The Infinite Within (11) | Flowing with the Way: Tao Meets Zen by Alan Watts

Uncover the profound connection between Taoism and Zen Buddhism as we dive into Alan Watts' The Way of Zen. Discover the philosophy of Tao, Wu Wei (effortless action), and the art of aligning with life’s natural flow.  Learn how these timeless principles can transform your approach to relationships, creativity, and daily challenges, helping you navigate life with spontaneity and grace.

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Transcript

Ready to dive into some Daoism and Zen Buddhism? See how they fit together.

Yeah, it's fascinating stuff.

Daoism always gets me thinking, you know, really shifts things around in your head. We're going with Alan Watt's book, The Way of Zen, as our main guide for this deep dive.

Good choice. Classic Watts.

And get this, he actually uses Daoism as a way to explain Zen Buddhism,

which is super interesting, right? You wouldn't think they'd be so connected at first glance.

Totally. Okay, so for those of us starting from scratch, what exactly is D? ism. I've got to admit, my knowledge is a bit limited here.

Well, think of it this way. A philosophy that's all about going with the flow, embracing the natural way of things instead of trying to force everything into a specific mold. That's daoism in a nutshell. It's about harmony, spontaneity, and living in sync with what they call the tow.

Ah, the tow.

That word gets thrown around a lot.

It can be a little tough to grasp though. How would you explain it?

Picture water, right? It always finds the easiest path flows around obstacles instead of smashing straight into them. That's the tow in action. It's like the guiding principle of the universe, a force that connects and shapes everything. And here's a key point. We humans, we're not separate from this flow. We're part of it.

So instead of trying to bend the world to our will, Daoism says we should try to align ourselves with this natural flow.

Exactly. And that leads us to one of the most interesting things about Daoism, its take on morality. You know how we're always told to be good and avoid being bad?

Yeah, pretty standard stuff.

Well, Daoism questions that whole framework.

Wait, so being good is a bad thing according to Daoism. Now I'm really interested.

It's not that black and white. It's not saying things like kindness or generosity are bad in themselves. What it does is question our tendency to get fixated on these ideas as if they're rigid rules because that can actually cause more problems than it solves.

Okay, I think I see where you're going with this. Can you give me an example? My brain's trying to catch up.

Sure. Have you ever noticed that The harder you try to be good at something, the more you seem to mess up. Or the more you try to avoid a bad habit, the more you fall back into it.

I think we've all been there.

Dowoism suggests this happens because by rigidly defining good and bad, we create this artificial split that doesn't actually reflect reality. The towel doesn't judge, it just is.

Gotcha. So, how does Daoism say we should approach this whole good versus bad thing?

By shifting our focus. Instead of chasing after some external ideal, we should try to align ourselves with the tow, that natural flow we were talking about. And the way to do that is through wuwei

Woo. There's another one of those important daoist terms, usually translated as non-action, right?

Sounds a little passive, though. Are we supposed to just sit around and do nothing?

That's a pretty common misconception. wuwei is not about being passive. It's about acting effortlessly in harmony with the tow not trying to force things to go our way. Watts uses a really good analogy to explain this. Think of the moon reflecting in water.

Okay, I'm liking where this is going.

So, the moon doesn't try to create its reflection, does it? It just is. And the water doesn't try to reflect the moon. It just happens naturally. No effort, no struggle, just a spontaneous mirroring. That's the core of wow.

Hm. So, how does this idea of effortless action translate into everyday life? Can you give me a more concrete example?

Well, think about breathing. You don't have to consciously tell yourself inhale, exhale, right? Your body just does it perfectly. in tune with the natural rhythm of life. That's wooue. Or how about walking? You don't overthink each step. You simply move, letting your body navigate naturally.

So wow is about trusting our bodies, our instincts, and letting go of that need to micromanage everything.

I'm already starting to see how powerful this could be.

It definitely is, and its implications go far beyond physical actions. It also shapes how we understand our own minds, but we'll get into that a bit later. First, let's explore some more examples of wuwei in action. Another great example Watts used for wuwei is with peripheral vision. You know how it works best when you're not staring directly at something? Like when you try too hard to see something in the corner of your eye, it kind of disappears.

