TAO in TAI CHI Exercise
Tai Chi exercise has much to do with TAO, which is a way of life -- a way to longevity living. TAO has been practiced in China for thousands of years.
What is the role of TAO in Tai Chi exercise?
TAO is all about spontaneity.
What is spontaneity?
In the universe, there is an all-controlling force that monitors everything. You breathe in life-giving oxygen, and breathe out life-destroying carbon dioxide. You eat, and you eliminate. You grow, mature, and die. In nature, spontaneity is evident in the change of seasons, and the cycle of day and night. Spontaneity is the natural built-in mechanism in each living organism. Spontaneity creates balance and harmony, which is the essence of Chinese health and healing, and hence longevity living. TAO embraces spontaneity in living.
The concepts and perceptions of health and fitness in China differ from those in the West. For example, nowadays, people in the Western world focus so much on physical fitness that the gym giants will do anything to keep you huffing, puffing, and paying. Unfortunately, there is also much pumping irony: too-strenuous and over-vigorous workouts may be harmful to your physical health. According to the American Journal of Cardiology, jogging is causing many runners to drop dead from heart attacks, and many individuals have experienced heart attacks even after running on a treadmill. So, too much of what is supposed to be “good” may not be good. TAO focuses on "less for more," instead of "more for less."
Chinese health focuses much on spontaneity, and never on extremity.
Lao Tzu explained, "The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world." You need not over-exert yourself in order to be physically fit. So, you do less for more-which is the wisdom of “non-doing” according to Lao Tzu-and not more for less.
Chinese exercises, such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong, are never vigorous. Once your breathing becomes abnormal or irregular over a long period, you lose the spontaneity of the exercise, and hence its health benefits.
Tai Chi is a self-relaxing exercise with slow and even movements coordinated with breathing and directed by a peaceful mind. Therefore, it is beneficial to both mental and physical health. Tai Chi can remove physical and spiritual ailments from your body and mind, and thereby clearing your mind and strengthening your brain. In addition, its spontaneity can promote good digestion and kidney health. Furthermore, Tai Chi exercises can help lower your blood pressure, soften your blood vessels, and regular the flow of qi (the internal vital energy) in your entire body.
Qi is internal vital energy, which is always in motion in the form of ascending, descending, entering and leaving your body's organs and systems. It nourishes not only your body by transforming food energy into blood, but also your blood by keeping it flowing. In addition, it helps maintain your body's temperature. Qi plays a vital role in Chinese health and healing.
Lao Tzu also said, "Qi is elusive and evasive, and yet it manifests itself." Accordingly, Tao manifests itself in longevity living.
Tai Chi exercises focus on correct posture, slow and spontaneous movements, and natural healthy breathing to enhance and promote the free flow of qi.
Your central nervous system is the most important system in your body: it receives vital information from outside and inside your body; it directs your body movements. Your central nervous system is healthy only if you keep your spinal column erect because vitality and blood circulation are transmitted efficiently from your lower body to your brain only when your spine is kept erect. Tai Chi exercises focus on a natural posture with an erect spine (children have naturally erect spinal columns; only adults, especially older people, have bent spinal columns).
Your digestive system is also important to your overall longevity living as it stores and supplies all nutrients for your body. Some of the characteristic movements of Tai Chi reinforce the expansion and contraction of your body in an opening and closing motion, thereby instrumental in vibrating and stimulating your stomach and intestines for a better and healthier digestive system.
Your respiratory system is also critical to your longevity living. In Tai Chi, breathing is valued more than physical power because it uses breathing, not muscular strength, to propel the movements of your body. Western physical exercises, on the other hand, emphasize muscular strength instead of the spontaneity of breathing and natural body movements. In Tai Chi, your mind directs the qi, letting it sink down into your abdomen, where natural breathing takes place. According to Tao wisdom, you breathe through your abdomen (like babies and young children), not through your lungs. This explains why people in the West limit their breathing to the lungs; as a result, their lungs tend to enlarge as they grow older, crowding their hearts, leading to heart disease and cardiovascular problems.
Your circulatory system is connected to your respiratory system. Tai Chi enhances your deep breathing, which guides your qi to move your blood (which cannot move by itself) to different parts of your body for transporting oxygen and nutrients. By regulating the circulation, Tai Chi exercises through natural movements and deep breathing provide a healthy heart for longevity living.
Hormones in your thyroid gland are responsible for physical growth of your body. In Tai Chi, you keep your neck erect without pressure, centered without inclining to the left or to the right; you integrate the slow and smooth movements of your head and neck. These natural and spontaneous movements not only enhance the activity of your thyroid gland but also act upon your kidneys to remove wastes for body detox.
In summary, you need the spontaneity of Tao expressed in physical movements as well as in natural breathing of Tai Chi exercises to reap physical health benefits to promote longevity health and wellness.
Remember, Tai Chi is all about movements to circulate your body invisible energy called qi. Smooth circulation of qi energy ensures a healthy body. Stagnant and blocked qi energy causes all sorts of chronic disease. Tai Chi is an ancient exercise that has been practiced for thousands of years as an effective alternative healing for the body and the mind. By strengthening the immune system, Tai Chi can improve your chronic disease slowly but steadily. More importantly, it can relieve your stress and calm your nerves.
For more information on Chinese health, go to: Chinese Health and Healing.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
Tai Chi exercise has much to do with TAO, which is a way of life -- a way to longevity living. TAO has been practiced in China for thousands of years.
What is the role of TAO in Tai Chi exercise?
TAO is all about spontaneity.
What is spontaneity?
In the universe, there is an all-controlling force that monitors everything. You breathe in life-giving oxygen, and breathe out life-destroying carbon dioxide. You eat, and you eliminate. You grow, mature, and die. In nature, spontaneity is evident in the change of seasons, and the cycle of day and night. Spontaneity is the natural built-in mechanism in each living organism. Spontaneity creates balance and harmony, which is the essence of Chinese health and healing, and hence longevity living. TAO embraces spontaneity in living.
The concepts and perceptions of health and fitness in China differ from those in the West. For example, nowadays, people in the Western world focus so much on physical fitness that the gym giants will do anything to keep you huffing, puffing, and paying. Unfortunately, there is also much pumping irony: too-strenuous and over-vigorous workouts may be harmful to your physical health. According to the American Journal of Cardiology, jogging is causing many runners to drop dead from heart attacks, and many individuals have experienced heart attacks even after running on a treadmill. So, too much of what is supposed to be “good” may not be good. TAO focuses on "less for more," instead of "more for less."
