The Master does nothing,
yet he leaves nothing undone.
The ordinary man is always doing things,
yet many more are left to be done.
~ Tao Te Ching
What could this quote possibly have to do with getting better results with the law of attraction? Quite a bit, actually. It turns out, to see the most success with the law of attraction, you need to follow the path of least resistance. this means, you need to put forth little to no effort in your manifestation. In Taoism this is called “wu wei” or “non-doing”.
This flies against the advice given by many, to constantly visualize and affirm what you want. But, you will see that the path of least resistance, or non-doing, will result in better, faster manifestations every time.
The Paradox of Non-Doing
The Tao Te Ching is one of my favorite books, and has been for years.
One of the reasons I love it is because of the way that it recognizes universal paradoxes.
A perfect example is found in non-doing. How is it possible that nothing is done, and yet nothing is left undone? This seems impossible at first glance.
And yet, if you are at all aware of how the law of attraction works, it should make perfect sense.
You know that it depends completely on the vibration you hold. When you align yourself with the universal flow, your power is magnified exponentially. If you are misaligned and try to take action, your influence is actually very small.
Move with the Flow, Not Against It
We are part of a very powerful universal flow. As individual beings, we have the choice to either move with it, or against it.
As I said, when we move with it, we actually have a great deal of power.
I think some people fear that if they surrender to this universal flow, they won’t get what they desire.
However, you have to keep in mind that you, too, are part of the universal flow. The Universe is so in tune with you that your every desire reverberates through the entire Universe instantly.
No desire is left unanswered. This is the law of attraction in a nutshell.
And in fact, this universal flow will actually take you to your desire, effortlessly and easily. The more you try to act on your own, independent of the universal flow, the more you are actually removing yourself from your desire.
Why the Universe Wants You to Have Your Desires
Often people focus on how small we are in comparison with the entire Universe. They focus on our insignificance, not on our significance in all that is.
It seems arrogant to say that the Universe wants us to have our desires. We are human beings with a lifespan of perhaps 70 or 80 years, sometimes less. What do our lives matter in the grand scheme of things?
And yet, we matter a great deal, because we are part of that universal flow. That universal energy flows through each and every one of us, just as it flows through animals, plants, and even inanimate objects.
Everything is energy. And energy is always flowing in some direction. Therefore, it is not too much of a stretch to say that everything is part of this universal flow, including, say, the computer I’m typing this on, or the couch I’m sitting on, or the water I’m drinking.
Many of the Native Americans had a belief that spirits were in all things, including the rocks. And i think this goes back to this same point. They had a knowing that all things were connected through universal energy.
So, then, why would the Universe want us to have our desires?
It’s a little like asking why a river wants to flow into the ocean. Really, it is just the nature of the river to flow into the ocean. It is the principle of non-doing for that river to flow into the ocean, in fact. It’d take a great deal of effort to do otherwise.
The Law of Attraction at Work
The law of the Universe is that every desire is immediately answered energetically, in perfect order.
Actually, it is better said to say that the essence of every desire is immediately answered energetically. For instance, if you want money, your underlying desire for abundance, security, or freedom is instantly answered and waiting for you to arrive to meet it.
If you want a romantic partner, the underlying desire for love and companionship is instantly answered and waiting for you to arrive to meet it.
Your desires are the creative force behind the Universe. Desire is what has always driven the Universe onward to expand and to create.
If we are all interconnected in this great web of the Universe, we all then actually play a part in allowing it to expand through us. We are all creators in our own right.
Once that desire is created, then it is up to us to surrender to that universal flow. The principle of non-doing says that by surrendering to this flow, we will effortlessly arrive at the perfect fulfillment of our desires.
How Universal Energy Flows Towards Your Desires
So you’ve set your desire in motion, simply by having the desire. Nothing more than that was required.
That’s pretty effortless, right? You didn’t have to visualize it, or affirm it. The Universe knows instantly what it is you want, and the moment your desire is received, the essence of that desire is answered.
Now, the universal flow will effortlessly take you to the fulfillment of that desire, if you allow it to.
Why?
