What is Going with the Flow#
Laozi and Zhuangzi both talk about going with the flow. Laozi mentions "the way follows nature, governing without action," while Zhuangzi's thoughts share similarities with Laozi. Zhuangzi says that being clever is not as good as being open-minded, being open-minded is not as good as being at ease, and being at ease is not as good as going with the flow. The water in the pond is clear to the bottom; when a stone is thrown in, it creates ripples. After a while, the ripples dissipate, and the surface of the water returns to calm. When the wind blows, it moves; when the wind stops, it is still.
Laozi divides the world into four parts: people, earth, heaven, and the way of nature. People follow the earth, the earth follows heaven, heaven follows the way, and the way follows nature. "Heaven moves vigorously; the gentleman strives for self-improvement; the earth is vast; the gentleman carries things with great virtue."
People follow the earth, the earth carries things with great virtue, heaven moves vigorously, self-improvement, the way
"People follow the earth," the spirit of the earth is to carry things with great virtue, which is what people should emulate from the earth.
"The earth follows heaven," heaven covers the earth; the earth should take the way of heaven, and the spirit of heaven is: heaven moves vigorously, self-improvement.
"Heaven follows the way," because the way is the highest existence in the universe, the mother of heaven and earth and all things."
Zhuangzi only realized in his later years that pure cleverness and intelligence cannot bring inner peace and satisfaction. Being clever is not as good as being open-minded, being open-minded is not as good as being at ease, and being at ease is not as good as going with the flow.