Chinese health focuses much on spontaneity, and never on extremity.
Lao Tzu explained, "The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world." You need not over-exert yourself in order to be physically fit. So, you do less for more-which is the wisdom of “non-doing” according to Lao Tzu-and not more for less.
Chinese exercises, such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong, are never vigorous. Once your breathing becomes abnormal or irregular over a long period, you lose the spontaneity of the exercise, and hence its health benefits.
Tai Chi is a self-relaxing exercise with slow and even movements coordinated with breathing and directed by a peaceful mind. Therefore, it is beneficial to both mental and physical health. Tai Chi can remove physical and spiritual ailments from your body and mind, and thereby clearing your mind and strengthening your brain. In addition, its spontaneity can promote good digestion and kidney health. Furthermore, Tai Chi exercises can help lower your blood pressure, soften your blood vessels, and regular the flow of qi (the internal vital energy) in your entire body.
Qi is internal vital energy, which is always in motion in the form of ascending, descending, entering and leaving your body's organs and systems. It nourishes not only your body by transforming food energy into blood, but also your blood by keeping it flowing. In addition, it helps maintain your body's temperature. Qi plays a vital role in Chinese health and healing.
Lao Tzu also said, "Qi is elusive and evasive, and yet it manifests itself." Accordingly, Tao manifests itself in longevity living.
Tai Chi exercises focus on correct posture, slow and spontaneous movements, and natural healthy breathing to enhance and promote the free flow of qi.
Your central nervous system is the most important system in your body: it receives vital information from outside and inside your body; it directs your body movements. Your central nervous system is healthy only if you keep your spinal column erect because vitality and blood circulation are transmitted efficiently from your lower body to your brain only when your spine is kept erect. Tai Chi exercises focus on a natural posture with an erect spine (children have naturally erect spinal columns; only adults, especially older people, have bent spinal columns).
Your digestive system is also important to your overall longevity living as it stores and supplies all nutrients for your body. Some of the characteristic movements of Tai Chi reinforce the expansion and contraction of your body in an opening and closing motion, thereby instrumental in vibrating and stimulating your stomach and intestines for a better and healthier digestive system.
Your respiratory system is also critical to your longevity living. In Tai Chi, breathing is valued more than physical power because it uses breathing, not muscular strength, to propel the movements of your body. Western physical exercises, on the other hand, emphasize muscular strength instead of the spontaneity of breathing and natural body movements. In Tai Chi, your mind directs the qi, letting it sink down into your abdomen, where natural breathing takes place. According to Tao wisdom, you breathe through your abdomen (like babies and young children), not through your lungs. This explains why people in the West limit their breathing to the lungs; as a result, their lungs tend to enlarge as they grow older, crowding their hearts, leading to heart disease and cardiovascular problems.
Your circulatory system is connected to your respiratory system. Tai Chi enhances your deep breathing, which guides your qi to move your blood (which cannot move by itself) to different parts of your body for transporting oxygen and nutrients. By regulating the circulation, Tai Chi exercises through natural movements and deep breathing provide a healthy heart for longevity living.
Hormones in your thyroid gland are responsible for physical growth of your body. In Tai Chi, you keep your neck erect without pressure, centered without inclining to the left or to the right; you integrate the slow and smooth movements of your head and neck. These natural and spontaneous movements not only enhance the activity of your thyroid gland but also act upon your kidneys to remove wastes for body detox.
In summary, you need the spontaneity of Tao expressed in physical movements as well as in natural breathing of Tai Chi exercises to reap physical health benefits to promote longevity health and wellness.
Remember, Tai Chi is all about movements to circulate your body invisible energy called qi. Smooth circulation of qi energy ensures a healthy body. Stagnant and blocked qi energy causes all sorts of chronic disease. Tai Chi is an ancient exercise that has been practiced for thousands of years as an effective alternative healing for the body and the mind. By strengthening the immune system, Tai Chi can improve your chronic disease slowly but steadily. More importantly, it can relieve your stress and calm your nerves.
For more information on Chinese health, go to: Chinese Health and Healing.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
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TAO
in
Anything and Everything
in
Anything and Everything
TAO Wisdom
TAO is the wisdom of Lao Tzu, an ancient sage from China more than 2,600 years ago. Unlike Confucius, Lao Tzy had no disciple. Lao Tzu, who was on the verge of leaving China for Tibet, was stopped at the city gate, and was told that he had to put down his wisdom into words before he could leave the war-infested country. Reluctantly and defiantly, he put down his wisdom in exactly 50,000 words with no punctuation -- what is known as “Tao Te Ching.”
Tao Te Ching had been interpreted by many different scholars over the centuries. Lao Tzu’s profound wisdom was spread worldwide and translated into multiple languages. In fact, Tao Te Ching has become one of the most translated books in world literature -- ranking with the Bible as one of the top ten.
TAO WISDOM BOOKS
TAO is the wisdom of Lao Tzu, an ancient sage from China more than 2,600 years ago. Unlike Confucius, Lao Tzy had no disciple. Lao Tzu, who was on the verge of leaving China for Tibet, was stopped at the city gate, and was told that he had to put down his wisdom into words before he could leave the war-infested country. Reluctantly and defiantly, he put down his wisdom in exactly 50,000 words with no punctuation -- what is known as “Tao Te Ching.”
Tao Te Ching had been interpreted by many different scholars over the centuries. Lao Tzu’s profound wisdom was spread worldwide and translated into multiple languages. In fact, Tao Te Ching has become one of the most translated books in world literature -- ranking with the Bible as one of the top ten.
TAO WISDOM BOOKS
TAO is the wisdom of Lau Tzu, the ancient sage from China. TAO comes from "Tao Te Ching" -- one of the most translated books in world literature due to its profound and controversial wisdom.
TAO is the Way to understanding Biblical wisdom, which is not only inexplicable but also paradoxical. You have to believe in order to overcome your unbelief. So, human wisdom is the Way to spiritual wisdom.
