The Tao of Contentment

Contentment is a powerful sentiment, one that leads to longevity.

My Tao journey has revealed just how powerful Tao virtues are. To some people, terms of virtue don’t carry much weight. They can be viewed as a sort of sentiment or suggestion for moral behaviors. In this blog post, I will show another perspective, one which will reveal the deep-abiding power of contentment.

First, an introduction to Virtue as a Tap Principle. The paradigm shift happens when you suddenly see something you have not seen before. It can seem like magic, but it is simply Tao. Virtue is much more than a sentimental or moral term. Once you see its function, it becomes clear.

Here is an example of what I mean. Consider the phrase:

“The people deeply loved her because of her service to the poor people in her village.”

Notice the phrase “because of.” This woman gained love and affection from her village because of devotion and compassion. The virtue of compassion, of devotion, has a cause and effect of becoming loved by those who appreciate it. People can look on this type of thing as someone who is giving themselves for the betterment of others. Compassion is the first virtue that comes to my mind. But with further thought, other virtues are present too. Filling this kind of role in society must surely require the virtue of patience, kindness, conservation, and humility.

Then there is the virtue of Contentment. Let’s use ‘the because test’ to see if the power will reveal itself.

“When asked, the woman said the secret to her longevity was being content with her life. Because of her contentment, the woman experienced harmony and longevity.”

Being able to live a long life of contentment is one of the secrets to longevity. Contentment is experienced when life is a good balance. Harmony is a catalyst for nurturing the flame of life.  Contentment and harmony create vitality, the quality-of-life force energy. The healthier this vital energy is, the more you will enjoy life and the longer you will continue to live.

How do you feel about seeking contentment? Does it appeal to you? Or is there some part of you that is just too hungry for stimulation or that you just can’t see yourself just letting go and living a simple life? I hope you will take a few moments to think about it sometime. You may conclude that all the stuff you do is because, deep down inside, it is contentment that you are seeking. Lasting contentment is not found in the material sense as much as it is in the spiritual sense. Dealing with that need is at the heart of the matter. When you uncover your deeper feelings you can begin the process of letting go and simplifying your life. A simple life is one where you are not creating an unnecessary burden to carry. Look at the part of you that is feeling that needy longing. When you can see that, ask yourself who it is that is witnessing that emotion. Notice the detachment. This is something you can cultivate with practice. It is the epicenter of mindfulness, something you can cultivate.

For me, Contentment was something that I had to cultivate over a long period of time. Had I known now how good it is, I would have embraced it a lot earlier. Ego-Desire management is not easy. The hard part is cultivating willpower and ‘self’-discipline.

Personally, I cannot help but wonder why everyone doesn’t try to become content with life and just simply enjoy being alive. The answer, I believe, is that too many are lost to the distraction of modern society. I discuss this and the vital energy Qi in the book. There you will get a bigger, more detailed picture of the power of virtue and harmony.

Being able to wake up from this distraction is “the big thing” you must work on when trying to get on the path to longevity. In the book, I talk about the process of waking up, transcending the ego mind and finding the virtue of Sovereignty. Sovereignty is another powerful virtue. I started a blog and wrote a book devoted to sovereignty. You can visit  The Tao of Sovereignty website here.