Change Quote by Alan Watts
““To Taoism that which is absolutely still or absolutely perfect is absolutely dead, for without the possibility of growth and change there can be no Tao. In reality there is nothing in the universe which is completely perfect or completely still; it is only in the minds of men that such concepts exist.””
About This Quote
Source Lecture: The Nature of Tao, 1975
Taoism requires dynamic balance; absolute stillness or perfection prevents growth and change, which are essential to the Tao.
In simple terms: Change is needed for the Tao to exist.
Key Takeaway
Embrace imperfection and flow.
Themes
philosophy
change
balance
Mood
contemplative
reflective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal development
- spiritual practice
- creative work
Key Concepts
Taoism
impermanence
growth
Questions to Reflect On
- How does embracing imperfection affect your daily choices?
- What does “stillness” mean to you?
A Different Perspective
Absolute perfection is unattainable and limits life.
![“[Donald] Keene observed [in a book entitled The Pleasures of Japanese Literature, 1988] that the Japanese sense of beauty has long sharply differed from its Western counterpart: it has been dominated by a love of irregularity rather than symmetry, the impermanent rather than the eternal and the…” quote by Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/317/alain-de-botton-221_beauty_donald-keene-observed-in-a-book-entitled_2150315.jpg)
