the way of living in joy? By contrast with all other forms of life, human creatures struggle with this. The ones who don't appear to, just think they're in control.

Is this a naturally joyful world? Or is it just a testing ground for enjoying 'in spite of' being part of an accutely contradictory system which regards living as being so familiarly mundane that they have lost the plot.

In that regard, the most obviously psychopathic might more honestly be termed 'kill-joys.' Because that's the job description they most enjoy embodying, and executing, so to speak.

While otherwise, in the way of joy, the rest of creation, regardless of who's in the way, recreates itself perennially in eternity in perfectly spontaneous beauty.

Lillies, for example. They don't sweat or pass the buck. Any more than a buck sweats the pass.

There must be a lesson in all this. Like, 'you can't judge a buck by its overcoat.' Or, "Get out of the new one if you can't lend a hand", as the songline goes.

Last but not finally, you have to get out of your own way to get into your own way. Despite what anybody says, me included. I won't stand in the way of joy.

"I bless this space in lightness and pure joy,timelessness, beauty, and peace."

(13 word sign above my mantlepiece. See photo, in blog archive, February.2014. Titled 'Responsible response.')

~]~] ~]~] ~]~] ~ Makes Rainbows.

Photos: IN THE WAY OF JOY. martin law, 2014