Hi Rachel! thanks for this beautiful and reflective essay! Have you heard about the organic pattern of li?
It's a concept in Taoism and it basically says that "Li" represents the organic pattern inherent in all things. It's like the underlying order that emerges naturally rather than being imposed from outside.
I read about this for the first time on that effortless living book! This concept stayed in my head for days and even though they talk about nature, like your example of the magnolia bud, I related so much to your writing because I was thinking we all have this "pattern of li" in us, unique, which is our own creative force.
What you shared about forcing the bud open and honoring the natural intelligence of creative unfurling really connects with this idea of non forcing action... in ways I related to my work like that too, creating space for this creative force to emerge from within.
Maybe the organic pattern of li can be a source of inspiration for your thoughts too like they were to mine.
from the book: “In our modern world there are not many people who express their own natural art because their organic pattern of li is polluted with linear systems.
Thanks so much, Carolina for this full and thoughtful response. I love that the concept of 'Li' captures that organic pattern of natural unfolding. I think the book you reference is 'Fearless Living'? I have read that book--and I'd forgotten about that concept so thanks for sharing it. It resonates so perfectly with the bud metaphor.
Hi Rachel! thanks for this beautiful and reflective essay! Have you heard about the organic pattern of li?
It's a concept in Taoism and it basically says that "Li" represents the organic pattern inherent in all things. It's like the underlying order that emerges naturally rather than being imposed from outside.
I read about this for the first time on that effortless living book! This concept stayed in my head for days and even though they talk about nature, like your example of the magnolia bud, I related so much to your writing because I was thinking we all have this "pattern of li" in us, unique, which is our own creative force.
What you shared about forcing the bud open and honoring the natural intelligence of creative unfurling really connects with this idea of non forcing action... in ways I related to my work like that too, creating space for this creative force to emerge from within.
Maybe the organic pattern of li can be a source of inspiration for your thoughts too like they were to mine.
from the book: “In our modern world there are not many people who express their own natural art because their organic pattern of li is polluted with linear systems.
Thanks so much, Carolina for this full and thoughtful response. I love that the concept of 'Li' captures that organic pattern of natural unfolding. I think the book you reference is 'Fearless Living'? I have read that book--and I'd forgotten about that concept so thanks for sharing it. It resonates so perfectly with the bud metaphor.
This is the book: Effortless Living
Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony by Jason Gregory