The reason is a tiny bit technical, but imagine this:
If the gradient of the ground were totally level, that river we talked about earlier would never go anywhere, right? But because the ground has a gradient, the river naturally flows downhill. there is a disparity between where the river is now, and where it will be at rest (in the ocean, or the lowest possible point).
So let’s apply this to your own situation. Let’s say you want money, and the underlying essence of that desire is abundance.
If you are matching with the vibration of abundance, there is a disparity between your seemingly non-abundant external reality, and the abundance you hold within. The universal flow will have to take you to a place where this disparity is resolved—i.e., where there is abundance both within and without.
Holding Resistance
Of course, it’s possible to hold resistance. If you are in fact a match to lack, then you will instead be taken to lack. Actually, since your external circumstances already reflect lack, they will just be perpetuated. This is the law of attraction.
However, there is another dimension to this universal flow. This disparity is not 100% resolved yet (actually not even close) because you have an unfulfilled desire. There is a desire you have brought into being, and which is not yet manifest in your reality.
The greater the disparity between your current vibration, and the vibration of your fulfilled desire, the more you will be feeling resistance, and in fact be misaligned with the universal flow.
The reason is simple: your higher self is always holding your desire for you. You were a vibrational match to lack, and so you got lack. But this is never going to feel very much in alignment with the universal flow, because while you are attracting exactly what you are a match to, your higher self is holding your full potential, determined by the desires you have held.
So, you see, the universal flow is never quite resolved until it brings you to the fulfillment of all of your desires.
There Is Never an End to the Universal Flow
Unlike a river, which has its end in the ocean, the universal flow is never done, well, flowing.
You see, there is never a time in life where you are just done with all of your desires. Again, the nature of the Universe is to expand. The moment you have reached one desire, it will immediately expand into a greater one.
This is not out of a sense of lack, like someone who seeks for more and more money to fill the real emptiness they are feeling within. No, it is an excitement for life, a desire to experience more and more. It comes out of perfect fullness.
If that universal flow stopped for a moment, everything would become stagnant. But, it is never the case. Even once you die, the moment you reach the other side, you will have a desire to experience more.
So many people plead with God, saying, “If I just have this one thing, I will never ask for anything again.” Of course, that’s a lie. it’s our nature to ask. And it’s the Universe’s nature to answer. This is the principle of non-doing at work.
Do Nothing, and Nothing Is Left Undone
So let’s return to the principle of non-doing that we first discussed at the beginning of this post.
I’ve outlined how the universal flow works. You have a desire, it is answered, and the universal flow takes you to the fulfillment of that desire.
Because of this, being aligned with the universal flow will ensure that you will reach your desired manifestation in the end. It is guaranteed.
Even if you fight that flow, you will still get there in the end, because it is just too powerful to fight forever. It will just be a heck of a lot more painful. Your choice, though.
What does it feel like to be aligned with the universal flow? Well, it feels like effortless ease. It feels like fullness. It feels like abundance. There is the knowing that you need to do very little to actually reach the fulfillment of your desire.
You see, the principle of non-doing does not mean that you literally do nothing. Actually, literally doing nothing for every moment of the day would be quite against the universal flow. We want to get in and experience the world. We want to take inspired action.
Effortless Action vs. Effortful Action
The principle of non-doing means that you do not take any superfluous action. It means that all of your actions are perfectly in alignment with universal flow. When this is the case, then all of your actions feel effortless.
Technically, I work very hard. I often put in 15 hours a day at making my coaching practice exactly how I want it to be.
But, it feels so effortless. I wouldn’t be doing it otherwise. The days fly by like nothing. I can’t wait to wake up in the mornings to start it all over again.
So, non-doing has nothing to do with how much outward work you are actually doing. It might be very little, and it might be a lot.
Non-doing is only concerned with whether that action is aligned with universal flow. It has to start from the inside out. You have to lead with your emotions.
If you take actions out of a place of fear or lack, those actions will not be aligned, and they will feel very difficult.
Moreover, such actions will bring you no closer to your desire. That’s why in the quote above, it says the ordinary man, though he does much, leaves many things undone. He is no closer to happiness, or the fulfillment of his desires, because his actions are done in misalignment with universal flow.
Align Yourself with the Universal Flow
At every moment of the day, align yourself with the universal flow.
