When Life Is Like a Jack-in-the-Box
Taoist Tricks for Surviving the Pop
Life, as I’ve come to see it, is a lot like an old-school Jack-in-the-Box…..
……You crank that little handle, all calm and hopeful—doot doot doot doot doot doot doot doot—and then BAM! A spring-loaded clown explodes into your face with a grin so wide it makes you question your life choices.
Sometimes the clown is a new job offer, a check in the mail, or a serendipitous meeting at the grocery store. Other times, it’s a layoff, a breakup, or a mystery charge on your credit card for something you definitely didn’t subscribe to.
Surprise!
But that’s the whole gig, isn’t it? We crank the handle thinking we know what’s coming. We tell ourselves stories about timelines and goals. We plan. We manifest. We schedule. Meanwhile, life—the Tao itself—is in the back snickering like an ancient Zen master with a wicked sense of humor.
Enter the I Ching, the Book of Changes, that dusty, divine oracle reminding us that life is in a constant state of flux. No hexagram says, “Things will always go according to your five-year plan.” Instead, it whispers, “This, too, shall mutate.”
Whether it’s Hexagram 49 (Revolution), Hexagram 29 (The Abysmal), or good ol’ Hexagram 3 (Difficulty at the Beginning), each one is a cosmic reminder: life is the art of dancing with the unexpected.
So how do we keep from losing our minds every time that metaphorical clown pops out?
I offer you my three pieces of edgy Taoist wisdom—tattoo them on your soul, or at least your fridge.
Ride the Springs, Don’t Resist Them
Resistance is futile. The more you try to shove Jack back into the box before his time, the more he’ll mock you. When life surprises you—especially the unwanted variety—don’t freeze. Flow. Say to yourself: “Ah, here is the next shape of the Tao.” Whether it’s a cancelled flight, a pandemic, or your favorite coffee shop suddenly closing for renovations (betrayal!), remember: it’s not personal. It’s just the handle turning.
As Lao Tzu might’ve said if he lived through 2020: “Stop trying to wrestle the river into a spreadsheet.”
Laugh at the Clown
Yes, even the scary ones. Especially the scary ones. Humor is divine medicine. When things fall apart, you can cry or you can cackle. I vote for cackling—preferably while barefoot, with a cup of tea, staring out into the great chaotic abyss. Humor deflates the drama and creates space between what happened and how you choose to see it.
Even Zhuangzi, patron saint of absurdity, told a story about a man calmly rowing through fog when another boat crashes into his. He screams—until he sees the boat is empty. No one to blame. No ego to offend. Just a boat. Just a surprise. Just life.
Expect the Box to Keep Spinning
Just when you’ve figured out one surprise, here comes another. Welcome to the spinning box of existence. This isn’t pessimism—it’s precision. When you expect change, you’re less rattled by it. You learn to love the cranking handle, to welcome each pop with the curiosity of a mystic child.
Remember: the Tao never flatlines. It coils, erupts, contracts, and expands. The I Ching calls this transformation. I call it spiritual CrossFit. You don’t just build resilience. You build rhythm. You become someone who, when the next Jack flies out, calmly offers him tea and asks what he’s here to teach you.
So next time life goes POP, don’t panic. You’re not being punished. You’re being practiced. You’re in the dojo of surprise—where each moment is a new hexagram unfolding, each twist of the crank a sacred turn toward becoming.
The clown isn’t your enemy. He’s your guru.
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Diamond Michael Scott
aka The Chocolate Taoist