One of the reasons why TAO has survived and thrived for centuries is that its wisdom is not only timeless but also universal. It demonstrates how to live your life, irrespective who and where you are.
Today many do not live in reality because they continue to commit the Seven Deadly Sins mentioned thousands of years ago. TAO explains how you can avoid and overcome those sins. Not living in reality is self-delusional and self-destructive.
About Ancient Wisdom
About Healing Wisdom
Myasthenia Gravis is one of the many autoimmune diseases that attack a compromised immune system. According to conventional medicine, there is no known cure. But the author cured his own disorder through his own holistic approach.
According to TAO, healing begins with the mind, and not the body. Lao Tzu famously said: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step." But the healing journey has no destination in mind. Just diligently continue the journey, and you will ultimately reach your destination.
A cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. Instead, it is a life-learning lesson for self-discovery and health-recovery. Congratulations! It may be a blessing in disguise.
Depression is common because people want everything their way or no way -- and this is the way to depression! Medication is not the way out of depression; the only way out is letting go of "my way or no way."
About Living Wisdom
Wisdom in living is understanding the impermanence of all things: that is, nothing lasts, and everything remains only with that very present moment; what goes up must also come down; life is inevitably followed by death.
Albert Einstein once said: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as if nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle."
Life is a miracle; even your breath is a miracle in itself. To live your life as if everything is a miracle, you need wisdom of the body, the mind, and the soul.
Life is a miracle; even your breath is a miracle in itself. To live your life as if everything is a miracle, you need wisdom of the body, the mind, and the soul.
Free yourself from your self-delusions created by your self-consciousness of who and what you think you are. With the integration of both conventional and ancient wisdom, you may begin to live your life very differently.
An "empty mind with reverse thinking" may help you find out who you really are, and not who you wish you were. Accordingly, you may become a better and happier individual: you are in this world but not of this world.
Parenting is one of the objectives of life and living. Healthy pregnancy is a responsibility that covers a long period: before, during, and after pregnancy.
Parenting is a life-long obligation and responsibility.
Raising children is developing their potentials and personalities in a learning environment..
Raising children is developing their potentials and personalities in a learning environment..
You cannot live without money, and money makes your world go round. But money is the No. 1 cause of divorce, and the source of all human evils and sins. So, get your money wisdom to survive and thrive.
Pursuing happiness is like "a carrot- and-stick in front of a mule" -- the more you strive to reach out for it, the more evasive it is, and the more painful it may become. So, get the happiness wisdom to live your life as if everything is a miracle.
About Balance-Harmony Wisdom
Stress comes from the ego-self, which demands attachments in life to define and sustain the ego. All stressors in life contribute to imbalance and disharmony. So, with humility, let go of all attachments to live a stress-free life.
Nothing lasts. So, let go of anything and everything, both positive and negative, as well as the present and the past, to live a stress-free lifestyle in balance and harmony.
Live in the now. The past was gone, the future is yet to come, and only the present is real. The present is a gift, and that is why it is called "present."
"Prayers are seldom answered" means "human expectations not fulfilled." All expectations are only memories of the past projected by the thinking mind into the future as "realities." So, live in reality.
About Aging Wisdom
Consciousness of living is everything in aging. If you are not conscious of your breath, you are not living at all. Consciousness is the pathway to longevity living.
How to survive in a toxic world with so much misinformation about aging? To thrive in this environment, you must have the wisdom to separate the sheep from the goat.
Growing old does not suck. Turn your senior years into golden years. Santa Claus may not be a magic-bullet solution to all your life problems and challenges, but he certainly may open unexpected doors for you in your golden years.
According to TAO, the end of anything is always the beginning of something else; the material world is forever filled with these cycles of beginnings and endings. Get the wisdom to intuit these cycles of balance and harmony so that you may continue the rest of your life journey and live as if everything is a miracle.
TAO TEACHINGS
An Empty Mind
TAO begins with having an empty mind, which is more than just "thinking out of the box": it is reverse thinking to create your own box of thinking. An empty mindset originated from Lao Tzu:
"An empty mind with no craving and no expectation helps us let go.
Being in the world and not of the world, we attain heavenly grace.
With heavenly grace, we become pure and selfless.
And everything settles into its own perfect place."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 3)
So, you must have an empty mind before you can accept new and unconventional ideas. Likewise, to intuit true human wisdom, you must have an empty mind capable of reverse thinking.
An empty mindset may free you from the many shackles of life that may have enslaved you, keeping you in bondage without your knowing it. So, be the master, and not just a slave of your own life. Live a simple lifestyle, deleting all the trimmings of life and living. Simplicity is clarity.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is mental sharpness to know what is happening in the mind that brings about clarity of thinking, which is essential to human wisdom.
There is a close connection between the body and the mind. This body-mind connection in humans affects both the physical and the mental health of an individual, especially how that individual thinks and reacts.
Mindfulness begins with the body. Becoming mindful of your body in the present moment is putting your mind where your body is. This produces deep relaxation of both the body and mind -- an essential element for clarity of thinking that may be the pathway to attaining true human wisdom.
"watchful, like a man crossing a winter stream;
alert, like a man aware of danger;
courteous, like a visiting guest;
yielding, like ice about to melt;
simple, like a piece of uncarved wood;
hollow, like a cave;
opaque, like muddy water."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 15)
Living in the Now
According to Lao Tzu, only the present is real: the past was gone, and the future is uncertain and unpredictable. When the mind stays in the now, it does not see the ego-self because it does not exist in the present, and only in the deceptive mind.
In the now, with clarity of mind, you may see the ultimate truths of self, others, as well as of everything around you. More importantly, you may also see your past follies in identifying yourself with your thoughts that have created your ego; you may also see your present efforts in striving to protect the ego created by yourself in the past, as well as your future futilities in expecting that your desires to sustain your ego will be fulfilled.
Living in the now is an awakening to the realities of all things.
"Living in the present moment,
we find natural contentment.
We do not seek a faster lifestyle,
or a better place to be.
We need the essentials of life,
not its extra trimmings.
Living in the present moment,
we focus on the experience of the moment.
Thus, we enjoy every aspect of simple living,
and find contentment in everyone and everything.
Living in contentment,
we grow old and die,
feeling contented."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 80)
The Natural Cycle
The truth of the matter is that everything in life must follow a natural cycle, whether you like it or not, and that you must be patient because nothing is within your control, especially your destiny.
