Who can best explain the metaphors and nuances from the ancient texts?
Who knows the meaning of the ancient metaphors that Lao Tzu uses?
Most importantly, how to use the Tao in everyday life to find contentment and create a long successful life.
Many academic scholars are translating the Tao but are not giving accurate results through mistranslation. This is because they have not truly studied ancient Chinese as opposed to modern dialects, whose meanings have changed over the last few thousand years. Thus, it is especially important to learn from someone accurately.
I am honored and delighted to share with you the work from my Tao friend, Derek Lin. What I find so authentic and beneficial with Derek Lin is how he translates each chapter, each verse, character by character, telling both the ancient meaning and context as well as the current meaning in his translations. He is a Chinese who immigrated here from Taiwan when he was a child and knows both Chinese and American culture intimately. He has trained and studied ancient Chinese and Taoism for many years and consults Tao Masters and Sages to bring us the most accurate translation and meanings of ancient Tao Teachings. His most powerful gift is simplifying the Tao and showing how to effectively use it in everyday life, especially within our culture.
He offers free Tao lessons several times per month, plus he has an extensive online video library on YouTube for anyone to view the lectures.
However, when you go to read the Tao Te Ching, several important questions will arise.
Now is an especially crucial time to attend his classes.
He will begin again at the beginning of Chapter One of the Tao Te Ching on June 25th.
The Online Venue: Goto Webinar, Sundays 10:30 Am Pacific Time
1 day prior, you will get an email reminding you of the upcoming class
1 hour prior, you will get an email reminding you of the class and a link to click for the webinar.
Live lessons are best but if you cannot attend, you can watch a recording of the video recording here. There are many previously recorded lessons to watch.
This is a powerful opportunity to learn the power of following the Tao from someone so gifted. When you sign up, tell him that Sam Beasley sent you. That way, he knows that you are arriving by way of one of his students.
His book can be purchased on Amazon here. If the link does not work, go to Amazon Books and look up Derek Lin, Tao Te Ching: Annotated and Explained.
I have both the Paperback and Digital versions. I use the digital version mostly because you can search and click links to find what you want very quickly. I hope that you will join us for Sunday Classes online. If you have difficulty or questions, leave a comment below and I will try to help solve the issue.
Learning Meditation, Mindfulness, and following the Tao saved my life. Because of my earlier inability to control my ego self, I made many poor choices and gave my ‘self’ two life-threatening chronic diseases. While meditation and mindfulness were essential in the beginning, it was following The Tao that turned my life around. This is because even though I learned to wake up and pay attention to my choices, I still did not know which to make. There were many moments when I would ponder what to do but not know the best choice. This is where the Tao as a spiritual path becomes immensely powerful.
Meditation and mindfulness are necessary. Being self-aware prepares us for the next step, or right action as the Buddhists tell us. Taoism is a spiritual path that teaches how to use virtue as the means to a successful life. Mindful of choice, you can use the wisdom of the Tao to guide you in your next steps. It is through a lifestyle that we implement the right actions and those wise choices.
A small community is a good place to live, one where the citizens are content and do not wish to leave.
They are fully prepared to defend themselves yet avoid leaving their lands to get involved in unnecessary conflicts.
Small communities can be self-sufficient and are not dependent on outside resources. They take care of themselves.
Small communities offer a simple life that harmonizes Longevity.
Small communities are filled with neighbors, friends, and family members who support one another on many levels.
The Small Country Principle is alive and well in the modern world and they are known as “Blue Zones”
The Blue Zones
A few years ago, I discovered a book that helped to sharpen my focus on Longevity. I started reading articles about people turning one hundred years old and how they were able to live so long. Eventually, my curiosity led me to a book titled “The Blue Zones” authored by a man named Dan Buettner.
Dan Buettner, National Geographic Explorer, and author of “The Blue Zones, Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest” discovered five special places around the world where people live longer than average. With higher numbers of centenarians, these communities were called “Blue Zone” and become famous for their simple but powerful lifestyle practices.
One of the key traits these groups had in common was that they held a strong sense of community. Within this strong sense of community, they lived and shared close relationships with friends and family nearby. While listening to the lecture on Chapter 80, I was reminded of this, and close it follows the Tao and how it reflects the lessons of small communities living simple yet happy content lives. This seems to be one of the secrets to living to one hundred years old.
Chapter 80, of the Tao Te Ching, is called “A Small Country”. When you read the verse below, remember much of the translation uses metaphors. “A Small Country” is a metaphor for a small group, small town, or small community”. Taoist principles adhere to a smaller simpler way of life. Specifically, Lao Tzu is talking about living a simple life in a small town. In modern times, ‘’a small country’’ can be not only a small town, but being part of a community, subdivision, neighborhood, or village. Read the verses below and I will explain how and why this can be an important aspect of a Lifestyle for Longevity. The context is life in a small-knit community and how they thrive.
