What is Going with the Flow#
Laozi and Zhuangzi both talk about going with the flow. Laozi mentions "the Dao follows nature, and governance is achieved through non-action," while Zhuangzi's thoughts share similarities with Laozi. Zhuangzi states that being smart is not as good as being open-minded, being open-minded is not as good as being at ease, and being at ease is not as good as going with the flow. The water in the pond is clear enough to see the bottom; when a stone is thrown in, it creates ripples. After a while, the ripples dissipate, and the surface of the water returns to calmness. When the wind blows, it moves; when the wind stops, it is still.
Laozi divides the world into four parts: people, earth, heaven, and the Dao, nature. People follow the earth, the earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows nature. "Heaven moves vigorously; the gentleman strives for self-improvement; the earth is vast; the gentleman carries things with great virtue."
People follow the earth, the earth carries things with great virtue; heaven moves vigorously, self-improvement is unceasing, the Dao
"People follow the earth," the spirit of the earth is to carry things with great virtue, which is what people should emulate from the earth.
"The earth follows heaven," heaven covers the earth, and the earth should take the example from heaven; the spirit of heaven is: heaven moves vigorously, self-improvement is unceasing.
"Heaven follows the Dao," because the Dao is the highest existence in the universe, the mother of all things in heaven and earth."
Zhuangzi only realized in his later years that pure intelligence and wisdom cannot bring inner peace and satisfaction. Being smart is not as good as being open-minded, being open-minded is not as good as being at ease, and being at ease is not as good as going with the flow.