”That which shrinks
Must first expand.
That which fails,
Must first be strong.
That which is cast down
Must first be raised.
Before receiving, there must be giving.
This is called perception of the nature of things.
Soft and weak overcome hard and strong.”
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 36)
Spontaneity is the essence of the natural cycle. What goes up must eventually come down; life begets death; day is followed by night -- just like the cycle of the four seasons.
"Allowing things to come and go,
following their natural laws,
we gain everything.
Straining and striving,
we lose everything."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 48)
"Strong winds come and go.
So do torrential rains.
Even heaven and earth cannot make them last forever."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 23)
No Judgment and No Separation
According to TAO, you should not judge others, nor should you separate yourself from others. Being non-judgmental holds the key to attaining balance and harmony in a world of chaos and disharmony.
No choosing and No Picking
Following the natural cycle of all things, you do not need to pick and choose. Picking and choosing is only sickness of the mind: the futility in striving to control what is essentially uncontrollable.
"People naturally avoid loss and seek gain.
But with all things along the Way,
there is no need to pick and choose.
There is no gain without loss.
There is no abundance without lack.
We do not know how and when
one gives way to the other.
So, we just remain in the center of things,
trusting the Creator, instead of ourselves.
This is the essence of the Way."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter42)
Picking and choosing is synonymous with control of self, of others, and of everything around, which is against the laws of nature.
Controlling external events is futility.
Control is but an illusion.
Whenever we try to control,
we separate ourselves from our true nature.
Man proposes; the Creator disposes.
Life is sacred: it flows exactly as it should.
Trusting in the Creator, we return to our breathing,
natural and spontaneous, without conscious control.
In the same manner:
sometimes we have more,
sometimes we have less;
sometimes we exert ourselves,
sometimes we pull back;
sometimes we succeed,
sometimes we fail.
Trusting in the Creator, we see the comings and goings of things,
but without straining and striving to control them.
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 29
"Fame or the self, which is dearer?
Self or wealth, which is greater?
Gain or loss, which is more painful?
Accumulating or letting go, which causes more suffering?
Looking for status and security, we find only suffering.
Knowing our true nature, we find joy and peace.
With nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to us."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 44)
Embracing everything is beneficial because it holds the key to enlightenment, which is the understanding of what TAO is all about..
No expectation and no over-doing
TAO emphasizes “wu-wei”, which means "no over-doing". Contrary to conventional wisdom, which focuses much on effort, TAO emphasizes "effortless" effort.
"The softest thing in the world
overcomes what seems to be the hardest.
That which has no form
penetrates what seems to be impenetrable.
That is why we exert effortless effort.
We act without over-doing.
We teach without arguing.
This is the Way to true wisdom.
This is not a popular way
because people prefer over-doing.
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 43)
Humility and the Ego
If the TAO could be summarized in one word, it is the word "humility."
Humility is the enemy of the ego, while pride is its best friend. With humility, you see who you really are, and not who you think or wish you were. With humility, you become aligned with the Creator, who provides you the wisdom in living in this material world.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
An Empty Mind
TAO begins with having an empty mind, which is more than just "thinking out of the box": it is reverse thinking to create your own box of thinking. An empty mindset originated from Lao Tzu:
"An empty mind with no craving and no expectation helps us let go.
Being in the world and not of the world, we attain heavenly grace.
With heavenly grace, we become pure and selfless.
And everything settles into its own perfect place."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 3)
So, you must have an empty mind before you can accept new and unconventional ideas. Likewise, to intuit true human wisdom, you must have an empty mind capable of reverse thinking.
An empty mindset may free you from the many shackles of life that may have enslaved you, keeping you in bondage without your knowing it. So, be the master, and not just a slave of your own life. Live a simple lifestyle, deleting all the trimmings of life and living. Simplicity is clarity.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is mental sharpness to know what is happening in the mind that brings about clarity of thinking, which is essential to human wisdom.
There is a close connection between the body and the mind. This body-mind connection in humans affects both the physical and the mental health of an individual, especially how that individual thinks and reacts.
Mindfulness begins with the body. Becoming mindful of your body in the present moment is putting your mind where your body is. This produces deep relaxation of both the body and mind -- an essential element for clarity of thinking that may be the pathway to attaining true human wisdom.
"watchful, like a man crossing a winter stream;
alert, like a man aware of danger;
courteous, like a visiting guest;
yielding, like ice about to melt;
simple, like a piece of uncarved wood;
hollow, like a cave;
opaque, like muddy water."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 15)
Living in the Now
According to Lao Tzu, only the present is real: the past was gone, and the future is uncertain and unpredictable. When the mind stays in the now, it does not see the ego-self because it does not exist in the present, and only in the deceptive mind.
In the now, with clarity of mind, you may see the ultimate truths of self, others, as well as of everything around you. More importantly, you may also see your past follies in identifying yourself with your thoughts that have created your ego; you may also see your present efforts in striving to protect the ego created by yourself in the past, as well as your future futilities in expecting that your desires to sustain your ego will be fulfilled.
Living in the now is an awakening to the realities of all things.
"Living in the present moment,
we find natural contentment.
We do not seek a faster lifestyle,
or a better place to be.
We need the essentials of life,
not its extra trimmings.
Living in the present moment,
we focus on the experience of the moment.
Thus, we enjoy every aspect of simple living,
and find contentment in everyone and everything.
Living in contentment,
we grow old and die,
feeling contented."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 80)
The Natural Cycle
The truth of the matter is that everything in life must follow a natural cycle, whether you like it or not, and that you must be patient because nothing is within your control, especially your destiny.
”That which shrinks
Must first expand.
That which fails,
Must first be strong.
That which is cast down
Must first be raised.
Before receiving, there must be giving.
This is called perception of the nature of things.
Soft and weak overcome hard and strong.”
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 36)
Spontaneity is the essence of the natural cycle. What goes up must eventually come down; life begets death; day is followed by night -- just like the cycle of the four seasons.
"Allowing things to come and go,
following their natural laws,
we gain everything.
Straining and striving,
we lose everything."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 48)
"Strong winds come and go.
So do torrential rains.
Even heaven and earth cannot make them last forever."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 23)
No Judgment and No Separation
According to TAO, you should not judge others, nor should you separate yourself from others. Being non-judgmental holds the key to attaining balance and harmony in a world of chaos and disharmony.
