Unhurried Grace

Patience of a Forest Stream

By: Cheng Tong - Mar 31, 2024

 

With gurgling song and mossy grace,
The forest stream winds its gentle pace.
Through sun-dappled leaves, it finds its way,
Over stones it dances, all through the day.

No rush or fret, it knows no haste,
Content to linger, beauty to taste.
A ribbon of peace, a calming sigh,
The forest stream flows beneath the sky.

While offering instruction in the various taiji forms I teach, I often refer to a forest stream and urge my students to become it, ever-flowing, to find and then move at the pace of their breath, ever-flowing, just as the stream finds its pace.  The stream does not move from one place to the next; there is no line of demarcation between places.  The stream simply flows.  

Deep within the emerald embrace of the woods, that symphony unfolds. Not in the grand crescendos of an orchestra, but in the gentle murmur of the forest stream. Here, patience reigns supreme, a timeless lesson etched in the flow of water.

The journey begins as a trickle, a whisper barely audible over the rustling leaves. Born from a hidden spring or the collective tears of countless raindrops, it carves a path through the mossy undergrowth. Obstacles abound – fallen logs, defiant boulders, tangled roots. The stream doesn’t fret. It simply yields, swirling around the unyielding forms, its course ever-changing. Patience whispers, “There’s always a way, even if it’s not the straightest.”

As the stream gathers momentum, it carves its bed. Over millennia, the relentless caress of water smooths the roughest rock. What was once a jagged gash becomes a gently sloping channel. Here, patience reveals its strength. It doesn’t attack, but through constant, gentle persistence, it transforms the landscape. It teaches us that slow and steady wins the race, even against the seemingly immovable force of nature.

The forest floor becomes a tapestry of fallen leaves, twigs, and other debris. The stream, ever the patient collector, gathers them in its embrace. Leaves swirl like miniature boats, propelled by the current. Twigs dance a jig, caught in the eddies. Patience reminds us that even the seemingly insignificant finds purpose in its flow. Every fallen leaf becomes a nutrient, every twig a temporary bridge for a scurrying spider.

The stream encounters waterfalls, sudden drops that churn the water white. Yet, even here, the underlying patience remains. It doesn’t resist the gravity’s pull; it yields, forming a graceful cascade. The very force that threatens its smooth journey becomes a source of beauty. This acceptance teaches us to find grace in the inevitable challenges life throws our way. We can’t control everything, but we can choose how we react.

But the stream isn’t always gentle. Spring thaws can unleash torrents that rage through the forest, uprooting trees and reshaping the banks. Here, we witness the other side of the stream’s patience – its resilience. It weathers the storm, carrying away debris with newfound power. When the flood subsides, the stream returns to its usual pace, its course perhaps altered, but its essence unchanged. It shows us that life will have its periods of turbulence, but with resilience, we can emerge stronger.

The forest stream nourishes life along its path. Delicate wildflowers bloom on its banks, their roots drinking deeply from the cool water. Animals gather at its edge, quenching their thirst or finding sustenance in the rich ecosystem it cultivates. The stream gives freely, asking nothing in return. Its patience teaches us the power of generosity, the silent act of giving that creates a ripple effect of positive change.

Finally, the stream reaches its destination. Perhaps it merges with a larger river, joining forces to reach a faraway sea. Or maybe it seeps into the earth, its journey ending unseen but not unfelt. In this acceptance of its fate, the stream embodies the ultimate lesson in patience – the understanding that all things have a natural order, a beginning, middle, and end. It teaches us to embrace the flow of life without clinging to the past or fearing the unknown.

The forest stream, with its unhurried grace, offers a solace rarely found in our fast-paced world. It reminds us that true power lies not in brute force but in unwavering perseverance. It teaches us to find strength in softness, acceptance in change, and purpose in our journey. As we stand beside it, the rushing water a constant lullaby, we can’t help but be touched by its timeless wisdom, a testament to the transformative power of patience.