Yeah. Yeah. It's like when you're looking for something like your keys and you can't find them when you're looking right at them, but then you look away and boom, there they are.

Exactly. It's like a perfect example of how letting go of control, letting things happen naturally can be more effective than all that straining and striving.

And this applies to way more than just finding your keys. It can change how we approach work. relationships, creativity, even our mental and emotional well-being.

So, wow isn't just about physical actions. It's like a mental approach to life, too.

That's it. And this brings us to the Daoist view of the mind and the ego.

Okay?

See, in Western thought, we often see the mind as this separate thing stuck in our heads watching the world from afar.

Right?

But Daoism, it offers a totally different perspective.

So, how does Daoism see the relationship between our minds and the world around us.

It sees them as interconnected, inseparable. Like our minds aren't separate from the world, they're expressions of it. Think of it like um a wave rising from the ocean. The wave is distinct, but it's also a part of the ocean. Right.

Right.

In the same way, our individual minds are expressions of this larger cosmic mind, the toao.

Oh.

And that's where the concept of the ego comes into play.

The ego. Yeah. That's a big one. How does Daoism see the ego?

Watts points out that our thought create the sense of a separate self or ego. We start identifying with our thoughts, memories, experiences and we create this illusion of a solid unchanging me that exists apart from everything else.

Right.

But clinging to this ego, trying to make it control everything that can actually create a lot of conflict and suffering.

So the ego isn't inherently bad. It's more about how we relate to it.

Exactly. The problem comes when we get too attached to it. When we believe this madeup sense of self is the ultimate truth. It's like trying to drive a car with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake. You create friction and get nowhere. And Watts, he uses this term feedback system to describe how our minds get caught in this ego trap.

Feedback system. Tell me more.

Imagine like a microphone that's too close to a speaker. You get that horrible screeching sound, right?

That's feedback. Watts suggests that our minds can work the same way.

Yeah.

When we hold on too tight to the ego, when we're always judging ourselves, trying to be perfect, or worrying what others think, We create this feedback loop of self-doubt and anxiety.

Oh, I see. So, it's like our thoughts are the microphone and our emotions are the speaker and they just keep amplifying each other in this negative way.

Exactly. It's like our minds are constantly going, I should be doing this or I shouldn't be feeling that. And all this internal chatter just keeps us stuck in this cycle of overthinking and self-criticism. This, according to Watts, is where Daoism offers a way out.

Okay. So, how does Daoism help us break free from that mental loop?

It reminds us us that we don't need to control every single part of our experience. In fact, trying to do that often backfires. Remember, wuwei, it's about aligning with the natural flow of the tow. Letting go of the need to micromanage our thoughts and feelings. Recognizing that just like our breath or our footsteps, our minds have their own natural rhythm, too.

So, instead of trying to force our minds to be a certain way, we can learn to trust their natural intelligence, their ability to find balance and peace on their own. Exactly. It's like uh learning to surf. Instead of fighting the waves, you learn to ride them. Trusting the ocean to carry you.

Right.

We can do the same with the waves of our thoughts and emotions. Trust the wisdom of the tow guide us.

This is all starting to sound pretty zen actually. Yeah.

Letting go of control, trusting the flow of things.

That's because as Watts says, there's a deep link between Daoism and Zen. Both of them emphasize direct experience, being present in the moment and letting go of those attachments to rigid ideas.

I see.

And this brings us to Another interesting point about Daoism, how it challenges the idea of constant progress.

Okay, so we've been talking about the mind and ego, but now I'm curious about this progress thing. How does Daoism challenge our typical way of thinking about progress?

Well, in the West, we tend to be like obsessed with achieving, you know,

striving, always reaching for that next thing. We think if I get that promotion, that house, that relationship, then I'll be happy. But Daoism, it suggests that all that striving actually stops us from experiencing the richness of well right now.

It's like we're always chasing after some imaginary carrot, never satisfied with what we have.

Watts has a great analogy for this. He talks about someone sleeping on a hard bed.

They think if I just had a softer bed, I'd sleep so much better.

