Michael suggests that living in the middle is much simpler than living in the extremes. On page 170 he gives an example of someone "who is in the Tao" who was cut off by another driver. When it first happens this person would feel her energy begin to leave center...then she would let go and her energy would come back to center. If instead she had a more extreme reaction, then her energy would go to the extremes. Because her energy came back to the current moment (i.e., center) she was present for the next event that happened in her life.
"In the Tao, it's easy to see what's happening in life---it's unfolding right in front of you. But if you have all kinds of reactions going on inside because you're involved in the extremes, life seems confusing. That's because you're confused, not because life's confusing." (T.U.S., p. 170).
Some of the ways that I tend to live in the extremes are: being more focused on the future instead of the present, being more comfortable giving rather than receiving love, listening rather than talking, and filling my day with too much activity.
My experience with living the middle way is that I become calmer and everything seems to slow down a little. I see things more clearly. I see this as a spiritual path that can help us to transcend the self, as well as a way to live a more balanced life.
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