Today’s Excerpt:

How can you get into the zone and go with the flow more often?

Many decades ago, a tree pruner named Benjamin Hoff wrote a book called The Tao of Pooh, which explains the principles of Taoism (generally pronounced Daoism) using characters in Winnie the Pooh.

Winnie the Pooh goes with the flow.

Piglet is timid but compassionate.

Rabbit is clever but always busy looking for what’s next, never focused on what’s happening now.

Owl has booksmarts but loses sight of what matters most.

Eeyore can’t stop complaining and therefore never enjoys the present moment.

The point here isn’t to be like Winnie the Pooh all the time. But Pooh does teach us how to go with the flow.

Here’s a passage that describes Pooh’s outlook:

“Christopher Robin was sitting outside his door, putting on his Big Boots. As soon as he saw the Big Boots, Pooh knew that an Adventure was going to happen, and he brushed the honey off his nose with the back of his paw, and spruced himself up as well as he could, so as to look Ready for Anything.”

And here’s a passage where Winnie the Pooh talks about writing poetry:

“Poetry and Hums aren’t things which you get,” he says, “They’re things which get you. And all you can do is to go where they can find you. … It is the best way to write poetry, letting things come.”

Discuss:

• How can you be ready for anything?
• When something doesn’t go according to plan, how do you practice going with the flow?
• What is the best way for you to get inspiration for your ideas — to let them come to you?