This is not just to do with actions, but thoughts, too. Are you worrying about a problem, and that feels resistant to you? You are acting in misalignment with universal flow. Focus instead of something that feels more open and free to you, whether on that subject or another one entirely.
You cannot do this logically. You must feel your way through it. If you are about to do something, and it feels like effort to you, pause and ask yourself why you are doing it. Is it inspired action, or is it action taken out of lack?
No matter what you do, always turn towards the flow. Turning towards the flow will feel like relief, not like effort. As you turn towards the flow, you will feel more and more relief as the energy is able to flow through you once again.
Do this for a few days, and see whether you don’t feel happier, and whether you aren’t seeing the manifestations of your desires in your life. This is how simple it can be.
How About You?
Now it’s your turn. What’s your experience with the universal flow, and the principle of non-doing? I’d love to hear about your experiences. Please comment below and let me know.
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Excellent post. It makes the LOA so much easier to understand. Instead of asking why the heck the universe would want to fulfill desires, you ask why not? I have experienced the expansion of the universe. Just look how it is evolving!
Anyway I have experienced the universal flow at times in my life even before I knew about LOA. My marriage is a perfect example. though of course I always wanted to be in a relationship, I never dwelled on it. I accepted the fact it may or may not happen. Then brandon fell literally into my lap. I wasn’t looking for a relationship, but the universal flow guided me right there because I wasn’t attached. Sure I wanted it, but I really didn’t think about it much. Definitely an example of non-doing.
I do try to surrender more to the flow, but it’s not always easy. Now, I try to remember back to when I met brandon, how I wanted a relationship but wasn’t attached and accepted it may or may not happen. Since I realized this, I have been able to understand this principle much more.
I don’t think I fell literally into your lap. That would’ve hurt. 😛
Excellent post. It makes the LOA so much easier to understand. Instead of asking why the heck the universe would want to fulfill desires, you ask why not? I have experienced the expansion of the universe. Just look how it is evolving!
Anyway I have experienced the universal flow at times in my life even before I knew about LOA. My marriage is a perfect example. though of course I always wanted to be in a relationship, I never dwelled on it. I accepted the fact it may or may not happen. Then brandon fell literally into my lap. I wasn’t looking for a relationship, but the universal flow guided me right there because I wasn’t attached. Sure I wanted it, but I really didn’t think about it much. Definitely an example of non-doing.
I do try to surrender more to the flow, but it’s not always easy. Now, I try to remember back to when I met brandon, how I wanted a relationship but wasn’t attached and accepted it may or may not happen. Since I realized this, I have been able to understand this principle much more.
I don’t think I fell literally into your lap. That would’ve hurt. 😛
Thank you again, Brandon, for a great post.
You know me. The “but” woman. I feel I can learn from this and, as I once told you, “Go downstairs and tell that woman, I said to LET GO!”
Haha, yes I know you. Just be gentle with yourself. Try to let go of all the resistance you have little-by-little. Start to focus on the positive, not the negative. Start to step into the flow, not against it.
You’ll get there. But it requires taking 100% responsibility for everything in your life. Sorry, I know that’s difficult. But absolutely necessary if you’re going to make any changes. 🙂
Thank you again, Brandon, for a great post.
You know me. The “but” woman. I feel I can learn from this and, as I once told you, “Go downstairs and tell that woman, I said to LET GO!”
Haha, yes I know you. Just be gentle with yourself. Try to let go of all the resistance you have little-by-little. Start to focus on the positive, not the negative. Start to step into the flow, not against it.
You’ll get there. But it requires taking 100% responsibility for everything in your life. Sorry, I know that’s difficult. But absolutely necessary if you’re going to make any changes. 🙂
What a great post! I love how you are able to explain the Tao te Ching in terms of the LOA. It does seem like there is likely to be an intersection of ideas between various kinds of Eastern thought and the LOA ideas we read about, but it isn’t always obvious to see how they’re related. I really love how you’ve connected these and explained them so clearly. Do you have any ideas about how to integrate “only do inspired action” for people who are immersed in what they think are shoulds and must-dos (like maybe for work) and are uneasy about totally switching over to only taking inspired action? Are there baby steps that work better for people who feel they can’t let go of all of the uninspired actions yet? It might make a good future post: How to Back Off on Uninspired Action When You Feel Like it’s Required for Survival. haha 🙂
Thanks for the great post!
