The Way of Nature: Striving and Waiting

Xuefeng

June 22, 2010

What is the saddest thing in life? The wise and the compassionate may have different answers. Some say, “The greatest sorrow is parting from loved ones.” Others say, “No grief is greater than a dead heart.” Still, some believe that being destitute, sick, and utterly hopeless is the ultimate tragedy.

To me, the saddest thing in life is having no ideals, no hope, no goals, and no direction. To toil through life, running endlessly, only to end up empty-handed—dying without understanding or fulfillment—that is true sadness.

Everything in life is like a game; only LIFE is real. Whether one’s life is extraordinary and impactful or humble and ordinary, whether one enjoys a smooth and prosperous life or endures hardships and misfortune, it is all a fleeting performance. A century passes like the blink of an eye. Striving for personal gain ultimately leaves one empty-handed. But there is nothing inherently tragic in this, as long as one lives authentically and gives their best. Whether one dines on delicacies or simple fare, resides in a luxurious villa or a modest hut, a life filled with happiness, freedom, and joy is a successful life. Regardless of one’s status, fame, or fortune, a life that is colorful, diverse, and free of monotony is rich and fulfilling.

Life is a journey of LIFE on Earth. The most important question to ponder is: where does this journey lead? Everyone is a traveler, a passerby in this world, but the destinations differ. Broadly speaking, life has eight possible endpoints: the Heavenly Realm, the Elysium World (including the Thousand-Year World, the Ten-Thousand-Year World, and the Celestial Islands Continent), returning to the human world, the animal realm, the plant realm, the netherworld, the Frozen Layer, or the Fire Refinement Layer. Choosing the destination before embarking on the journey is life’s most critical task. This means first setting a clear direction and goal, then steadfastly working toward it. With a clear direction, life becomes simple and purposeful. Without it, life is chaotic and aimless, leaving one busy and exhausted, only to find themselves at a sorrowful destination in the end.

As Chanyuan Celestials of Lifechanyuan, we follow the Way of the Greatest Creator. Our destination is the Thousand-Year World, the Ten-Thousand-Year World, and the Celestial Islands Continent. Our life’s path is clear: to climb steadily toward these realms.

Once the direction and goal are set, all that remains is to move forward. Whatever we encounter along the way—whether sunny skies or stormy weather, wide highways or narrow paths, towering mountains or vast plains—it is all part of the scenery. Appreciate it all without attachment, hurry, worry, or fear. Open your heart to the beauty of the sun and moon, gaze at the distant green mountains, and walk with ease and grace.

The Way of the Greatest Creator is the Way of Nature. Everything must be achieved naturally. Being overly eager to attain something or reach a goal violates this principle. “When the melon is ripe, it falls from the vine; when water flows, a channel forms.” This is the Way of Nature. Forcing or hastening things goes against the natural flow. Conscious effort must be combined with letting things take their course. Without deliberate effort, one may wander aimlessly, lost in confusion, unable to escape the labyrinth of life or the 36 Eight-Diagram Arrays of Tao. But without a mindset of natural acceptance, one becomes anxious, competitive, and impatient, leading to unintended consequences.

"30% Effort, 70% Destiny." To achieve something, fulfill a wish, or realize an ideal, personal effort accounts for 30%; the remaining 70% depends on destiny—on the Greatest Creator, the Way, the program, timing, location, and harmony. These are nature’s factors. Human wisdom and effort are inherently limited. If the timing is wrong or the circumstances are unfavorable, all efforts will be in vain.

Effort is essential—“Heaven helps those who help themselves.” There is no free lunch, and the heavens won’t drop gifts into your lap. Without effort, one drifts aimlessly, straying from their course and being swept away by the tide. Yet while striving is necessary, success also relies on divine timing, requiring patience and readiness to wait. It’s like planting a watermelon: after sowing the seeds, watering, fertilizing, and clearing weeds, we must wait for it to ripen. A watermelon has its own growth and maturation period, and no amount of haste can shorten it. “Ten months of pregnancy lead to one day of birth;” rushing achieves nothing.

As I always say: adapt to circumstances, flow with the changes of fate, act according to your nature, and respond to situations as they arise. This is the way of nature.