Small country, few people
Let them have many weapons but not use them
Let the people regard death seriously
And not migrate far away
Although they have boats and chariots
They have no need to take them
Although they have armors and weapons
They have no need to display them
Let the people return to tying knots and using them
Savor their food, admire their clothes
Content in their homes, happy in their customs
Neighboring countries see one another
Hear the sounds of roosters and dogs from one another
The people until they grow old and die
Do not go back and forth with one another
We begin with the first three verses:
“Small Country, few people
Let them have many weapons but not use them
Let the people regard death seriously
Chapter 80, Tao Te Ching
In ancient China, the peasant farmers owned weapons, but being Tao cultivators they did not seek to use them. When threatened they stuck together to form a defensive force against aggression. So while they did go out looking for trouble, they could defend themselves with force and make it much harder, less appetizing for those who are looking for an easy target.
Life was hard but good, and these simple people took life and death seriously so they would only fight to defend themselves and then only what is required to survive.
And not migrate far away
Although they have boats and chariots
They do not need to take them
Taking arms to go fight a neighboring land means that they would have to leave home to risk their lives unnecessarily. Their instinct was to stay close and take care of their home. And because they are happy where they live they do not feel a need to leave. Even though they have the means to travel away, ”boats and chariots”, they don’t need to use them for anything other than short trips nearby trade which benefits everyone.
Many things can happen and go wrong when the men would leave their families to go off and fight. Not were trade and farming in neglect, but they could and would get wounded or lose their life on a distant battlefield. This creates a big loss back home when the person who did the work and protected the community was now wounded or dead and unable to contribute.
When life is good, people prefer to keep their wellbeing going which means staying put and not leaving home. Contentment is a powerful sentiment, one that leads to longevity.
Let the people return to tying knots and using them
Savor their food, admire their clothes
Content in their homes, happy in their customs
These three verses form a metaphor lesson of enjoying the simple good life. Knots are a metaphor for the ancient practice of tying knots to remember something. “Tying knots” means finding simple and useful solutions to everyday problems. The wisdom here is to come up with simple effective tools and strategies for accomplishing a task without letting get too complicated. Solve problems the easy way and don’t let yourself lose contentment through too much complexity.
Be content at home staying close and enjoying the simple joys of life in moderation. In the modern age, I can think of various communities that enjoy getting together for fun, relaxation, and food. It’s simple and fun to celebrate traditions such as holiday celebrations, colloquial food celebrated at certain times of the year, and spiritual events. I live down south, so this can mean having collard greens and black-eyed peas for New Year’s. In our house, a family tradition is having Mac-n-Chees at Thanksgiving. Our family Christmas holiday has its own fun traditions as well as other festive holidays. When I lived in Montgomery, Al, a local quirky custom was that the children would put on their finest Easter dresses but go barefooted to the Church service. These are all simple meaningful things that local groups, or “small countries” do to enjoy the simple life within their community.
Reading The Blue Zones book I learned that towns and villages in:
Sardinia, Italy;
Nicoya, Costa Rica;
Ikaria, Greece
Loma Linda, California, US
Okinawa, Japan
All seem to have similar traits in Lao Tzu’s “small country”. They spent most of their lives right in the village where they grew up, eating a simple plant-based diet, tight-knit social groups that help each other out for the collective good of all.
Neighboring countries see one another
Hear the sounds of roosters and dogs from one another
When people are content with their harmonious lifestyle, they know and support other nearby similar communities. Harmony between the individuals of the small town lends itself to harmony with other nearby communities. A kind of intimacy exists where neighbors know each other’s situation on a simple level such as hearing and knowing the sound of your neighbors’ animals (dogs and roosters). Can you imagine waking up in the early morning hours in a village and the first sounds you hear are the people who live around you waking up and coming to life? Everyone gets up with the singular purpose of working to make each other’s lives better. In a small community, the people will know when someone has trouble and can help. They are all interconnected in such a way that working and caring for each other creates a sustaining harmony. This harmony is a powerful virtue for longevity, back then as well as in the modern age. Perhaps I should say, especially in the modern age with so much complex social distraction at large.
The people until they grow old and die
Do not go back and forth with one another
The people live their lives, from birth to death in harmony with each other. They nurture familial, communal, and social harmony by avoiding egocentric drama while practicing mutual caring for the community.
