The Law of Least Effort

Here we are in the mid point of 2024, a pivot point for each of us as the season switches to summer, and we begin to explore the 4th law, The Law of Least Effort.

Summer is the perfect season to explore least effort, as we slow down, enjoy and relax. And this 4th law is truly a pivotal practice for all of us, as we find the path of ease in a world that promotes effort and struggle. Somehow in the divisive split in our western culture, effort and struggle have been given great validation while ease and effortlessness has been judged and negated. 

Yet, if you watch Nature in action there is a fine balance of effortless flow and effort that creates, nurtures, and manifests all things.  A seed pushes through the earth to find sunlight and water to grow.  It doesn’t “try” it simply does.  We can learn a lot by being present in Nature, observe and feel the vibrant flow that is so effortless within it. 

Deepak Chopra shares in this chapter of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, “Least effort is expended when your actions are motivated by love, because nature is held together by the energy of love.”  We waste so much energy in trying to control others, seek money for ego’s sake, and chasing illusions of happiness.  As we learned last month Karma teaches us to allow our actions to be aligned for the betterment of all being. In doing so we are motivated by love and this opens the flow of least effort.  No energy is wasted, it is an economic flow of manifestation.

According to Chopra, there are three components to the Law of Least Effort.  These are the three things we can focus on this month that will put this principle of “do less and accomplish more” into action. They are Acceptance, Responsibility and Defenselessness.

Let’s start with Acceptance, which is simple and yet after years of struggling you may find this a challenge as well.  Chopra shares, “Acceptance simply means that you make a commitment: “Today I will accept people, situations circumstances and events as they occur.”  This means I will know that this moment is as it should be, because the whole universe is as it should be.  This moment- the one you’re experiencing right now’ is the culmination of all the moments you have experienced in the past.” Just think, when  you are struggling with this moment you are pushing against the entire Universe!  That is exhausting!  You let go of struggle when you except this moment as it is and this can help you realize what you may wish for in the future (the gift of being present) while taking on ownership of what your part in the struggle is.

Now we are moving into the second component, Responsibility.  When we shift into viewing a situation or moment with acceptance, we no longer are blaming anyone or anything, but taking ownership for our reactions.  This gives us a broader viewpoint of creative responses to the situation in the moment.  Deepak shares, “Once you do this, every so-called upsetting situation will become an opportunity for the creation of something new and beautiful, and every so-called tormentor or tyrant will become your teacher.”   We begin to uncover the hidden meanings behind all events and use them as our growth points, or lessons to learn and evolve.

Now we can find our way to Defenselessness, where we relinquish the need to convince others of our viewpoint.  This component again has a simplicity to it and depending on how entrenched you have been in defensive living letting go of it may be quite the challenge.  Most people spend a majority of their time persuading others to see things as they do. Think of all the energy we free up when we let go of the need to defend our viewpoint.  Defending yourself is a pattern of great resistance and rigidity.  Allow your yoga practice to expand into finding the mental and emotional flexibility to open to new viewpoints and release the need to persuade or defend your own.

You can start to observe your own patterns by recognizing when you start to resist things as they are, blame others and need to defend yourself.  This a the time to pause, take a breath (or more) and observe what you can accept in the moment, learn or know, and completely desist from defending your view point in that moment.  The initial discomfort begins to dissolve, and a deeper sense of peace or ease will emanate.  In that moment you will feel, see and experience a greater sense of good.

This month we make a commitment to follow the path of no resistance. We follow the path of least effort where nature’s intelligence unfolds spontaneously.  We come to understand that there is an “appropriate season” for all things to manifest and we can sit patiently awaiting that time.