Non-resistance: Be Like Water

Today, we're diving deep into the concept of non-resistance, what it means, and how to practice being like water in your daily life.

I recently came across a quote that completely shifted my perspective on healing. It went something like this: "You know you're still on a healing journey when there's something keeping you from enjoying this present moment for the perfection that it is." This quote really highlighted the resistance I feel daily, constantly moving from project to project, client to client, never fully enjoying where I am right now.

I've been asking myself, what is it that's separating me from the present moment? That’s how I know I'm still on a healing journey.

For me, the entire purpose of life is to make every moment a magical one. So, I wanted to make this podcast about non-resistance—the difference between positive resistance, which moves us forward in life, and negative resistance, which keeps us stuck in negative patterns and limiting beliefs.

Understanding Non-Resistance

Positive resistance helps us grow as individuals. Think of it like weightlifting or exercising—advocating for yourself and human rights. This kind of resistance is essential for personal development. On the other hand, negative resistance is internal and holds us back. It's like an internal mind game that keeps us blocked and stuck in negative patterns.

Non-resistance isn’t about passivity or surrendering to our circumstances like helpless victims. Instead, it’s a dynamic and active approach to life. It involves meeting challenges with a calm and open mind, finding solutions without unnecessary conflict, and maintaining inner peace regardless of external conditions.

Identifying Resistance in Our Lives

This practice is perfect for you if you find yourself easily overwhelmed by life, currently in a stressful situation, or feeling frustrated regularly. If you're always met with unnecessary conflict and wondering why—it's happening internally. Maybe you're experiencing lots of conflicts within your relationships, and your communication isn't going the way you want it to. Perhaps you're speaking impulsively, and people are not understanding where you're coming from.

I'll give you a personal example. Recently, in conversations, I’ve been finding myself speaking more than listening, feeling the urge to explain my side of the story, cutting people off, and sharing my perception of things. That’s when I know I need to practice non-resistance.

If any of this resonates with you, you're probably being called to be more like water. Have you heard the new Chris Brown song, "Bruce Lee"? It's so good!

There's this beautiful quote from Bruce Lee:

"Be like water making its way through the cracks. Do not be assertive but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around it or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend."

What I love about this is that Bruce Lee is pointing out that water can both flow gently and crash powerfully. There's a duality—you should be gentle but also capable of showing extreme strength when necessary. Think of water. It's persistent and resilient. It can wear down the hardest rock over time through continuous flow. This teaching shows us that resilience and perseverance in the face of difficulties are what matter.

Another person who talks about non-resistance is Florence Scovel Shinn in her book "The Game of Life and How to Play It." She says if there's a part of you resisting something, then you always get what you resist because what you resist persists and will grow in size. This happens because we create what we think about the most. Energy flows where attention and focus go. So, if you think about what you're resisting, you're calling in more of that resistance. We have to come to terms with what opposes us.

Take a moment right now to think about anything you're currently resisting in the back of your mind. Maybe it’s a conversation you need to have, the numbers in your bank account, a job you don’t enjoy, or a relationship that makes you uncomfortable. Think of whatever it is that's opposing you and come to terms with it.

Non-resistance means accepting what currently is within and beyond your control. What’s within our control is leaving everything up to a higher intelligence. Often, we are forced to do this because circumstances become so heavy that we realize we can’t handle it alone. That’s when we surrender to God or a higher power. We should always remember that there is a Divine intelligence that knows so much more than we do.

We get consumed with outcomes—how we’re going to manifest more money, the perfect partner, the perfect job, the perfect career. We don’t trust in a higher power. We need to know that higher intelligence is working behind the scenes for our greater good. We’re not alone. We have divine guidance and help.

A great affirmation for surrendering your will to God or a higher power is: "I surrender to a higher power. I trust in the ultimate unfolding of things. I trust in the universe." When we come to terms with what opposes us, we need to think about the feeling states we’re in. Usually, what's opposing us are feelings of fear, guilt, shame, pain, or feeling hopelessly out of control. Recognize that you cannot lose anything that belongs to your Divine Right.

Will and desire can be dangerous.

If you impose your will on something that isn’t for you, you can still manifest it, but there will be a karmic payment. Always ensure you’re asking for something within your divine right. For example, if you desire a specific house or a specific amount of money, you would say: "Infinite intelligence, I desire this specific house. If it is in my divine right to manifest it, thank you. If not, I receive something of equal abundance and fulfillment."

This practice of non-resistance means surrendering to a higher intelligence and trusting it to work things out on your behalf.

So, how do we practice non-resistance and be like water, especially in moments of triggers or consistent resistance?

Set the intention to release resistance somatically. The body keeps the score. Move your body, shake out the pain within you. Pain will always come back to the forefront to remind you that you're not where you want to be. Shake out the resistance. Do a body scan—close your eyes, let your third eye scan your body. Do you feel resistance in your throat chakra, your gut, your sacral chakra? Wherever you feel resistance, move that energy out physically.

In "The Game of Life and How to Play It," the author talks about feeling the way you want to feel before receiving your manifestation. If you're practicing non-resistance within a relationship and facing arguments, agree with your adversary quickly. Be undisturbed by them. In your mind, say: "None of these things move me." When there's no emotional response within you to an inharmonious situation, it fades away. This is vibrational law. It has to fade away because you're not giving it an emotional reaction.

Be like water.

If someone says something to trigger you, your response can be like water. Understand what they’re saying, validate them, but don’t get attached to their words. Don’t eat their poison. Even if you don’t agree, detach from their perspective. You’re not enduring abuse or being gaslit. You’re hearing them without reacting defensively.

Non-resistance within relationships, especially in communication, involves practicing empathy and seeking common ground and solutions that honor everyone's feelings and needs. Even if you don’t agree with everything being said, hear them out and speak calmly. You can't practice non-resistance if you're holding onto the past or misunderstandings. Let go of the need to be right. Focus on understanding and empathy.

Remember, non-resistance is not about passivity. It’s about actively choosing peace, understanding, and fluidity in the face of challenges. It’s about being adaptable, just like water, capable of flowing gently around obstacles or crashing powerfully when needed. Embrace this mindset, and you'll find that life becomes much smoother and more enjoyable.