What are you really so busy doing?
Occasionally, your National Taoism Examiner encounters a person who is (to say the least) overburdened with their constant activity-work and general “busy-ness”. We all know someone like this; the type of person who is constantly busy; going here, going there, multi-tasking, on a conference call while driving, networking when they take their child to see the doctor, etc…
Many people scoff at the person who has their phone permanently attached to their face, and forever updating their contacts on their comings and goings. Perhaps, you or someone close to you is this person!
Curiosity may cause one to ponder, what are they so busy doing? If you ask them, how or what they are doing, or if you can have a moment of their time, they will surely reply with “sorry, busy-so very busy, I will be back-soon”. Of course, when they are back, they are often quickly engaged in another activity.
This type of person is always working; “… [they] work when they are working, works when he exercises and more often than not, works when he plays. (The Tao of Pooh)” Mr. Hoff could have easily added, that this type of person even turns a vacation into work. When this person is at Disney World for example, they are busy scheduling fast passes and then running around the park to be at each precise location by a certain time—open the park, close the park, next morning start all over again. You say to them, wait let’s slow down a little, and they respond, “sorry, I can’t I am on vacation, got things to do and see, I am so busy, not enough time to rest”. When they return home they need a vacation from their vacation, but no rest for them, because then they are busy at work and with their life, don’t you know.
For this person, exercise becomes a grueling activity (workout); where the benefits are achieved with excessive, harsh movements that are repeated over and over again, never stopping, always in pursuit of the ever unachievable goal.
When is enough enough, for the person that is always busy? When a person says, “Carpe Diem, do they really mean seize the day, live life to the fullest?” What if Carpe Diem leads one to a different type of seizing, as in the heart stopping? What if living life to the fullest, causes one to die early or become ravaged with illness and disease? Was it worth it? Is the constant stress of being busy, worth the “reward” that is fleeting and will not last anyway? What is the point of being the top CEO in your prime only to have your memory and mind taken away from you when you are still in your 60’s?
How would they feel if they are told that a more literal translation of Carpe Diem actually means to “enjoy the day, to enjoy the moment”?
In the Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff quotes Chuang-tse:
“There was a man who disliked seeing his footprints and his shadow. He decided to escape from them, and began to run. But as he ran along, more footprints appeared, while his shadow easily kept up with him. Thinking he was going too slowly, he ran faster and faster without stopping, until he finally collapsed from exhaustion and died. If he had stood still, there would have been no footprints. If he had rested in the shade, his shadow would have disappeared.”
Let us all pause for a moment, breathe deeply and sip some tea. Then take out your schedule book or open that calendar app, and make time in your schedule first thing each morning, once in the afternoon and then again before bedtime—to breathe deeply, stretch, practice the internal exercises, go for a walk in the park, smell the flowers, watch the birds or close your eyes and listen to the birds sing, etc… Schedule time for tea instead of coffee and cigarettes.
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Harvard study proves meditation can hinder the onset of Alzheimer’s
If you ask most adults who are middle age or older, what their greatest fear is in regards to aging, many will say they do not want to “lose their mind”. They want to be able to age and still have their mental capacity and wits about them.
Many people who claim they do not want to live for too long, actually dread the thought of a long life if you cannot enjoy it, or even worse cannot recall your fondest memories, or even not recall who you are or where you are. Is it 1918 and you are fighting in the great war, stuck in the trenches all over again? Perhaps, as you look out the window, hours pass by and you cannot recall why you were looking out the window to begin with. The thought of this life becoming a reality is something that many people are afraid to face until it is often too late.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org):
- more than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s
- Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States alone
- Approximately 500,000 people are dying each year from Alzheimer’s
- 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia
- Alzheimer’s costs the economy approx. $220 billion per year
- by the time you finish this article approx. 10 people will have just found out they have Alzheimer’s, that’s almost one person every 67 seconds
Oxford dictionary defines dementia as: “a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes marked by memory disorders, personality changes, impaired reasoning etc. due to brain disease or injury”. Alzheimer’s is only one type of dementia, however, it is also the most common and one of the leading causes of premature senility.
