The Law of Least Effort is one of the seven laws Deepak Chopra discusses in his book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success.
This law appears in various forms throughout science, philosophy, and religion, and spans cultures across the globe. Both Eastern and Western traditions of thought talk about the need for harmony and simplicity in nature, and in the Western sciences the law is articulated by principles such as Occam’s razor.
In this post, I’ll explain a little more about what this law is, and outline a few principles you can adopt in order to live in accordance with this idea.
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How To Live With The Law of Least Effort
The Law of Least Effort is a simple idea. It offers a radically straightforward approach to life, which relies on a philosophy of total acceptance and non-judgment, personal responsibility, and defenseless non-resistance.
Chopra write that this law originates with nature. When you look at intelligence in nature, from the Fibonacci symmetries hidden in a flower to the sturdiness of the honeycomb, it is evident that the vast complexity of nature always evolves from very simple principles.
Read these 10 Rules for a Simple Life.
The law of least effort is based on the idea that nature’s intelligence functions with effortless spontaneity.
Deepak Chopra
Practically speaking, for us it means harnessing the forces of the universe and becoming aligned with them with our everyday actions and intentions. As we move more in alignment with this universal energy, we find that life begins to unfold more easily, synchronicities occur, and we can begin to live in a state of joyful, inspired action, and effortless manifestation with infinite potential.
There are three components to this.
Step 1: Acceptance
The first is acceptance. This means total acceptance of yourself and everyone else just as they are. This removes all judgment, which is a huge burden that most people do not know they carry with them everywhere.
Step 2: Responsibility
The second component is responsibility. This is the ability to respond creatively and spontaneously, without becoming reactive. When you step back and learn to respond to the world, as it presents itself to you in the current moment, rather than react automatically from a state of fear, worry, or defensiveness, then you are able to raise the bar and create more of whatever it is that you desire.
Step 3: Defenselessness
The third aspect of The Law of Least Effort is defenselessness. Defenseless requires you to surrender your need to defend your ego’s point of view. In other words: you give up the need to be right. This doesn’t mean you don’t have an opinion, but it means that you understand that your desire for peace and tranquility supersedes the ego’s need to enforce it’s opinion upon the world around you.
Learn more about the meaning of Acceptance and Surrender from Eckhart Tolle.
Deepak Explains: What Is The Law of Least Effort?
In this video, Deepak Chopra outlines the principle behind The Law of Least Effort, explaining how its origins in the natural world have transcended cultures and religions. He then describes the three core elements of acceptance, responsibility, and defenselessness.
This is a great clip, and only a few minutes long, so well worth the watch! I hope you enjoy.
Read more quotes on love, life, and spirituality from Deepak Chopra.
