Pianodao’s weekly series of reflective blog posts
Written by ANDREW EALES
This striking passage from a classic of ancient Chinese wisdom offers many analogies and images that are worth pondering:
“Don’t run in place of horses,
or you’ll exhaust your strength.
Don’t fly in place of birds,
or you’ll wear out your wings.
Don’t act before others,
so you can observe their examples.
If you stir, you lose your position;
Be calm, and you’ll spontaneously succeed.”
Guanzi, attributed to Guan Yiwu (725-645 BCE), translated Thomas Cleary
The Way of the World: Readings in Chinese Philosophy (2009)
Any mention of horses on a piano-themed website inevitably reminds us of Bartók’s famous quip that “competitions are for horses, not artists”.
Guanzi’s rejection of competition seems to go further, however: compete against a horse in a race, and the horse will likely win. Try to fly like a bird, and your ‘wings’ won’t prove fit for purpose.
Such competition is bizarre, unnatural and entirely pointless. Follow through Guanzi’s thinking, and you’ll soon appreciate that the only living being worth competing with is actually yourself.
Guanzi goes still further, explaining that his admonition not to “run in place of horses” means, “not taking away the capacities of the capable.” In other words, let others be their best selves. Don’t try to take away or replicate their success, steal their identity, or compete for their position.
We can observe and learn from the examples of others without taking away what is rightly theirs, or seeking to replace them. Don’t try to beat or to be somebody else‘s personal best; try to be the best version of yourself.
The Very Best You!
Just like the grain in a piece of wood, or the markings of a tortoise shell, we have our own unique nature, an organic identity to which we must remain true. In Daoist teachings this is sometimes called our “Li”.
One problem that makes it hard for us to be the best version of ourselves is that we too often discard our “Li”, our true nature, hiding our selves in plain sight. We conform to social constructs in our quest for acceptance, or even personal influence.
In our attempts at embracing the new, we can sometimes forget our roots and lose our bearings. We can even seem to forget who we actually are! But pretence doesn’t bring the inner peace we all crave, and our loss of authenticity can leave us deeply disturbed.
As Jason Gregory explains in his thought-provoking book Effortless Living (2018),
“Following our own Li allows the Dao to enter the canvas of life… Our natural Li is only discovered when we cease our search for power.”
Many of us are afraid to “go against the grain” socially, but deciding to step back from others’ expectations and demands is often essential if we want to avoid going against our own grain.
One of the most immediate anxieties we can have when faced with a new situation is the thought that we must ourselves fundamentally change.
But change how? Neither into a horse, nor a bird, that’s for sure!
While new skills and understanding are constantly needed, and life serves up continuing lessons for us, it is important to meet life’s challenges head on as ourselves. Learning to meet and greet change as a friend, and without losing sight of our core values, we can become the very best, and most authentic, version of who we really are.