There is good news in the fight against this terrible disease that causes much hardship on those afflicted and their loved ones, as well as the often silent warriors—the caregivers!
The study was conducted by Rebecca Erwin Wells, MD, MPH, in association with Harvard Medical School and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Wells was led towards this study as a result of there currently being no FDA approved medications that can help stop or slow the progression of mild cognitive impairment or more serious forms of cognitive deterioration. According to Wells:
“We also know that as people age, there’s a high correlation between perceived stress and Alzheimer’s disease, so we wanted to know if stress reduction through meditation might improve cognitive reserve. (Science Daily)”
The study involved only 14 adults but showed extremely promising results that will lead to further research. The participants ranging in age from 55-90, were split into two groups consisting of mindfulness meditation and standard care. The mediation group met for two hours per week, were encouraged to practice for 15-30 minutes on their own time, and participated in a mindfulness mediation retreat.
After eight weeks the groups results were compared to prior tests and revealed that:
“…the results of MRI imaging showed that the group engaged in MBSR [meditation] had significantly improved functional connectivity in the areas of the default mode network. Additionally, as expected, both groups experienced atrophy of the hippocampus, but those who practiced MBSR [meditation] experienced less atrophy.( Science Daily)”
The meditation participants also reported better cognition and improved well-being.
An interesting side note to this story is that once again, a modern or current study is only confirming what the ancient Taoists and Chinese Medicine has known for thousands of years. Meditation in one form or another (sitting, standing, moving or even sleeping) has often been recommended as a preventative exercise for problems with the body and mind.
Meditation is an exercise that allows the practitioner to focus on a task with almost single mindedness, it is not, as often described by modern teachers, as “letting go, or just being in the moment, thinking of nothing” etc…
Meditation is work and work can be meditation, actually, anything can be a form of meditation, and at its highest level, eventually everything becomes a form of meditation. Whether ironing your clothes, preparing a meal, walking in the garden etc…
First, however, we must start somewhere, and there is no greater and simpler form of meditation than “Crane Breathing”. To practice, one sits comfortably with the back straight, or lies flat on the back, and inhales and exhales as slowly as possible through the nose, when you inhale gently push the abdomen out as if you are filling a balloon with air, when you exhale, gently pull the abdomen in, when you inhale again just allow the belly to come out and fill with air again. Perform this exercise a few times at first and focus on the slow movement of the belly and slowly inhaling and exhaling, ideally your breath should be so slow that you would not move a feather if it were placed under your nose.
Other forms of meditation include the Taoist Internal Self Healing exercises, properly taught Tai Chi and Qigong etc…
Let’s all do ourselves a favor and start a simple practice of meditation today or tonight, actually every morning and evening is a great time to practice the Crane Breathing exercise.
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Wu Wei: The meaning of doing without doing
Taoism has been misunderstood by many throughout its vast and ancient history. The misunderstandings are common among those that consider themselves Taoists and even more among those who have no training in the system, yet however, choose to write about and teach isolated principles.
Wu Wei is one principle that, similar to P’u, is almost always mistranslated and rarely understood. The concept/principle of Wu Wei is one of Taoism’s core principles, and establishes a particular mental, physical and spiritual attitude that a cultivated or trained Taoist has; it is something that enables one to recognize a Taoist by his/her actions.
It is not uncommon for people to think that Taoism advocates an almost lazy outlook on life, the ultimate pacifists, those who do nothing, let life just be, the ideal “hippie” from the 1960’s.
This belief is grounded in the misunderstanding and misapplication of Wu Wei, often translated as not doing or doing without doing or non-action.
