The Law of Subtraction

In pursuit of knowledge,every day something is added.In the practice of the Tao,every day something is dropped.Less and less do you need to force things,until finally you arrive at non-action.When nothing is done,nothing is left undone.
Tao Te Ching
　
Google search “the law of attraction” and you will get 4,450,000 results. For those of you not privy to “The Secret,” the law of attraction states that if we really want something and truly believe it’s possible, we get it. New Agers will often talk about our ability to become manifesting machines and fill our lives with all sorts of goodies. Often, this “law” comes with a slice of spirituality on the side, suggesting that the universe wants us to have whatever we desire.

Before going on, I have a confession. I have dabbled with this law in the form of affirmations, and I have to admit it does seem to work. I will spare you the details, but on at least three occasions, my intentions did materialize. However, what I received did little to make my life any better, and, in one case, made things much worse. This was proof to me of two profound truths; the universe is a very giving place and there is no guarantee that what it gives will make you happy. Thus, the fine print of this law should read, “Caution, at some point, you will be faced with the downside of whatever gifts you are given.” So it is that the new car comes with the worries about someone crashing into it, the great job comes with the maniacal boss, the beautiful home comes with the ballooning mortgage, the new relationship…well you get the point.

It is easy to see how the idea that we can use mind power to fulfill our wildest dreams would be a huge success in a culture whose credo is not “less is more” but “more is never enough.” It should also be no surprise that many of the websites that promote this magical power, that is available to all of us, are willing to give away this secret only if you are willing to part with some of your hard-earned cash. This helps to manifest their desire to be rich!

How quickly we forget that trying to find true happiness through anything the mind desires is exactly what Jesus, Lao Tzu, the Buddha and many others pointed to as the cause of so much of our suffering. The depth of their great teachings has pointed to a singular truth; we are full and complete already and in need of nothing other than to awaken to our true nature. This, they assure us, can only be found in the mindful state of the present moment, not in the mind-created state of what the future will bring.

The great masters taught what I call the law of subtraction. This law teaches that when we drop all attachments to things, let go of everything we think we know about ourselves, we discover the kingdom of heaven within. This law points to the profound peace that comes from no longer being at odds with the present moment and no longer seeking fulfillment in the future. This is the exact opposite of the law of attraction, which begins with the premise, “life would be better if only I had this or that.”

The beauty of the law of subtraction is that it follows the natural course of life. Nature knows exactly how to lighten our load so that we won’t be the fattened camel trying to jam itself through the needle’s eye. If instead of trying to fight this process by hanging on for dear life, we could be in a state of let-go, we would discover the bliss of what the Buddha referred to as “sunyata,” meaning emptiness.

It’s unlikely that the law of subtraction will ever catch on with the same frenzy that the law of attraction sparked. It’s hard to sell books, videos and “Un-Manifest This” t-shirts while teaching the wisdom of moving beyond desires. But just in case, I have created a new line of products for those who had everything and then let it go. Yes, you too can, for a small price, own your own copy of my blank DVD Nothingness, It’s Really Something. Act now and I’ll throw in a blank copy of my new cd, Silence Like You Never Heard It Before.