No choosing and No Picking
Following the natural cycle of all things, you do not need to pick and choose. Picking and choosing is only sickness of the mind: the futility in striving to control what is essentially uncontrollable.
"People naturally avoid loss and seek gain.
But with all things along the Way,
there is no need to pick and choose.
There is no gain without loss.
There is no abundance without lack.
We do not know how and when
one gives way to the other.
So, we just remain in the center of things,
trusting the Creator, instead of ourselves.
This is the essence of the Way."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter42)
Picking and choosing is synonymous with control of self, of others, and of everything around, which is against the laws of nature.
Controlling external events is futility.
Control is but an illusion.
Whenever we try to control,
we separate ourselves from our true nature.
Man proposes; the Creator disposes.
Life is sacred: it flows exactly as it should.
Trusting in the Creator, we return to our breathing,
natural and spontaneous, without conscious control.
In the same manner:
sometimes we have more,
sometimes we have less;
sometimes we exert ourselves,
sometimes we pull back;
sometimes we succeed,
sometimes we fail.
Trusting in the Creator, we see the comings and goings of things,
but without straining and striving to control them.
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 29
"Fame or the self, which is dearer?
Self or wealth, which is greater?
Gain or loss, which is more painful?
Accumulating or letting go, which causes more suffering?
Looking for status and security, we find only suffering.
Knowing our true nature, we find joy and peace.
With nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to us."
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 44)
Embracing everything is beneficial because it holds the key to enlightenment, which is the understanding of what TAO is all about..
No expectation and no over-doing
TAO emphasizes “wu-wei”, which means "no over-doing". Contrary to conventional wisdom, which focuses much on effort, TAO emphasizes "effortless" effort.
"The softest thing in the world
overcomes what seems to be the hardest.
That which has no form
penetrates what seems to be impenetrable.
That is why we exert effortless effort.
We act without over-doing.
We teach without arguing.
This is the Way to true wisdom.
This is not a popular way
because people prefer over-doing.
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, chapter 43)
Humility and the Ego
If the TAO could be summarized in one word, it is the word "humility."
Humility is the enemy of the ego, while pride is its best friend. With humility, you see who you really are, and not who you think or wish you were. With humility, you become aligned with the Creator, who provides you the wisdom in living in this material world.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
A Novel
A love story in ancient China about a cock wedding -- a wedding with a cock, instead of the presence of the bridegroom.
It is a story of unrequited love, revenge, murder, and blood reincarnation. It provides deeper insight into and better understanding of the ancient Chinese philosophy of yin and yang.
A love story in ancient China about a cock wedding -- a wedding with a cock, instead of the presence of the bridegroom.
It is a story of unrequited love, revenge, murder, and blood reincarnation. It provides deeper insight into and better understanding of the ancient Chinese philosophy of yin and yang.
"Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
Mindfulness is stilling an unquiet mind to see the ultimate truths of self, as well as anything and everything around the self.
Mindfulness is stilling an unquiet mind to see the ultimate truths of self, as well as anything and everything around the self.
THE ONENESS WITH ALL LIFE
In this day and age, to live well is not easy. Contemporary wisdom may provide a blueprint for living, but that may be too inhibiting without giving you true freedom to live the life you want to live. You are not free so long as you indulge indiscriminately in your inclinations to succeed in your life at any cost. You must understand Nature's natural laws and abide by them in order to attain true freedom. TAO's oneness with all life was inclusive in that it was founded on basic realities of human nature itself. To pursue these realities is the essence in the art of living well.
Contemporary wisdom is exclusive -- even to the extent of wishing others fail so that one may succeed in life. In addition, it states that one must do this or do that in order to succeed and live well. TAO, on the other hand, focuses on doing whatever one has to do but with a sense of true freedom -- the recognition and realization of the wisdom in the oneness of all life.
Wisdom in the oneness with all life is based on one of the basic laws of Nature: that is, we are all inter-connected, just as the famous poet John Donne says: "No man is an island." This universal moral principle leads us to true and lasting freedom and wisdom in living. Once we understand that the life flowing in our veins is the same as that flowing in the veins of others, we will learn how to show love and compassion toward others. After all, we are all created in the image of God, and we are no more than expressions of God.
Wisdom in the oneness with all life frees you from the bondage of anger, competitiveness, disrespect, discrimination, envy, ridicule, and many other negative attitudes of the mind, which adversely influence how you live your life. Jesus' saying of "Love thy neighbor as thyself" and Mahatma Gandhi's advocacy of non-violence must be understood in subtle ways. If you "kill" the enthusiasm of someone, you are "harming" that individual because you are in fact taking away the life within that individual. Remember, love and compassion are expressions of the oneness of all life -- a mental attitude that liberates human bondage from self-centeredness and gives freedom in the art of living well.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
In this day and age, to live well is not easy. Contemporary wisdom may provide a blueprint for living, but that may be too inhibiting without giving you true freedom to live the life you want to live. You are not free so long as you indulge indiscriminately in your inclinations to succeed in your life at any cost. You must understand Nature's natural laws and abide by them in order to attain true freedom. TAO's oneness with all life was inclusive in that it was founded on basic realities of human nature itself. To pursue these realities is the essence in the art of living well.
Contemporary wisdom is exclusive -- even to the extent of wishing others fail so that one may succeed in life. In addition, it states that one must do this or do that in order to succeed and live well. TAO, on the other hand, focuses on doing whatever one has to do but with a sense of true freedom -- the recognition and realization of the wisdom in the oneness of all life.
Wisdom in the oneness with all life is based on one of the basic laws of Nature: that is, we are all inter-connected, just as the famous poet John Donne says: "No man is an island." This universal moral principle leads us to true and lasting freedom and wisdom in living. Once we understand that the life flowing in our veins is the same as that flowing in the veins of others, we will learn how to show love and compassion toward others. After all, we are all created in the image of God, and we are no more than expressions of God.
