Chui the artisan could draw
as precisely as if he had used a circle and square.
His fingers moved with the changes
without requiring the attention of the mind.
His Tower of Intelligence
was intact and not impeded.

The feet are forgotten when the shoes fit.
The waist is forgotten when the girdle fits.
Knowledge does not insist upon right and wrong
when the mind is at ease.

When there is no vacillation within,
and no enticement from the outside,
we can rely upon our ability
to work things out.

When we begin with what is fitting
and never lose the awareness of it,
we are fit to forget what is fitting.

Zhuangzi, trans. by Hyun Höchsmann and Yang Guorong, Book 19

The language of these lines is seductive. Forgetting is usually undesirable. The Zhuangzi inverts my assumption, a reminder that the artist accomplishes a fundamental sketch with no noticeable effort. Forms, foundational activities are practiced until one’s body has absorbed, memorized the touch, that precise measure of pressure to produce a satisfying result… I’ve seen this sort of thing before in many contexts! To witness is to believe, to understand how special and rare is such skill.

I’ve seen Bill Morris and his team of artists create exquisite work at Pilchuck Glass School in the foothills of the Cascades north of Seattle.

At racetracks I have witnessed the starting line launch of Top Fuel drag cars. Nothing other than delicacy of touch, the combined experience of crew chief, of crew members, and driver is essential to race a 12,000 horsepower machine.

I am intrigued by the taoist metaphor for the mind’s reason: His tower of intelligence. The signature feature of species homo sapiens, needs be set aside, quieted, put at ease, allowed to become impervious to external influence, and internal unrest.

Then, we discover our ability to “work things out”!