Makes sense.

But then once they get that softer bed, they start noticing new discomforts, right? New things to fix. Each improvement just creates a new contrast, a new desire. It never ends.

So it makes you wonder What's the point if we're never really present enough to enjoy it?

That's precisely the point Daoism is making. It's a reminder that life isn't about endlessly striving for some perfect future state. It's about appreciating the beauty and wonder of what's right in front of us right now.

Makes you think of that quote, happiness is the absence of striving for happiness.

Yeah. Very profound.

Really is.

And Watts, he quotes a beautiful passage from Trangzer where he talks about a morning glory and a giant pine tree.

The morning glory blooms for just a day while the pine lives for centuries. But both have their place in the towel. No hierarchy, no judgment. Each is perfect in its own way.

So instead of comparing ourselves or always aiming for some random idea of success, Dowoism is telling us to just embrace our experience. Appreciate each moment as it is.

That's the heart of it. Recognizing that everything, ourselves included, is already perfect just as it is. And that includes our so-called flaws and imperfections. They're part of the whole tapestry, too, you know. It's starting to click. But I have to say it's a pretty big shift in thinking from how we're usually taught to see things.

Well, that's what makes Daoism so powerful. It pushes us to question our assumptions, let go of control, and open ourselves up to a way of being that's both effortless and deeply fulfilling.

Right?

Remember, all of this is Watt's way of preparing us to understand Zen. He's drawing these connections between Daoism and Zen to show how they both point toward a direct experience of reality, one that's not filtered by our usual ways of thinking.

It's like he's giving us a whole new mental toolkit to help us grasp Zen with all these daoist ideas and analogies and letting go of attachments. That's a big part of it, right?

Absolutely. Daoism and Zen both stress the importance of letting go of the things we cling to, whether it's stuff, ideas about ourselves, even our desires for the future. Okay. This letting go, this surrender to the flow of the tow, it's crucial for experiencing the freedom and spontaneity that both traditions value so much.

So, how do we start putting these doub principles into practice in our daily lives. Can't just be about, you know, sitting around thinking about the towel all day.

Well, that's where the beauty of WOOI comes in. Remember, it's not about passivity. It's about aligning ourselves with the natural flow of the universe. It's about trusting our instincts, acting effortlessly, spontaneously, without forcing things to fit our ideas of how they should be.

So, if we want to live a more daoist life, we should start by listening to our intuition, going with our gut, and letting go of the need to control every little thing.

Exactly. It's about finding that sweet spot where effortlessness meets effectiveness

where we're not striving but simply allowing things to unfold naturally. And that applies to everything, relationships, work, our creativity, everything.

Almost sounds like a dance, doesn't it? Moving with the rhythm of life, responding to whatever comes up gracefully instead of trying to plan out every step.

Beautiful way to put it. And what's exciting is this daoist perspective. It can inform everything we do.

So, it's not about being passive or lazy, but finding a more balanced, effortless way of engaging with the world.

That's it. Watts even talks about how this applies to creativity. He suggests that true art comes not from forcing our will, but from tapping into that spontaneous creative energy that flows through everything. It's like we become instruments of the towel, allowing that creative force to express itself through us.

Letting go of preconceived ideas and letting the creative process just happen.

Exactly. Trusting the process, surrendering to inspiration, and that same Same principle goes for everything in life.

So whether we're artists, musicians, writers, or just trying to handle daily life, Dowoism offers this way to step back and let ourselves be guided by something bigger than ourselves.

And that's what makes Daoism and Zen so liberating. They challenge us to question what we think we know, let go of that need for control, and open up to a way of being that's effortless and fulfilling.

It's like we're being given permission to relax, to be present, to trust that the universe has got us.

So as As you go about your week, why not try weaving in some of these daoist principles? See what happens when you loosen the reins a little. Act with more spontaneity, less self-consciousness.

I like that. Go out and non-act your way through the week. See what happens when you stop trying to force everything to fit into a perfect little box. And remember, this is just the beginning of our exploration into Daoism and Zen. So much more to uncover. So stay curious, keep diving deep, and we'll catch you on the next episode.