197. Dating in harmony with the way things are gives you nothing but ease, fun and adventure

The Tao Te Ching (pronounced pretty much as Dow Deh Jing according to one of the most respected of its translators, Stephen Mitchell) is regarded as one of the most revered and honored spiritual texts in the world. Its 81 verses or short chapters were thought to be written around the time of Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.). The book serves as a guide for living a peaceful, caring, loving life in a down-to-earth, practical way. Mitchell calls it the words of a Master who wants to share what he has learned about living in harmony with the way things are.

The words apply today just as powerfully as they did centuries ago, and to live in that peace and harmony all we have to do is trust the intelligence of the universe. We find that tough to do, especially in matters of romance, because love calls forth such strong emotions. But are we really served by believing that our thoughts about the love and romance we should have are accurate? Has that way of thinking ever worked; has it ever transformed anything? What makes us think we know? As I heard one spiritual teacher say, “Who are we to think we can give orders to that which creates and sustains us?” Yes, who do we think we are? Do we really know, absolutely, how life should be?

Whatever happens in our dating world that seems emotionally upsetting in any way is only upsetting because we think it should be different. But how would you feel if you simply trusted the intelligence of the universe and went along, harmoniously, with the way things are? Those who love what is have found peace, contentment, joy, and an ease of living they had never experienced. They’ve died to their beliefs, to live in happiness. And wasn’t happiness the goal of dating in the first place?

Copyright © 2007 Chuck Custer