Wisdom in the oneness with all life frees you from the bondage of anger, competitiveness, disrespect, discrimination, envy, ridicule, and many other negative attitudes of the mind, which adversely influence how you live your life. Jesus' saying of "Love thy neighbor as thyself" and Mahatma Gandhi's advocacy of non-violence must be understood in subtle ways. If you "kill" the enthusiasm of someone, you are "harming" that individual because you are in fact taking away the life within that individual. Remember, love and compassion are expressions of the oneness of all life -- a mental attitude that liberates human bondage from self-centeredness and gives freedom in the art of living well.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
Getting married is what most people want. But getting married does not necessarily make you happy. It is not just what you want, but what you and your marriage partner need from each other in order to become happy and live a two-in-one life of accountability.
More Wisdom Updated
Get the TAO wisdom to live every aspect of your daily life in balance and perfect harmony, including: pursuing your careers, making your money, maintaining your good relationships, getting married, raising your children, health and healing, aging and dying. The TAO shows you how to live as if everything is a miracle.
Click here to get your wisdom.
Click here to get your wisdom.
Get the wisdom to love yourself and others, such as self-acceptance and loving-kindness, as well as to help yourself and your marriage partner to survive and thrive in your marriage.
Click here to find out how to get genuine love and accountability in marriage to live in reality, instead of in fantasy.
Click here to find out how to get genuine love and accountability in marriage to live in reality, instead of in fantasy.
THE TAO IN ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING
The Bible says wisdom is everything. "Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding." (Proverbs 3:13)
Without wisdom, there is no understanding.
But why is understanding important?
Without understanding, anything and everything in life may seem paradoxical and inexplicable. It is this mindset that may make many people "not living in reality" -- in their minds they only see "unfairness" and "inequality." This distorted mindset may even lead many to committing crimes and violence: "Why shouldn't I rob them who've the money that I don't have?" or "They too have broken the law, so why shouldn't I do the same?"
Biblical wisdom is about "accountability" to God, which will give you spiritual "understanding." But if you are not a believer, that "understanding" may be irrelevant to you.
Having said that, human wisdom is indispensable in contemporary living. Human wisdom is not the same as acquisition of knowledge; human wisdom is the application of what you feel and understand to your everyday life and living. So, being knowledgeable does not necessarily mean being wise.
The TAO is the profound wisdom of Lao Tzu, an ancient sage from China more than 2,600 years ago. The TAO has survived and thrived for thousands of years for a good reason: it is applicable to anything and everything in contemporary daily life. The TAO shows you all the hows and the whys of anything and everything happening in your life, including the following: growing up, receiving education, earning a living, making money, getting married, starting a family, raising children, staying healthy, growing old, and dying.
The TAO helps you confront all your daily challenges, and live in balance and harmony.
Click here to get your book.
Stephen Lau
The Bible says wisdom is everything. "Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding." (Proverbs 3:13)
Without wisdom, there is no understanding.
But why is understanding important?
Without understanding, anything and everything in life may seem paradoxical and inexplicable. It is this mindset that may make many people "not living in reality" -- in their minds they only see "unfairness" and "inequality." This distorted mindset may even lead many to committing crimes and violence: "Why shouldn't I rob them who've the money that I don't have?" or "They too have broken the law, so why shouldn't I do the same?"
Biblical wisdom is about "accountability" to God, which will give you spiritual "understanding." But if you are not a believer, that "understanding" may be irrelevant to you.
Having said that, human wisdom is indispensable in contemporary living. Human wisdom is not the same as acquisition of knowledge; human wisdom is the application of what you feel and understand to your everyday life and living. So, being knowledgeable does not necessarily mean being wise.
The TAO is the profound wisdom of Lao Tzu, an ancient sage from China more than 2,600 years ago. The TAO has survived and thrived for thousands of years for a good reason: it is applicable to anything and everything in contemporary daily life. The TAO shows you all the hows and the whys of anything and everything happening in your life, including the following: growing up, receiving education, earning a living, making money, getting married, starting a family, raising children, staying healthy, growing old, and dying.
The TAO helps you confront all your daily challenges, and live in balance and harmony.
Click here to get your book.
Stephen Lau
More Wisdom Tips
MYASTHENIA GRAVIS
NO MORE
NO MORE
RECOVERY AND REJUVENATION OF THE BODY
What is recovery?
Recovery is regaining your healthy body systems that might have degenerated and deteriorated along the long journey
The Central Nervous System
The central nervous system -- which is from the base of your back to your brain -- is the most important of all your body organs. Given that it receives information and instructions from both the inside and the outside of your body, it transmits your body’s actions and reactions to your brain.
The spinal column, which is composed of vertebrae and the spinal cord, may shrink as aging continues, causing stooping posture that may indirectly result in heart, lungs, and even vision problems. It is therefore important to keep the spinal column erect for greater vitality and better blood circulation to the brain.
The Recovery
Pay more attention to your breathing, giving it spontaneity to create the internal balance and harmony essential to your health and healing.
In addition, enhance your posture with Chinese health-and-mind exercises, such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong, that focus much on spontaneity and not on extremity, and thus providing the internal life energy that promotes better circulation of blood and oxygen.
The Digestive System
A healthy digestive system is always a sign of living longer. It plays a pivotal role in calorie usage, nutrient absorption, food digestion, and excretion of wastes.
A dysfunctional digestive system, on the other hand, may lead to cramps, constipation, indigestion, gastric ulcers and even stomach cancer.
The Recovery
Eat the right foods and the right amounts. Eat only when you are hungry, and not just because it is time to eat.
Eat a balanced diet to balance your body chemistry.
Fast occasionally for internal cleansing.
In contemporary living, digestive disorders are all too common; many people accept abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn -- all too common everyday digestive disorders -- as a way of life. They simply take antacid tablets, elixirs, and all types of indigestion-relieving drugs and pills as if they were vitamin supplements before and after their meals. That is not the right mindset for healthy digestion.
First of all, taking any dangerous drug hinders the self-healing process because the chemical ingredients in pharmaceutical drugs promote drug-dependence. In addition, the innate self-healing power within the body is considerably compromised due to lack of use. Think twice before you pop in a pill to get rid of your stomach discomfort or indigestion.
The Respiratory System
Breathing is controlled and directed by the mind. Conscious deep breathing is life-giving. Children breathe with their abdomens, but adults breathe with their lungs.
The Recovery
Practice deep breathing through the abdomen and pushing the air into the lungs. Avoid shallow breathing as aging continues.
