"Because he does not compete, there is no one that can compete with him"

This is chapter 8 from the Tao Te Ching. (The Red Pine Translation)

"Because he does not compete, there is no one that can compete with him"

So what is wrong with competition?

Every year I televise hundreds of sporting events. Team against team struggling for victory.

Our society is based on competition. Look at who is emulated in our culture- Sports stars and corporate CEOs making millions if not billions of dollars.

Imagine friendly forests of enlightened redwoods- home of the peaceful stroll. Quietly trees, bushes, animals and insects are all fiercely competing for resources; light, water and food.

But there is one who does not compete whom is worthy of our inspiration; water itself.

Examine how water behaves: It will always seek the lowest level, yet all plants and animals depend upon it for their very sustenance. Yet water seeks no claim of power for this dependence, it just flows; around obstacles, on and on to the sea.

So how do we follow water’s example? Why would we?  I think the best way to be like water is to find a quiet spot to sit and study how water moves. Then make mental notes in which you find adjectives or attributes that describe the water’s movement . Then try and apply those adjectives to your life.

 Think about a flood. The water may seem ‘angry’ or ‘ruthless’ but it is merely following the current that propels it. It is not trying to not flood. –That is a mouthful I know but it is being where it is, wherever that may be.

Another adjective that describes water: adaptability- it will change to fit  whatever situation it may be in. From steam to storm to ice, water doesn’t react or even respond it just changes. It is a process not an object.

When I first started studying Tai Chi my esteemed teacher Dr. Alex Feng suggested the CMAT (Chinese Martial Arts Tournament) for Tai Chi. At first I thought what does Tai Chi have to do with competition? Then I participated in the event and I realized that the competition gave me a goal to help focus my training. It wasn’t about competing against anyone else. In school when do you study? When there is a test. This tournament acted like a final exam for my practice.

There is no escaping competition.  It is a part of life. Yet I don't think competition should be the goal.

Here is the Yin-Yang (Supreme Ultimate) symbol. Some would say the black and white sides are opposites, I like to think of them as complements, one cannot exist without the other. They are not in contention for superiority- they work together in fluid motion. As should we.