7.1.24

Thought

To offer another illustration of it, suppose you are cutting wood. If you go against the way the tree grew, that is to say against the grain of the wood, the wood is very difficult to cut. If you go with the grain, however, it splits easily. Or again, in sawing wood, some people are in a great hurry to get on with sawing and they try and power right through the piece. But what happens? When you turn the board over you see the back edge of the wood is full of splinters, and you find that you are rather tired as well. Any skilled carpenter will tell you, “Let the saw do the work, let the teeth do the cutting.” And you find that by going at it quite easily, and just allowing the blade to glide back and forth, the wood is easily cut. As our own proverb says, “Easy does it.” And wu wei means easy does it. Look out for the grain of things, the way of things. Move in accord with it and work is thereby made simple.

—Alan Watts, What Is Tao?

Quote

Leonardo da Vinci on the power of thought: 

"The greatest deception men suffer is from their own opinions."

Moment of Gratitude

I’m grateful for the time I had to make some music last weekend. 

What are you grateful for today? 

Happy Monday,

Val