This chapter is not just about the higher quality of small community living but also and especially about the longevity that comes forth from living the simple life.
Summary:
The ideal place to spend a life is a place small enough that one can get to know intimately, including the people, the land, and nature.
Even though there are plenty of means to leave home, they don’t feel the need to leave because they are content, fulfilled, and happy.
Small towns are prepared for emergencies and can defend themselves, they do not dwell on conflict.
They use simple solutions to correct problems, avoiding complexity. They don’t overthink, overcook, over spice and stick to the wisdom and customs that have maintained harmony for generations.
They stay engaged with each other so they can care for each other to maintain the whole. They are close enough to realize when a neighbor or friend needs assistance, or when they need help, others will know and come to help out. In this way, harmony is maintained and life proceeds without unnecessary stress.
One does not have to be or identify as a Taoist to benefit from following the Tao, or The Way. In other words, you don’t have to become a Taoist. I believe that following Tao discipline will better help you follow your chosen religion and avoid sin. Just be your true self and follow your true path. Learning the way of reality and the path to enlightenment is a spiritual path, thus it is called “the way.” Tao cultivation is, not a religion but a spiritual practice as well as a spiritual discipline. Cultivating the Tao is directly about spiritual awakening and longevity so that you will experience an easier and more successful long life. Following the way is to stop self-destructive habits and live in harmony with the Tao, as you experience life.
In ancient times, Chinese people worshipped various deities and ancestors, so it began as religion. Even today there are still some who do treat Taoism as a religion worshiping ancient ancestors and deities while following Taoist canon. I perceive modern Taoism as a spiritual-philosophical discipline and path to enlightenment. It shares a significant amount of Chinese Buddhism that merged with Taoism after it came over from India 5th century BCE. Through meditation and self-study, you can find your true nature. This is your true self. Living life this way is the true path. Tao cultivation is practicing and refining your ability to be self-aware and follow the way so that you live life successfully. The opposite of this is to be constantly distracted by ego tendencies and desires that have us wandering off onto side paths that lead to poor health.
Awakening from the distracted state of a pure ego mind is the first step. Imagine being able to be consciously aware of most of what you do, and why you do it. With Spiritual Discipline, you dispel the ego and stay true to your true self. The harmony that results from this can be transformative in the best ways.
Implementing and living life from this enlightened state of being is the intent and purpose of cultivating the Tao. Henceforth in this book, the term for those who seek to walk the higher path will be known as “Tao Cultivators.” The Tao Cultivator knows that destiny is not predetermined the future looks bright while avoiding self-destructive choices and mistakes. You will know when you have found a connection to the Tao when luck begins to turn your way. If you continue the discipline, you can trend higher over time. There will be difficulties, but your inner strength keeps you steady and on the path. Anyone who cultivates this ability regardless of religion is a Tao Cultivator. Cultivating the Tao is cultivating Longevity by transcending the ego mind and finding the true path.
It is good to think of the term Destiny which may be defined as that which will happen what you will experience in the future. This program’s slogan is “your destiny is not predetermined”. This is to say that much of your future has not been decided yet and you have the opportunity right now to shape it into the future or destiny that you would rather experience. Of course, death awaits us all which none of us can avoid, but the when and how of your return to the Tao is something you can determine if you cultivate longevity.
You may still be deciding whether you want to opt-in or not for what the Tao of Longevity offers. The first thing you should realize and accept is that you are already on this path whether you want to be or not and whether you even realize it. When you are not consciously aware of how your choices and actions are creating your future, the neglect will contribute to atrophy with Longevity being cut short.
Atrophy is anti-life. A general definition of atrophy is the wasting away of the body and mind due to various causes. Specifically in this book, the intent is to bring awareness of how our lifestyle either contributes to well-being and longevity or decline and atrophy. In this sense atrophy is anti-life which is a force of nature. All of us are fighting for our life from the moment we are conceived. There are many causes of death that happen naturally, so the first step is to stop contributing to existing and future atrophy by what you are doing in the present moment. Thus, in every moment you are making choices that lead to longevity or early suffering and death. There is always a moment of choice if you are present and able to take hold of it. In every moment of every day, you are creating your destiny.
Hopefully, you are here reading these words because you are seeking a means of creating a better destiny for yourself. The information on this site is here for that very reason, to help you create a destiny that is not just longer, but with success, contentment, fulfillment, and well-being. I have developed a protocol that has served me well in changing my uncertain destiny to be able to not only survive longer but to realize a sense of joy and contentment that eluded me before cultivating the Tao. You can read my bio[1] to see the situations (heart disease and cancer) that I was able to get control over and am remaining viable and healthy. So, I am sharing it with you on these pages with step-by-step practices to cultivate your longevity path. The keyword here is “cultivate” which means to develop a skill”. Your job is to become highly skilled at being successful in life. Here are the steps in cultivation.