Hey Lisa,
Thanks so much for your comment. Yes, I love the eastern philosophies, and trying to integrate them with the law of attraction. I think it brings such a deeper understanding of how all of this works. I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
As to your question, it’s a good one. I’m actually starting a podcast (first episode will be tomorrow 🙂 ), and I plan on using that to answer reader questions. So, I will give you a brief answer here, and then go into more detail in a week or two in the podcast.
You’ll be able to find episodes here: Co-Create Your Life Podcast
And can subscribe to the feed here: Subscribe to Co-Create Your Life
Now for your answer in a nutshell:
Don’t expect perfection. Inspired action feels too stressful for you right now. You sound like you’re stuck in a vibration of believing in obligations and requirements in life. And that’s okay.
The best thing I could recommend right now is to turn your focus to the positive. Stop seeing this job as something you have to do. See the job as a wonderful opportunity to pay the bills, and to do whatever else you love in life. See it as something you choose to do.
Isn’t that awesome? Aren’t you lucky to have that?
Maybe it’s not your ideal job. So, we’ll work on that. Celebrate the good things you have already manifested (yes, you manifested them, without even knowing it. You’re that powerful.) And now, imagine the kind of job you’d like to have. And feel good about that possibility. Don’t get too specific right now. Just celebrate what you have and open up to more entering your life effortlessly and easily.
It doesn’t have to be hard. It shouldn’t be hard if you’re following the universal flow. It’ll come in time.
I’ll give much more later on once I do the episode. Thanks for the great idea!
Brandon
What a great post! I love how you are able to explain the Tao te Ching in terms of the LOA. It does seem like there is likely to be an intersection of ideas between various kinds of Eastern thought and the LOA ideas we read about, but it isn’t always obvious to see how they’re related. I really love how you’ve connected these and explained them so clearly. Do you have any ideas about how to integrate “only do inspired action” for people who are immersed in what they think are shoulds and must-dos (like maybe for work) and are uneasy about totally switching over to only taking inspired action? Are there baby steps that work better for people who feel they can’t let go of all of the uninspired actions yet? It might make a good future post: How to Back Off on Uninspired Action When You Feel Like it’s Required for Survival. haha 🙂
Thanks for the great post!
Hey Lisa,
Thanks so much for your comment. Yes, I love the eastern philosophies, and trying to integrate them with the law of attraction. I think it brings such a deeper understanding of how all of this works. I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
As to your question, it’s a good one. I’m actually starting a podcast (first episode will be tomorrow 🙂 ), and I plan on using that to answer reader questions. So, I will give you a brief answer here, and then go into more detail in a week or two in the podcast.
You’ll be able to find episodes here: Co-Create Your Life Podcast
And can subscribe to the feed here: Subscribe to Co-Create Your Life
Now for your answer in a nutshell:
Don’t expect perfection. Inspired action feels too stressful for you right now. You sound like you’re stuck in a vibration of believing in obligations and requirements in life. And that’s okay.
The best thing I could recommend right now is to turn your focus to the positive. Stop seeing this job as something you have to do. See the job as a wonderful opportunity to pay the bills, and to do whatever else you love in life. See it as something you choose to do.
Isn’t that awesome? Aren’t you lucky to have that?
Maybe it’s not your ideal job. So, we’ll work on that. Celebrate the good things you have already manifested (yes, you manifested them, without even knowing it. You’re that powerful.) And now, imagine the kind of job you’d like to have. And feel good about that possibility. Don’t get too specific right now. Just celebrate what you have and open up to more entering your life effortlessly and easily.
It doesn’t have to be hard. It shouldn’t be hard if you’re following the universal flow. It’ll come in time.
I’ll give much more later on once I do the episode. Thanks for the great idea!
Brandon
Excellent post! It’s so true, when I’m not worrying, getting my panties in a bunch or have a bee in my bonnet, life is smooth as cream. There is flow. Better things come to me than I have imagined because the universe works that way.
