Zhuangzi’s “Tao of Tinsel” Guide to Untangling Holiday Havoc
Picture this — you’re standing in a sea of tinsel, drowning in a flood of eggnog, with Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” playing on an endless loop in your head.
Welcome to the holiday season, where joy and chaos dance a frenetic tango, leaving us all dizzy and wondering, “What would Zhuangzi do?”
Our old homie Zhuangzi, the mischievous Taoist wisdom sharer, would probably take one look at our holiday frenzy and burst into uproarious laughter.
“Ah,” he might say, wiping a tear from his eye, “you humans and your curious rituals! You create elaborate traps of expectation and then wonder why you feel ensnared.”
Indeed, the holiday season often feels like a complex web of social obligations, material desires, and the relentless pursuit of that elusive ‘perfect’ celebration.
We become like the proverbial butterfly in Zhuangzi’s famous dream – fluttering frantically, unsure if we’re the butterfly dreaming of being human, or humans dreaming of being stressed-out butterflies wearing Santa hats.
But fear not, dear holiday revelers! Zhuangzi’s wisdom offers us a way to float above the tinsel-strewn battlefield of seasonal stress. Let’s dive into some Taoist tactics for holiday harmony:
🎄Embrace the Chaos
Zhuangzi might suggest that we stop trying to control every aspect of our holiday experience. “The fish trap exists because of the fish,” he once said. “Once you’ve gotten the fish, you can forget the trap.” Similarly, once you’ve captured the spirit of the season, you can forget about the perfect table setting or the precisely wrapped gifts. Let go, and let the holiday happen.
🎄Find Freedom in Limitations
Feeling overwhelmed by endless shopping lists and social engagements? Zhuangzi would remind us that true freedom often comes from accepting our limitations. “I have heard of letting the world be, of leaving it alone; I have never heard of governing the world,” he quipped. Perhaps the key to holiday bliss is not in trying to do it all, but in choosing what truly matters and letting the rest go.
🎄Cultivate Spontaneity
The Taoist concept of wu-wei, or ‘non-action,’ doesn’t mean doing nothing – it means acting naturally and spontaneously. This holiday season, try going with the flow instead of swimming against the current of familial expectations and societal pressures. Who knows? You might find joy in unexpected places, like when Uncle Leroy’s ugly Christmas sweater catches fire from the Yule log (don’t worry, he’s fine – the eggnog put it out).
🎄 Find the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
Zhuangzi often pointed out the beauty in everyday things. Instead of chasing after grandiose holiday experiences, try finding wonder in the small moments – the first sip of hot cocoa, the crunch of snow under your boots, or the way your cat looks utterly betrayed when you put a tiny Santa hat on its head.
🎄Laugh at the Absurdity
Above all, Zhuangzi would encourage us to see the humor in our holiday hustle and bustle. “The perfect man has no self; the spiritual man has no achievement; the true sage has no name,” he said. So why are we breaking our backs trying to be the perfect host, the ultimate gift-giver, or the champion of Christmas karaoke?
As we navigate the labyrinth of holiday expectations, perhaps the greatest gift we can give ourselves is the ability to step back and see the bigger picture. Like Zhuangzi’s carefree fish swimming in the river, we too can find freedom and joy by simply being present in the flow of life, holiday madness and all.
So this season, let’s take a cue from our Taoist friend. Let’s laugh at our own ridiculous attempts at perfection, find peace in the chaos, and remember that sometimes, the most profound wisdom comes wrapped in the silliest package.
After all, isn’t that what the holidays are truly about? Connection, joy, and the occasional philosophical epiphany sparked by a reindeer-shaped cheese ball.
As Zhuangzi might say if he were here today, “The Tao is in the tinsel, the wisdom in the wassail, and the zen in the zealous celebration. So deck the halls with boughs of wu-wei, and have yourself a merry little non-attachment.”
Happy Holidays, and may your season be as carefree as a Taoist sage riding a sleigh pulled by butterflies!
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Diamond- Michael Scott — aka The Chocolate Taoist
“Ah,” Zhuangzi might say, wiping a tear [of laughter] from his eye, “you humans and your curious rituals! You create elaborate traps of expectation and then wonder why you feel ensnared.”
Don't we, though? Merry Christmas, everybody, but try to keep it chill, OK?
There are two stockings on the mantle in the intro picture, which is appropriate, given the two figures. It would be amusing if each of the many gift boxes contained but a single part of a complex device, the parts separated merely for the pleasure one might take in wrapping and decorating the boxes, then in unwrapping them and assembling the present. I am currently paused in preparing for some friends and neighbors (some overlap in those two categories, fortunately) to come by over the course of a few hours. It won't quite be perfect, but that's where the stories told in later years come from.
p.s. I know people who make eggnog which would have made those flames worse.
p.p.s. Thanks!