The Circulatory System
The circulatory system is made up the red blood cells and the white blood cells. The former nourish and clean the tissues of your body; the latter carry antibodies to destroy bacteria and repair damaged tissues. They are like the Yin and the Yang, the two polar forces that must be balanced and in harmony.
The circulatory system is directly connected to the respiration: if breathing stops, the blood circulation also stops; if the breathing is shallow or not deep enough, the blood circulation may reach only certain parts of the body.
The Recovery
To enhance the circulatory system, exercise regularly in addition to breathing right.
The Endocrine System
This system is made up of glands that produce hormones that are responsible for growth, sex, reproduction, and living longer.
For example, the pituitary gland and the pineal control sexual health and the aging process; the adrenal glands (in the kidney) maintain the blood sugar level, and relax respiratory muscles; the thyroid gland (in the neck) is responsible for oxidation and sugar metabolism, affecting the physical growth of the body, including bones and teeth.
The Recovery
To lubricate your thyroid gland, place and move your tongue against your palate before you get out of bed to stimulate the production of saliva, which is known as “the divine water.” Also, massage your neck to stimulate your thyroid.
The Rejuvenation
The process of rejuvenation is the perfect integration between the physical and spiritual aspects of human life -- becoming like a newborn baby again.
A way of restoring harmony and preventing deterioration:
Concentrate on breathing.
Keep the mind peaceful to avoid distractions and pressures from social life, and to create inner harmony.
“Can we breathe as easily as innocent babies?” (10)
“If we are in harmony with the Creator,
we are like newborn babies,
in natural harmony with all.
Our bones are soft, and our muscles are weak,
but our grip is strong and powerful.
Not knowing about sex,
we manifest sexual arousal.
Crying all day long,
we lose not our voice.
With constancy and harmony,
we accomplish all daily tasks
without growing tired.”
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 55)
“We are all desirous of making the right choices,
fearful of making the wrong ones.
We all pursue what others say is good,
avoiding what they say is bad.
We all follow the popular wisdom of judgment and preference,
instead of the wisdom of the Creator,
requiring us to be undesirous and unperturbed, just like a newborn.”
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 20)
“Our greatest suffering comes from
not knowing who we are, or to whom we belong.
Our greatest unhappiness comes from
wanting more than what the Creator provides.
Our greatest satisfaction of contentment
is the lasting satisfaction.”
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 46)
“At birth, we are soft and supple.
At death, we are stiff and hard.
Young plants are tender and pliant.
Dead plants are brittle and dry.
Stiff and inflexible, we are like death.
Soft and yielding, we are like life.
Following the Way,
we become soft and supple.
That is why we always prevail,
because tenderness and flexibility
give us strength and power from the Creator.“
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 76)
The Secrets of Longevity
The secrets are simple to follow:
Freedom from ambitions and desires
Soft and yielding, accepting and embracing whatever situation that may come to pass
Practicng Tai-Chi exercise to clear the mind and strengthen the brain
Promoting good digestion and healthy kidneys with foods
Maintaining and softening blood pressure with diet and exercise to regulate the circulation of blood.
The Inner Smile
Sit comfortably, either on a straight-backed chair, or on the floor. The important thing is for your spine to be in an upright position, and your head arranged to allow the muscles of your neck and throat to feel relaxed.
Take a couple of deep, slow breaths, noticing how your abdomen rises with each inhalation, then relaxes back toward your spine with each exhalation. Let go of thoughts of past or future.
Rest the tip of your tongue gently on the roof of your mouth, somewhere behind, and close to, your upper front teeth. You will find the spot that feels perfect.
Smile gently, allowing your lips to feel full and smooth as they spread to the side and lift just slightly. This smile should be kind of like that of the Mona Lisa smile, or how we might smile -- mostly to ourselves -- if we had just gotten a joke that someone told us several days ago: nothing too extreme, just the kind of thing that relaxes our entire face and head, and makes us start to feel good inside.
Now bring your attention to the space between your eyebrows (the "Third Eye" center). As you rest your attention there, energy will begin to gather. Imagine that place to be like a pool of warm water, and as energy pools there, let your attention drift deeper into that pool - back and toward the center of your head.
Let your attention rest now right in the center of your brain -- the space equidistant between the tips of your ears. This is a place referred to in Taoism as the Crystal Palace -- home to the pineal, pituitary, thalamus and hypothalamus glands. Feel the energy gathering in this powerful place.
Allow this energy gathering in the Crystal Palace to flow forward into your eyes. Feel your eyes becoming "smiling eyes." To enhance this, you can imagine that you are gazing into the eyes of the person who you love the most, and they are gazing back at you ... infusing your eyes with this quality of loving-kindness and delight.
Now, direct the energy of your smiling eyes back and down into some place in your body that would like some of this healing energy. It might be a place where you have recently had an injury or illness. It might be a place that just feels a little numb or "sleepy," or simply some place you have not recently explored. In any case, smile down into that place within your body, and feel that place opening to receive your smile-energy.
Continue to smile into that place within your body, for as long as you would like ... letting it soak up smile-energy like a sponge soaks up water.
When this feels complete, direct your inner gaze, with its smile-energy, into your navel center, feeling warmth and brightness gathering now in your lower belly.
Release the tip of your tongue from the roof of your mouth, and release the smile (or keep it if it now feels natural).
Nutritional Healing
Self-Healing Techniques
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
NEW BOOK: Use TAO wisdom and spiritual wisdom to live in reality with accountability -- a life with no depression.
You have your freedom of choices, but they often come with your bondage to many problems in your life as you grow up, become an adult, and turn into a senior.
ONENESS WITH ALL LIFE
Find out how to connect with others to avoid human conflicts and confrontations.
Find out how to connect with others to avoid human conflicts and confrontations.
BONDAGE TO THE FLESH
Bondage is your captivity and confinement to someone or something that has absolute control and power over your life, including your life choices and decisions.
Ironically and paradoxically, bondage comes from freedom. It is human desire to control and manipulate anything and everything in life to get what one wants. In the process, one may make the wrong choices and the wrong decisions leading to wrongdoings.
For example, if you are experiencing fear and insecurity, you have the freedom to “detach” yourself from your attachment to fear and insecurity by dealing with your problems of fear and insecurity. But if you choose to “distract” yourself from your fear and insecurity, the solution is only temporary, and the problems do not go away. Any distraction, such as drinking alcohol or even taking medication, will only lead to more attachments that ultimately become the shackles giving you bondage and not your freedom.
