March 19, 2026
Principle 3. The Principle of Timely Action. Third Week
Do not oppose a great force. Retreat until it weakens then advance with resolution.
Last time: External Forces and Internal Forces
This time: Retreating, and What Would You Name It?
To do list for this week:
-consider the principle in the context of your present situation
-play the game of Name It
This Week:
We are continuing to explore the “The Principle of Timely Action” the third of the principles of valid action (chapter 13 of The Inner Look),
This week we will be examining how we might apply this principle in the present moment.
Like everyone I live embedded in various and changing situations. I'll try to consider key situations in the different ambits in which I live with friends, family, co-workers, neighbours, etc.
Can I identify forces that oppose me (that is, my desires, plans, goals, hopes etc) in these different environments. Can I think of one situation I am facing, where applying this principle could be a positive thing? How might things play out differently if I ignore the principle?
At our next meeting we will discuss and compare our reflections.
Personal Reflections:
Here’s some raw material that I hope you will find useful in your own reflections this week.
In past meetings various people have proposed ideas about what it means to "retreat". I found those discussions very helpful. It so easy to misread “retreating” as to surrender or give up. In my experience there is an easily committed error of retreating when it isn’t necessary, and another involving forgetting to advance with resolution!
Reflecting on all this I realized I usually assume that retreating is a passive stance in front of an active force. But of course, there can be much more to it than that. How we might retreat could vary a lot from situation to situation.
In a previous meeting when we were considering this principle Marie Claire noted that it’s not uncommon for people to draw on military metaphors, or examples from combat when discussing it. That is perhaps not unusual considering that the first three principles seem to have to do with the dynamics of powerful forces and our relationship to them. In any case, returning to military examples we can note that tacticians distinguish between a rout as opposed to a retreat. Wikipedia says: A rout /raʊt/ is a panicked, disorderly and undisciplined retreat of troops from a battlefield…
It also tells us that a clever tactician can even use a fake rout to outwit their opponent: Feigned routs may be used as a military deception to entice an enemy into pursuing the "retreating" force, with the intent of causing the enemy to abandon a strong defensive position or leading the enemy into an ambush. I think combatants, from those playing on the game board to those risking life and limb on the battlefield, can recognize this situation. That Wikipedia article also adds this caveat: This carries some risk because a feigned rout can quickly turn into a real one. Perhaps we can recognize that situation also.
On occasion I have found myself floundering for a way to identify the present forces that I might retreat from, or even those I might advance on. It helped a lot when I made things more concrete and asked myself: what exactly are those “forces” opposing my specific plans or objectives?
Silo explained, that applying the principles requires you to be discerning. For example, in this case, if you oppose a great force, you risk being overwhelmed. If however you misjudge things and decide something is a great force when it really isn’t, you risk becoming overly passive, and progressively weaker.
When I find it hard to discern what might be the great forces in my present situation, I try to look at it from another angle. For example: What am I trying to do at this time (find romance, write a novel, be a kinder person, get a better job, change the world around me, etc.) and why I don’t just do it — whatever it is. What makes things difficult? Are these great forces? If not, why don’t I accomplish, or at least move forward on, these things.
Somethings are easier to notice first in other people and only later in yourself. Sometimes the reverse is true. Can I try and see the forces at work on my friends, family, neighbours, or on the wider world?
Perhaps like me you’ll find that after a moment of this kind of simple reflection, you have few answers and lots more questions. Some are as basic as: “what are my objectives?” “Do I have objectives”, or even more directly: “what do I want?” However, let’s assume we have at least a rough answer for those, and turn to other aspects of the principle. That is, the forces in play, and my action in front of them.
Now my questions are more like: are they great forces? What does that mean in this context? What will “retreat” mean in the present cases? How will I retreat? Will that mean physically withdrawing, or cooling off certain relationships? Will it mean acquiescing and going along with something? Perhaps it will mean something very different, or very specific to the circumstances.
Finally, how will I fulfill the last part of the principle and “advance with resolution”? How will I know when it’s time to change gears and begin to advance? What kind of difficulties can I expect? What kind of result?
More simple questions, with perhaps life changing answers.
The Game of Name It!
The idea is easy, come up with an alternative name and wording for the principle. It should express your understanding of a central aspect of
what this principle means for you, at this time. As in the following example, these personal takes on the principles generally only capture an aspect of the original. Still, like stories, jokes, and anecdotes they seem worth considering.
For example, I sometimes think of principle 3 as:
The principle of measure and proportion.
And I formulate it this way:
Never Piss Against The Wind.
Of course, this leaves aside many important aspects of the principle. For example, the key issue of retreating. It also converts an if/then statement into a command. But it speaks to me, helping me reflect and connect with the ideas, even if by their absence.
Worth Repeating:
Do not let a great joy pass without giving thanks internally.
Do not let a great sadness pass without calling into your interior for the joy that you have saved there.
Silo, The Path
Remember
A valid action, is unitive and it is aimed at improving the well-being of others. On top of that it feels like something you want to repeat again and again.
Coming up:
Next week we’ll look at how the principle of timely action might apply to situations we imagine happening in the future.
We study the principles this way not just in order to deepen our understanding a particular principle, but also to find a way of beginning to reflect more rigorously about our daily behaviour in general. And to discover ways to transform daily life into a permanent meditation.
Note:
Peter J has agreed to host next week’s meeting. We hope you can join us.
These notes have been posted on Facebook and sent to our email list. The illustration is (as it so often is) by Rafael Edwards. You will also find them along with other comments, and reflections on my website: dzuckerbrot.com
