SuperHappyFu-
nKitty

POSITIONING

Heron stands in the blue estuary,

Solitary, white, unmoving for hours.

A fish! Quick avian darting;

The prey captured.

People always ask how to follow Tao. It is as easy and natural as

the heron standing in the water. The bird moves when it must; it does

not move when stillness is appropriate.

The secret of its serenity is a type of vigilance, a contemplative

state. The heron is not in mere dumbness or sleep. It knows a lucid

stillness. It stands unmoving in the flow of the water. It gazes

unperturbed and is aware. When Tao brings it something that it needs, it

seizes the opportunity without hesitation or deliberation. Then it goes

back to its quiescence without disturbing itself or its surroundings.

Unless it found the right position in the water’s flow and remained

patient, it would not have succeeded.

Actions in life can be reduced to two factors : positioning and

timing. If we are not in the right place at the right time, we cannot

possibly take advantage of what life has to offer us. Almost anything is

appropriate if an action is in accord with the time and the place. But

we must be vigilant and prepared. Even if the time and the place are

right, we can still miss our chance if we do not notice the moment, if

we act inadequately, or if we hamper ourselves with doubts and second

thoughts. When life presents an opportunity, we must be ready to seize

it without hesitation or inhibition. Position is useless without

awareness. If we have both, we make no mistakes.