The true definition of Wu Wei could not be further from the truth and if one looks at the vast accomplishments of the Taoists over the last 6,000 years one would have a great visual of just how much the Taoists actually “did”.
A better definition of Wu Wei is doing “…without meddlesome, combative, or egotistical effort. It seems rather significant that the character Wei developed from the symbols for a clawing hand and a monkey, since the term Wu Wei means not going against the nature of things; no clever tampering; no Monkeying Around. (The Tao of Pooh)”
If you do something without being clever, and without the ego, while being rooted in the concept of Pu then this is “Wu Wei” and this is one of the principles that led to the tremendous Taoist inventions and discoveries.
Think of all the problems in the world, how many of them are the result of people trying to do something while at the same time being clever, deceitful, tampering, monkeying around, making a name for themselves etc… Lao tzu said his way is easy and simple, yet no-one can follow it. This is because we are too busy being led by a monkey mind and ego, we are no longer natural and pure. Many people are the opposite of Wu Wei!
“Carrying body and soul and embracing the one,
Can you avoid separation?
Attending fully and becoming supple,
Can you be as a newborn babe?
Washing and cleansing the primal vision,
Can you be without stain?
Loving all men and ruling the country,
Can you be without cleverness?
Opening and closing the gates of heaven,
Can you play the role of woman?
Understanding and being open to all things,
Are you able to do nothing?
Giving birth and nourishing,
Bearing yet not possessing,
Working yet not taking credit,
Leading yet not dominating,
This is the Primal Virtue. (Lao tzu)”
“When we learn to work with our own Inner Nature, and with the natural laws operating around us, we reach the level of Wu Wei. Then we work with the natural order of things and operate on the principle of minimal effort. Since the natural world follows that principle, it does not make mistakes. Mistakes are made—or imagined—by man…who separates himself from the supporting network of natural laws by interfering and trying too hard. (Tao of Pooh)”
What in our own lives are we trying too hard to change, what are we not accepting, is their difficulty in your life that may be the result of interfering too much, are you trying to do too much?
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Chuang tzu’s advice on recognizing the true nature of things
In a recent article “Unraveling the mysterious and misunderstood concept of P’u”, we examined how the true meaning of P’u is not the uncarved block, rather it is the ideal of remaining or returning to a state of untouched naturalness. The trees of an uncut forest.
Now we will reflect on what Chuang tzu had to say about the true nature of things, and how to observe things as they are. For lack of a better name lets call this the story of “the ugly tree or the tree on the mountain”:
“Hui-tse [a woodcutter/lumberjack] said to [Chuang tzu], ‘I have a large tree which no carpenter can cut into lumber. Its branches and trunk are crooked and tough, covered with bumps and depressions. No builder would turn his head to look at it. Your teachings are the same—useless, without value. Therefore, no one pays attention to them.’
‘As you know,’ [Chuang tzu] replied, ‘a cat is very skilled at capturing its prey. Crouching low, it can leap in any direction, pursuing whatever it is after. But when its attention is focused on such things, it can be easily caught with a net. On the other hand, a huge yak it not easily caught or overcome. It stands like a stone, or a cloud in the sky. But for all its strength, it cannot catch a mouse.’
‘You complain that your tree is not valuable as lumber. But you could make use of the shade it provides, rest under its sheltering branches, admiring its sheltering branches, and stroll beneath it, admiring its character and appearance. Since it would not be endangered by an ax, what could threaten its existence? It is useless to you only because you want to make it into something else and do not use it in its proper way. (The Tao of Pooh)”
After this incident Chuang tzu left the mountain and spent the night at a friends house. The friend, honored by his visit, asks one of the servants to cook a goose. The servant wanted to know if he should kill the goose that cackles or the one that cannot, the friend responded with “the one that cannot cackle”.
Later on Chuang tzu’s students were perplexed by this apparent paradox and asked their teacher, “yesterday you said the tree in the mountains would live out its years because it was useless. Now the goose in your friends house was killed because it was useless. Which would you prefer, to be useful or to be useless?
