Evan Renaerts

The Good Fight

March 12, 2008

Yesterday’s rain and cold winds blew themselves out to a brilliant sunset. The early morning skies are deep cobalt with streaks of pale blue on the horizon. The power of life keeps flowing and changing; asking us to do the same.

I notice how our beliefs and the ways that we orient ourselves to life can result in seeing life like a battle between “us” and “something” out there. This world/life view is certainly supported by movies and video games, entire genres of fiction and even in the notion of a cruel but just God.

It is a perspective that makes all of life a fight. We fight to earn a living, to raise our families, to be noticed and to succeed. We fight inside ourselves about whether we are trying hard enough or whether we “deserve” to succeed. And then when we can’t fight anymore we find some way to blank out: television, food, drugs, alcohol, sex – the list of ways is extensive.

Another more radical way to orient one’s self is to see our own life as a river. The river is already flowing, moving in the direction it needs to move, it doesn’t need us to push it. From this perspective what life requires is our alert and willing co-operation.

This way of relating to life is aligned with the deeper understanding in most of the martial arts, competitive sports and many art forms. All of our training and dedication bring us to the place where we then let go into the moment.

Imagine how you would fare if your life depended on how well you dance. Now imagine yourself fighting your way through each dance, fighting your partner, fighting the dance floor, fighting the music. Imagine spending all of your time “trying” to dance.

There is real joy in mastery and mastery comes from inspiration, dedication, some of that trying, and then an unexplainable letting go into knowing. None of us could walk, ride a bicycle or drive a car if we spent all of our time thinking about what we were doing – if we spent our time trying; fighting to succeed.

The Taoists say, “The master does nothing and nothing is left undone.” Is this a mere riddle or does it point to a different way of living?

Anyone who has had an experience of mastery or of “flow” has had at least a taste of this. It is as though the “doing” happens through one, rather than the sense that one is causing something to get done. There isn’t as much food here for the ego but there is far more ease and joy.

Perhaps there are points in our lives when how we grow to our next level of awareness is by being a fighter – no right or wrong about it. Still it is worth knowing that there is another way and that we can learn this way.

Perhaps any complete definition of The Good Fight should include a good surrender.

Evan Renaerts
604 314 0835
evan@evanrenaerts.com