Have you ever been in the zone? Imagine you are doing something about which you are so
passionate, all your focus is only on that thing. Time stands still. You become one with
the moment. Nothing else exist for you other than what you are doing. a heightened state
of awareness, where thoughts and emotions no longer get in the way of your pure, raw,
being.
It was a beautiful summer evening. I was cooking. I was living alone at that time. The balcony
in the kitchen was open, and I could feel the cool breeze throughout the house. I was
lost in the moment, as I was carefully cutting the carrots and the onions, as I was heating
up the oil in the pan, as I was kneading the bread. It was almost as if I had ceased to
exist. I became one with the work I was doing. I was going with the flow. I didn’t know
where I ended and the work I was doing began. At that moment, I existed in perfect harmony
with the universe. I consider it as one of the most powerful meditation sessions of my
life, yet I wasn’t sitting nor were my eyes closed. I still carry that moment with me.
I cherish it.
In Chinese history, the philosophy of flow is referred to as ‘wu wei’, which means
effortless action or effortless doing. In some traditions of ancient India the concept
of samyama is a form of flow state, sharing many similarities with the Japanese zen concept
of mushin.
Taoism is a philosophical, religious and spiritual tradition from ancient China. It strongly
emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao. Most commentators and translators agree in
translating Tao, as the “way”. In Taoism, Tao is thought to be the source, pattern and
substance of everything that exists. Taoism has been connected to the philosopher Lao
Tzu, who around 500 B.C.E. wrote the primary literature of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching.
The Tao Te Ching, or “The Way and Its Power,” is a collection of poetry and sayings from
around the third and fourth centuries B.C.E. that guides ones thoughts and actions.
But first, who is Lao Tzu?
Lao Tzu, often referred to as the first philosopher of Chinese Daoism and the author of the Daodejing,
a primary. But modern scholars discount the possibility that the Daodejing was written
by only one person.
Little is truly known about Lao Tzu. He is said to have been a record keeper in the court
of the central Chinese Zhou Dynasty in the 6th century B.C., and an older contemporary
of Confucius. This could be true, but he may also have been entirely mythical. It is not
an exaggeration to call Lao Tzu, a ghostly figure.
Derek Lin, in his translation of Tao Te Ching, explains the relationship between Lao Tzu
and Taoism as follows:
Perhaps the most common misconception encountered by Westerners is that Lao Tzu himself was
the founder of Taoism—which he was not. By the time Lao Tzu walked the Earth 2,500
years ago, the concept of the Tao had already been an integral part of Chinese culture for
thousands of years. As the story puts it, Lao Tzu was looking to get away, not found
a movement; by writing the Tao Te Ching, he was simply honoring a request to pass on the
learning and knowledge of those who had preceded him.
Take a look at this symbol. You are probably already familiar with this. This is called
Yin Yang. Although Taoism and the TAO-TE-CHING were not originally associated with the symbol
known as the yin-yang, they have both come to be because the philosophy of Taoism embodies
the yin-yang principle and yin-yang thought.
Yin Yang is the principle of natural and complementary forces, patterns and things that depend on
one another. These may be masculine and feminine, darkness
and light, wet and dry or action and inaction. These are opposites that fit together seamlessly
and work in perfect harmony. You can see this by looking at the yin yang symbol.
The yin yang concept is not the same as Western dualism, because the two opposites are not
at war, but in harmony. This can be seen very clearly in the symbol:
the dark area contains a spot of light, and the light area contains a spot of dark, and
the two opposites are intertwined and bound together within the unifying circle.
Yin and yang are not static, the balance ebbs and flows between them - this is implied in
the flowing curve where they meet. Yin-yang reminds us that there is a natural
order to the universe, and productivity comes from harmony. When this harmony is broken,
problems can occur.
An interesting aspect of Taoism, is how it deals with morality, and concepts such as
good and bad. There are no “bad people” according to
Taoist principles, only people who behave badly. Given the proper education and guidance
toward understanding how the universe works, anyone could be a “good person” living
in harmony with the earth and with others. According to this belief, the way of the Tao
is in accordance with nature, while resistance to the Tao is unnatural and causes friction.
The best way for a person to live, according to Taoism, is to submit to whatever life brings
and be flexible. If a person adapts to the changes in life easily, that person will be
happy; if a person resists the changes in life, that person will be unhappy. One’s
ultimate goal is to live at peace with the way of the Tao and recognize that everything
that happens in life should be accepted as part of the eternal force, which binds and
moves through all things. This past couple of years have been extremely
hard for me; not just because of the pandemic, but also because of some personal revelations.
Life has been relentlessly throwing one crisis after another.
I read Tao Te Ching, in preparation for this episode, and I have to say, I was mesmerized
by its verses and ideas. The poems contained in Tao Te Ching has been providing me with
much needed comfort and calm. I am looking forward to reading it again and again at various
stages of my life.
The opening verse of Tao Te Ching, goes like this:
"The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth. The named is the mother of myriad things.
Thus constantly without desire, one can observe its essence
Constantly with desire, one can observe its manifestations.
These two emerge together but differ in name; The unity is said to be the mystery
Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders.” In his book, Tao Te Ching, Annotated and Explained,
author Derek Lin, explains each verse line by line:
The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao.
The first line of the Tao Te Ching can be one of the most confusing. Some have interpreted
it to mean that we must never speak of the Tao, or that if we try to explain it, then
we must have no true understanding of it. What it actually means is that we can never
understand the Tao through the intellect alone. We must feel it. Talking about it can be useful,
but will never replace the actual experience of living it.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name
Not only is the Tao beyond the power of spoken words to describe, but it is also beyond the
power of written words to define. That which can be defined is limited by the definition,
and the tao transcends all limitations.
The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth
Before the universe came into being, concepts and things did not exist, and no human consciousness
was present to perceive and name them. Therefore, the Tao that initiated Creation was the ultimate
nameless enigma.
The named is the mother of myriad things
Once the universe came into being, the stage was set for the physical manifestation of
everything, including human beings. These humans eventually attained sufficient awareness
to observe all things and name them.
Thus constantly without desire, one can observe its essence
Constantly with desire, one can observe its manifestations.
Self-serving desires tend to limit us to a superficial level. If we think of other people
and not just focus on ourselves, we will find it much easier to connect with the underlying
reality. This applies to every aspect of life. It is one of the most powerful teachings of
the Tao.
These two emerge together but differ in name; The unity is said to be the mystery
Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders
The two refer to manifestations (outer appearance) and essence (inner truth). They represent
the material world and the spiritual realm respectively. Both emerge from the Tao, because
the Tao encompasses all—not only spirituality but also the physical universe. The basic
unity of the two is the mystery that we investigate in Tao cultivation.
As you can see, there is incredible wisdom, and a lot to unpack, right from the very first
verse of the book. And it has 81 profound and densely packed verses.
Tao Te Ching provided me with some much needed calm at a time of despair. In the coming weeks,
months and years, I am looking forward to reading and re-reading this book, relishing
in its ancient wisdom.
What is my end goal? My goal is to be truly content and quite in my actions and thoughts.
My goal is to go with the flow.