Cao E’s River — Letting Go & Flowing: Learn To Release the Stones and Let Life Carry You Forward

“I embrace the river of Cao E within me—I release what no longer serves, and allow my life to flow freely toward new horizons.”

Often in life we hold onto things—memories, failures, relationships, expectations—that keep us stuck. This article uses the legend of Cao E and the river that bears her name as metaphor: she let go into the river, and the river carried her on. You will explore why letting go is tougher than holding on, why flowing matters more than standing still, and how to use concrete practices to release and move. At the end you’ll find a practice template to help you truly move with the current of life.

Night falls and I walk along the riverbank. The water moves steadily, carrying leaves, stones, reflections. I watch and think: if my heart were like this river, would I allow the heavy stones I carry to sink—and let myself move forward? The young girl Cao E jumped into the river in search of her father, and the river was later named for her—a symbol of letting go and flowing. Today we begin with “Cao E’s River”: let what you carry go, and allow your life to be carried onward.

(a) Symbolism of Cao E’s River: Sacrifice, Release, Flow

According to legend, Cao E jumped into the river to search for her father and became immortalised in the river’s name. Using “Cao E’s River” as metaphor reminds us: sometimes letting go isn’t giving up, it’s allowing what is to move into what could be. Letting flow means you’re not stuck on the bank—you’re in the current.

(b) Why We Get Stuck Holding On

• We believe “holding on = safety,” yet often holding prevents movement.
• Emotional or mental stones weigh us down, causing stagnation.
• Rivers don’t flow because they’re free of stones—they flow because they’re not stuck by them. So, letting go is not defeat—it’s the path to flow and forward movement.

(c) Three‑Step Practice to Move Into Flow

1. Identify your heavy stones: Write down what you still carry—past hurts, relationships, things you cannot change.
2. Speak your release: Say aloud or write: “I allow … to sink / I let … be carried away.”
3. Take one motion step: Do one action that symbolizes you entering the flow: walk a new path, write the unsent letter, speak what was left unsaid. Let your life move.

(d) Four‑Week “River of Release” Plan

When you feel stuck, repeating the same place, over and over—that’s the opposite of “flow.” Cao E’s River reminds us: sometimes what we must release is what will carry us forward.

Self-connection Mini Practice

1. What “stone” am I still carrying that keeps me stuck?
2. If I let this go, where would I allow my life to go instead?
3. This week, what one action will I take to begin moving with the current?

Release isn’t giving up, and flow isn’t drifting aimlessly. When you become the river instead of the shore, your life moves toward new territory. If you’d like more warm words, deeper reflection and metaphor to accompany you on this journey of release and flow: 👉 Tap here to explore more about letting go & flowing forward When you let the current carry you, you don’t wait—you move onward.

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Quick note for 5 Mins Bliss readers. My day job is actually 15 years as a Japan tour guide. I distilled that field experience into a new e-book, “From Burnout to Bliss: The AI Travel Fix,” with copy-and-paste prompts and simple workflows to fix 20 common trip-planning pains. If you’re planning a trip now—or want a faster way to handle travel hassles—this book is for you.
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From Burnout to Bliss: The AI Travel Fix

# 15 Years Guiding × AI Prompts to Conquer 20 Trip-Planning Disasters #- Crush 20 common trip-planning pains with copy-and-paste AI prompts. Built from 15 years of pro guiding + a practical AI workflow to turn chaos into a ready-to-go itinerary—fast.Planning a trip shouldn’t mean 23 spreadsheet versions and 100 open tabs. From Burnout to Bliss: The AI Travel Fix turns AI (e.g., ChatGPT) into your fast, reliable planning partner. You’ll get problem-specific prompt recipes that fix the exact mess you’re in—confusing routes, bad timing, rainy days, hidden fees, vague budgets, after-dark dead zones, and more.What you’ll be able to do Generate a first-draft itinerary in minutes, with clear constraints (pace, budget, distance caps). Verify reality: prompts add opening hours, closed days, booking method, and proof links. Design sensible routes: cluster by area, cap travel time, build AM/PM/Evening flows. Add instant backups: rainy-day or overbooked alternatives for every half-day block. Control costs without spreadsheet hell: turn prices and transport into simple decisions. What’s inside (built around 20 disasters) Getting Started Hell: analysis paralysis, spreadsheet monster, Google Maps illusion, time tug-of-war, bad timing. Reality Check: culture-shock routes, binge itineraries, sunny-only plans, after-dark black hole, the “sorry, we don’t have that” dilemma. Creativity Killers: rigid plans, Instagram traps, copy-paste boredom, friendship blowups, memory blackout. Budget Black Hole: vague budgets, hidden fees, exchange-rate gotchas, extreme frugality misery, price-comparison loops. Each chapter gives you: Plain-English diagnosis → 2) Prompt recipe → 3) Iteration prompts → 4) Reality-check checklist (“last verified on” included).Sample Prompt (copy, edit, run)Plan a {days}-day trip to {city} for {party_type}, pace {pace}, budget {budget}. Cap inter-district travel ≤ 90 minutes/day. Return a table (D1–D{days}; AM/PM/Evening) with opening hours, closed days, booking method, and verification links (official site/Google Maps). End with a list of missing info you need from me.Who it’s for Travelers who want speed + reliability, not endless tabs. Creators/planners who use AI but need better prompts and a real-world workflow. Anyone tired of plans that fall apart in the rain or at the “closed on Tuesdays” door. Why trust itWritten by a tour guide with 15 years on the Japan line. Field-tested logic distilled into AI-ready prompts and checklists—so you plan like a pro, even on your first try.Format & What’s included Digital e-book (English), organized by 20 problems. Prompt recipes + iteration prompts + verification checklists. Works with ChatGPT or similar LLMs. Designed for quick scanning and copy-paste use. How you’ll use it (3 steps) Pick the chapter that matches your problem and paste the prompt. Apply the iteration prompts to fix timing, routes, bookings. Run the reality-check items and mark “last verified on”—then go. FAQDo I need AI experience?No. Prompts are pre-written—customize the { } fields.Is it Japan-only?Examples often reference Japan, but the prompt logic is destination-agnostic.What about outdated info?Every prompt includes verification lines (official link, recent reviews, last-verified date).This is a digital download. You will not be mailed any physical products, and we do not offer printed / bound curriculum at this time. Your downloads will come from Gumroad, so please check your junk mail if you do not see them in your inbox. We highly recommend Hard Copy HQ for your printing needs: https://www.hardcopyhq.com/.

Gumroad

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