Tao (The Way) cultivation has some key principles:
Meditation – attaining oneness with the Tao by transcending the ego self and awakening as the true self (spirit).
Mindfulness – paying attention to the mind with detached observation
Sovereignty – the principle of the spiritual discipline of Willpower and Self-control (ego management)
Accumulating Tao Virtues – by implementing Tao lessons into the choices and actions in every minute of every day that results in lasting well-being.
Lifestyle Changes – living your life following the Tao, and in harmony with nature.
Those who set out to follow The Way, are called Tao cultivators. While cultivation does not have to follow a linear path, it should begin with learning or improving these principles above principles. The best time and place to begin is right here and right now. Through the karmic result of cause and effect, extraordinary results will begin to happen.
Summary: You, We, and everyone is on the longevity path whether realized it or not. Up to now, you may have been blindly stumbling through life, making yourself sick and using up life force (Qi) faster than you can replenish it. Or you have begun the change but are ready for the next step. Perhaps you have been given a death sentence by the medical community and want to fight for your life. Whatever your story is, this path can maybe buy you some more time. How much time you can recover is dependent on your circumstances and how deep atrophy has become entrenched. If your time is running out, perhaps the Tao can help you find contentment to accept and deal with what you have left. Time is running out for all of us, and no one knows when the end will catch up. That said, it is never too late to wake up and become your true self and be the spirit you are.
Virtue in popular culture can be defined as a word that describes the quality of good behavior and morality. Taoism has much deeper meanings that carry the power to determine your destiny. Tao cultivators work diligently to “accumulate virtue.”
Submitting early is called emphasis on accumulating virtues
Accumulating virtues means there is nothing one cannot accomplish
Verses 4-5, Chapter 59, Tao Te Ching
When I first saw these verses, I immediately wondered what “accumulating virtues” meant. And the phrase “there is nothing one cannot accomplish” really got my attention. The statement implies that by accumulating virtue, Longevity becomes possible. Remember Lao Tzu’s promise that:
They have no determined outcome.
Who knows their ultimate outcome?
Verses 7-8, Chapter 58, Tao Te Ching
You can see that the Tao principle of Virtue plays a key role in cultivating Longevity as well as other areas of life.
The word Inherent is defined as something that is embedded in something and not easily displaced. In the verse from Chapter 59 above, “submitting early is called emphasis on accumulating virtues”, which means one should begin accumulating virtue as soon as possible so that it becomes deeply rooted or embedded in your psyche or second nature. The inherent power of virtue can be understood by examining the phrase “by virtue of”, or by stating “because of” before a successful accomplishment. Examples:
“By virtue of her patience and self-discipline, she was able to lose 100 pounds.”
“Because of his reputation for honesty, he was able to gain the trust and respect of the team, so that victory was at hand.”
In the first example, because of the virtues of patience and self-discipline, she was able to be successful in losing weight and achieving a weight goal. By accumulating patience and self-discipline, their power became her inherent power, or embedded and not easily lost.
In the second example, by virtue of his reputation for honesty, he gained the respect of his team members so that his team trusted his leadership and followed his guidance so that victory was the result.
In every waking moment of every day, we all make choices that determine our future. When we want to achieve success, we must make choices and take actions that will achieve our goals. Causation is the initiating action that will end with a result. The principle works for both the tangible and the intangible.
Tangible: Think of seeds being planted in a garden. To grow a garden, you must plant the seeds for the plants you want to harvest. Causation is the planting of seeds; Effect is the reaping of fruit from the plant when it has matured. The action of planting seeds results in the growing of food. This is the cause and effect utilized for growing plants.
Intangible: Cultivating and accumulating Virtue is action or causation that will result in success, as in the examples above. Cultivating the virtues of patience and discipline results in losing weight. Cultivating honesty results in a reputation that team members trust and follow.
Your current life situation is a result of cause and effect from the past. The choices you make and the actions you take have resulted in what you are experiencing in the present moment. Because of the inherent power of virtue, the choices and actions you take for longevity will have the greatest chance of success. Therefore, you should practice cultivating virtue because your future and longevity depend directly upon it. While it is true that there are circumstances that happen that are out of your control, how you react to the inevitable obstacles and challenges in life will affect your future.
