IT HAPPENS

Open yourself to the Tao

and trust your natural responses;

and everything will fall into place.

Tao Te Ching

Whetherit is something you are prepared for or whetherit is something that sneaks up on you, you can be sureit is going to happen.

In Taoism we refer to this as the principle of Tzu-jan.

How many times have you driven on the interstate, hustling to make an appointment, when you are pleasantly surprised by the sparsity of traffic? Not often, I bet. But it sure is nice when that happens. There you are, cruising along; certain that for once you won’t be late to the dentist; thinking about the clear road ahead when you come around a curve to find a jumble of crashed cars clogging the way.

Sort of like life, isn’t it? Just when you think the road ahead is going to be smooth sailing, invariably something comes along to block your way.

According to Tzu-jan (of itself so) the flow of nature happens of its own accord. You and I, being an integral part of the universe and the cycles of life, are going to experience transitions and challenges as we follow our own paths, as well. When we accept this we are able to live spontaneously, content with each new year and stage.

We undergo these transitions personally: within our bodies, our careers, our environment. And we encounter changes interpersonally: as people come and go throughout our lives. It is all part being human and to think that we, and our lives, should remain staid is not allowing for the abundance of experiences that awaits us in the Universe.

Granted, it’s not all fun and games. In the midst ofthe perfect marriage who wants to hear her husband declare that he’s ready for a divorce? In this time of economic crises no one is thrilled to find herselfdownsized. And if you’re happily training for a triathlon I suspect you will be far from thrilled to trip and dislocate your rotator cuff.

The fact is thatit, like the roadblock on the way to the dentist, is going to happen. When it does we need a good dose of Tao and defiance with which to forge ahead and continue on our paths.

C.J. Golden is a motivational speaker, travels the country inspiring all with her dynamic spirit and vision as she helps others explore their unique journeys through life. She is an increasingly important voice in the field of women’s studies as her message resonates with women and girls everywhere. Following her first book Tao of the Defiant Woman, Tao-Girls around the country had long been anticipating Tao-Girls Rule! – which was published for teens and pre-teen girls in October 2009.

Visit CJ and connect with other Tao-Girls and Tao and defiant women at www.taogirl.com