I noticed that when I express myself, things get moving, they get done. When I feel bad and take back my word because I think I was too harsh or whatnot, I get sick. The fact is I wasn’t harsh and there were no hurt feelings. Yup, energy is that powerful and maybe you can talk about this in a future post/podcast.
My main thing I’ve been trying to deal with is regret. Also a very bad feeling. I’ve come a long way since first dealing with this dark topic, dark because it takes you away from the light and flow, and have since learned my lesson in letting in what the universe brings because it really is the best for me, but it also allows me to experience my desires so that Ivan figure that out for myself. Even so, the best is yet to come.
Thanks for your comment A. Sounds like you really have it; now it just comes down to doing it more often. 🙂 Yes, it’s all about the flow. It’s all about how much you can enter into a state of allowing.
I agree energy is very powerful. When we don’t trust our own emotions and move towards resistance, it can really have some unwanted results.
I’d love to write about it if you had specific thoughts/questions about it. 🙂
Regret: I’m glad you’ve made progress. There’s nothing good in regret. The best thing to do is to make peace with where you are and just continue on.
I like something Byron Katie says. She says there are no mistakes. And I believe that. Even if sometimes we manifest some negative results because of our focus, there are still never any mistakes. We will always get there in the end.
Brandon
Sure Brandon. I just thought it would be good to write about that topic because of the ramifications. I mean, it’s best to trust our feelings and when inspired to act, to go ahead and do so knowing that it is the best thing to do which gives the best results possible and to just go with that. It’s best not to look back, feel bad about it and want to make amends, especially when no feelings were hurt. There is no reason for it at all and it lowers our energy, making us vulnerable to disease. So, let’s just be true to ourselves and go with the flow and all will be well! To be more specific, if inspired to tell someone to stop doing something that bothers you and they stop it, then hooray, celebrate! It worked!
Ah I see what you mean. I completely agree. Setting your own boundaries is very important. I’ve had to do this sort of thing several times. And if it feels inspired to let them know about it, then that’s always the right course of action.
Thanks for the idea. 🙂
Excellent post! It’s so true, when I’m not worrying, getting my panties in a bunch or have a bee in my bonnet, life is smooth as cream. There is flow. Better things come to me than I have imagined because the universe works that way.
I noticed that when I express myself, things get moving, they get done. When I feel bad and take back my word because I think I was too harsh or whatnot, I get sick. The fact is I wasn’t harsh and there were no hurt feelings. Yup, energy is that powerful and maybe you can talk about this in a future post/podcast.
My main thing I’ve been trying to deal with is regret. Also a very bad feeling. I’ve come a long way since first dealing with this dark topic, dark because it takes you away from the light and flow, and have since learned my lesson in letting in what the universe brings because it really is the best for me, but it also allows me to experience my desires so that Ivan figure that out for myself. Even so, the best is yet to come.
Thanks for your comment A. Sounds like you really have it; now it just comes down to doing it more often. 🙂 Yes, it’s all about the flow. It’s all about how much you can enter into a state of allowing.
I agree energy is very powerful. When we don’t trust our own emotions and move towards resistance, it can really have some unwanted results.
I’d love to write about it if you had specific thoughts/questions about it. 🙂
Regret: I’m glad you’ve made progress. There’s nothing good in regret. The best thing to do is to make peace with where you are and just continue on.
I like something Byron Katie says. She says there are no mistakes. And I believe that. Even if sometimes we manifest some negative results because of our focus, there are still never any mistakes. We will always get there in the end.
Brandon
Sure Brandon. I just thought it would be good to write about that topic because of the ramifications. I mean, it’s best to trust our feelings and when inspired to act, to go ahead and do so knowing that it is the best thing to do which gives the best results possible and to just go with that. It’s best not to look back, feel bad about it and want to make amends, especially when no feelings were hurt. There is no reason for it at all and it lowers our energy, making us vulnerable to disease. So, let’s just be true to ourselves and go with the flow and all will be well! To be more specific, if inspired to tell someone to stop doing something that bothers you and they stop it, then hooray, celebrate! It worked!
Ah I see what you mean. I completely agree. Setting your own boundaries is very important. I’ve had to do this sort of thing several times. And if it feels inspired to let them know about it, then that’s always the right course of action.
Thanks for the idea. 🙂