Freedom or bondage is closely related to the thinking mind—how it perceives and processes all life experiences. So, it is important for you to know your freedom of choices in the different phases of your life, such as the Development Phase, the Transition Phase, the Consolidation Phase, and the Awakening Phase. Understanding the freedom of your choices and your decisions in all your actions and reactions throughout each of these phases will let you see the importance of your obedience, and how your freedom may become your bondage, or how you can turn your bondage back into your freedom.
The Flesh
Yes, in many ways, humans are all held bondage to the flesh, which is the thinking of the human mind based on its own perceptions and interpretations of its unique experiences in the flesh.
An illustration
Say, you needed some cash to do something you wanted to do. Your thinking mind immediately might send you two messages: “needing some cash” and “your next-door neighbor being away.” You had the “freedom” to break into the home of your next-door neighbor to “steal some money.” If you “chose” to do that, you found some cash and got away with it.
Now, you no longer have your freedom because your “freedom” has now become your “bondage”: in future, whenever you need “extra cash”, your mind will give you the “freedom” to choose to “burglarize someone’s home” or not to.
Another hypothetical illustration
“Committing no crime or wrongdoing with no victim”
You and another man sitting close to you were the last two persons at the bar.
The man next to you had just paid the bartender who returned with his credit card. Then, you paid the bartender who just left with your credit card.
Then, the man left some cash on the table, said goodnight to you, and left the bar.
Now, you “pushed” the cash left by the man “a little bit closer to you.”
The bartender returned with your credit card, looked at the cash in front of you, and said: “Thank you.”
You responded: “You’re welcome. Good night.” And you left the bar.
The realities
You did not give the bartender any tip.
The bartender received the same amount of tip.
With or without your pushing the cash “a little bit closer to you,” the bartender would still have said: “Thank you.”
Nothing had changed, except the position of the cash.
Questions
Did you do anything wrong? Yes!
What was wrong with changing the position of the cash? Changing the mind and the perception of the bartender.
Did you have the “freedom” to “change” the bartender’s mind? Yes!
Why did you choose to change her mind? So that she would be appreciative of your generosity.
Why did you lie about your “generosity”? It was just a “white” lie.
Can the “white” lie lead to other lies in the future? Probably yes!
What could be the consequences of your white lie? Craving for self-satisfaction and an inflated ego-self will further corrupt and distort your thinking mind when it comes to your freedom of choices and decisions in the future.
Yes, you were held bondage by your “freedom” to “change the position of the cash.” In future, your thinking mind in the flesh would tell you to do this or to do that to make people have a "better" perception of you to inflate your ego.
FREEDOM with BONDAGE shows you how to "free" yourself from your bondage to the flesh.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
Bondage is your captivity and confinement to someone or something that has absolute control and power over your life, including your life choices and decisions.
Ironically and paradoxically, bondage comes from freedom. It is human desire to control and manipulate anything and everything in life to get what one wants. In the process, one may make the wrong choices and the wrong decisions leading to wrongdoings.
For example, if you are experiencing fear and insecurity, you have the freedom to “detach” yourself from your attachment to fear and insecurity by dealing with your problems of fear and insecurity. But if you choose to “distract” yourself from your fear and insecurity, the solution is only temporary, and the problems do not go away. Any distraction, such as drinking alcohol or even taking medication, will only lead to more attachments that ultimately become the shackles giving you bondage and not your freedom.
Freedom or bondage is closely related to the thinking mind—how it perceives and processes all life experiences. So, it is important for you to know your freedom of choices in the different phases of your life, such as the Development Phase, the Transition Phase, the Consolidation Phase, and the Awakening Phase. Understanding the freedom of your choices and your decisions in all your actions and reactions throughout each of these phases will let you see the importance of your obedience, and how your freedom may become your bondage, or how you can turn your bondage back into your freedom.
The Flesh
Yes, in many ways, humans are all held bondage to the flesh, which is the thinking of the human mind based on its own perceptions and interpretations of its unique experiences in the flesh.
An illustration
Say, you needed some cash to do something you wanted to do. Your thinking mind immediately might send you two messages: “needing some cash” and “your next-door neighbor being away.” You had the “freedom” to break into the home of your next-door neighbor to “steal some money.” If you “chose” to do that, you found some cash and got away with it.
Now, you no longer have your freedom because your “freedom” has now become your “bondage”: in future, whenever you need “extra cash”, your mind will give you the “freedom” to choose to “burglarize someone’s home” or not to.
Another hypothetical illustration
“Committing no crime or wrongdoing with no victim”
You and another man sitting close to you were the last two persons at the bar.
The man next to you had just paid the bartender who returned with his credit card. Then, you paid the bartender who just left with your credit card.
Then, the man left some cash on the table, said goodnight to you, and left the bar.
Now, you “pushed” the cash left by the man “a little bit closer to you.”
The bartender returned with your credit card, looked at the cash in front of you, and said: “Thank you.”
You responded: “You’re welcome. Good night.” And you left the bar.
The realities
You did not give the bartender any tip.
The bartender received the same amount of tip.
With or without your pushing the cash “a little bit closer to you,” the bartender would still have said: “Thank you.”
Nothing had changed, except the position of the cash.
Questions
Did you do anything wrong? Yes!
What was wrong with changing the position of the cash? Changing the mind and the perception of the bartender.
Did you have the “freedom” to “change” the bartender’s mind? Yes!
Why did you choose to change her mind? So that she would be appreciative of your generosity.
Why did you lie about your “generosity”? It was just a “white” lie.
Can the “white” lie lead to other lies in the future? Probably yes!
What could be the consequences of your white lie? Craving for self-satisfaction and an inflated ego-self will further corrupt and distort your thinking mind when it comes to your freedom of choices and decisions in the future.
Yes, you were held bondage by your “freedom” to “change the position of the cash.” In future, your thinking mind in the flesh would tell you to do this or to do that to make people have a "better" perception of you to inflate your ego.
FREEDOM with BONDAGE shows you how to "free" yourself from your bondage to the flesh.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
NEW BOOK: Transforming is everything in your surviving and thriving. To get your copy, click here.