“[Chuang tzu] laughed and said, ‘If I were to say that I would prefer to be in the intermediate position between being useful and being useless, that might seem to the right position. But it is not, for we will not be able to avoid difficulties. One who follows the virtue of the dao [Tao] is free of difficulties. He is above praise or condemnation, moves like a dragon or a snake, and is transformed with the ongoing changes of the times without being fixed upon on thing. Now high and now low, he is in harmony with all and with the origin of all things. He presides over all things while nothing can preside over him. How could there be then any difficulties? This is the path of Shennong and the Yellow Emperor. But it is different in the world of things and varying practices of human relations. Union brings separation; becoming, passing away; sharp corners, the use of a file; honour, disparagement; activity, failure; knowledge, plotting; inability, contempt. Where is constancy to be found?…in the dao [Tao] and its virtue. (Zhuangzi)”
What things are we trying to make into something else and not use in its proper way? Are you the useless tree or the useless goose? If you think you are useful, the higher question is useful to whom, or to what?
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Unraveling the mysterious and misunderstood concept of P’u
Many people who study or casually read about Taoism will at some point come across several principles and concepts which are considered important to the Taoist system.
Some of the more popular principles are: Wu-wei, Tao and Te, Lao Tzu’s three treasures, and P’u, to name just a few. As mentioned in prior articles, more often than not these concepts are presented to the world by people who lack a full understanding of the Taoist philosophy and the many meanings of the Chinese characters, especially ancient Taoist characters. This is one of the reasons that direct literal translations of ancient Chinese texts will not reveal the true or even partial meaning and message. As a result, many of the well known principles of Taoism are misunderstood, even by practitioners, perhaps especially by practitioners.
This article will explore the concept of P’u (朴, simplified Chinese and 樸, traditional Chinese). P’u lends itself as a great example of why a complete understanding of Taoism is important when, not only translating texts, but even more important when discussing and teaching the varied disciplines of Taoism.
P’u is often translated as the “uncarved block”, and has appeared in many variations in its own right. Many people have discussed the concept of the uncarved block in great length and breadth, especially in Academia, where there is no shortage for exhaustive discussions of misunderstood information. Most people will tell you that the uncarved block means to leave things in their natural state, or for people to return to their natural state. People will poetically describe how children are born as uncarved blocks and that P’u is the eastern concept of Tabula Rasa (blank slate) or vice versa.
They are correct that P’u is one of the highest principles of Taoism and that it is referring to a state that everything had, should have and can return to. The problem arises with the translation of P’u as the “uncarved block”. The intention of the translators is to convey a state of naturalness-simplicity, honesty-plainness etc…, a state of being that exists before any form of unnaturalness is applied or learned. The principle applies to all existence and not just the domain of humans.
And therein lies the problem. If the intention is to convey a state of naturalness, then clearly an uncarved block cannot be the appropriate visual aid, as even an uncarved block came from somewhere and by its very nature is not in its natural state!
If we examine the characters for P’u more closely we will see that they represent not an uncarved block, rather an untouched forest or more precisely…many uncut trees in the forest. Imagine a forest that exists without any alteration and without any influence other than nature. Clearly, the uncarved block is already a piece of wood cut from a tree that is no longer in its natural state, and thereby unqualified to represent P’u.
With this understanding people can now properly analyze scenarios, life questions and existence itself through the visual aid of the untouched trees in the forest. Try to imagine a state of being before learning the many cultural aspects that we consider the meaning of life and living, before we were altered, shaped and molded into everything but our natural state. What would humans and humanity look like if things were left in their natural state, what would governments look like if politicians left things alone, what would the world be like if we did less, spoke less and simply were P’u, etc…?
P’u is the principle of achieving that state of naturalness that exists before one is defiled or altered from their original nature, it is a state that can be achieved and restored.
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