There are many different virtues to learn and cultivate that will enhance your ability to succeed in life. It is not hard to see virtues, yet it can be challenging to implement them. This is because virtue tends to not be an aspect of the desire-seeking ego mind. When I looked up what the opposite of virtue was online, the list was:
Vice
Iniquity
Wickedness
Sinfulness
Immorality
Impropriety
Sin
These are all immoral descriptions, which are qualities of the Ego mind. But rather than see Virtue as moral, try to see its inherent power for cultivating a long, successful life. Here is a brief list of Virtues to consider:
Conservation, Compassion, and Humility (Lao Tzu’s Three Treasures) [1]
Now, try visualizing the practice of these virtues in everyday life. Think of the success you have had and consider how they helped you. Specifically, think of how practicing some of these virtues can create a destiny of Longevity. Remember, your destiny is created in each choice you make, so if your Longevity goals are to lose weight, exercise more, lower your blood pressure, or avoid toxic foods, what virtues must you practice to achieve it.
To accumulate a virtue means that you have practiced it so many times that it has become second nature. You don’t have to think about using them when you make your life choices.
Accumulating virtues means there is nothing one cannot accomplish
If you want to prevent or cure disease, work on accumulating virtue and harness the mystic power of virtue. This is the Tao of Virtue.
Summary: To Cultivate a Successful Destiny, Integrate virtue into your life.
The way you live your life and lifestyle either promotes or corrupts Longevity.
Virtue leads to Harmony, which leads to well-being and Longevity.
Your Lifestyle is a reflection of your life choices. Virtuous choices lead to successful living.
[1] See Chapter 67, Tao Te Ching: “I have three treasures, I hold on to them and protect them.”
Ego Depletion is what erodes willpower and self-control. It is also called Ego Fatigue. Even for those who cultivate self-awareness and Sovereignty, ego depletion is always something to deal with. Ego depletion is the drawing down of your energy from having to constantly manage and restrain the ego tendencies. The ego’s reactive element leads to stress. The constant reaction leads to constant stress. Constantly reacting emotionally to life’s daily dramas and worries uses up a lot of energy. We all know how tired we are after a stressful day of worry, anxiety, and strife. When you become tired, you do not have enough energy to keep the ego from taking over and making bad choices. It is at this point of fatigue that we lose the battle with self-discipline and break the rules that we have set for ourselves. When we are tired and out of energy, we give in and let the ego satiate its desire. A modern analogy might be to compare your body’s energy level to a cell phone battery. When too many apps on the phone are working at once, the battery drains much faster. At some point, it must be recharged. Limiting how many apps are running is akin to limiting mind activity and resting it periodically such as short meditations and mental breaks. Once distracted we don’t even notice our slide out of sanity and into the ego reactive mode. Ego fatigue erodes our ability to stick to the path, achieve goals, and do what we promised ourselves that we do or not do. So, what is the solution?
Until the time that you become fully enlightened and are no longer subject to ego temptation, which most of us are not, you must work on being aware and managing your energy reserves. Physical energy, or vitality, plays a big role in being able to remain detached and stay in charge of your inner kingdom. Spiritual energy and emotions are also important to maintain so that you do not become too fatigued to say no to your desire. Meditation and mindfulness are skills that allow you to be awake and aware of reactions and give you the chance to not get sucked into the trap of ego depletion by being less reactive. By staying ahead of these emotional energy-draining reactions, you can conserve energy, remain detached, stay relaxed and make smarter decisions.
Most importantly, there are situations and circumstances where your wisdom mind knows the danger of letting desire control decision-making. You can become aware of ego traps. Part of you knows better than to do “it” but the ego takes advantage of a tired spirit and takes over. The wise and rational mind knows that making a bad choice will have negative consequences but without the energy to dominate the ego, the trap gets sprung, and karma (cause and effect) delivers the result. In everyday life, there are many traps awaiting the ego, so one must be vigilant in not falling into one through being too tired to do the right thing.
Take a moment to think about a recent stressful day when you were tired and worn out. An example might be when you had a tough day at work and came home to indulge in food and drink that causes harm to the body. Sometimes we can get too tired to care and just give in to desire. That is the moment you have become too depleted to manage your ego and restrain your “self” from doing something unhealthy.
Think of ways to rest your mind and restore your energy during the day so that you are not depleted. Find moments where you can just stop and rest. Find moments where you can bring yourself present and self-aware so that you know that you are becoming depleted and losing resolve.
Now that you know why you get grumpy or grouchy at the end of the day, you can learn to become aware of your energy level and manage it so that you don’t have an ego fail and fall into one of the traps.
This article is an excerpt from the soon-to-be-published book, The Tao of Longevity, Chapter 37, Seven Ego Traps for a Toxic Lifestyle.
This image shows different images of the same jar. One is with the mud and water disturbed and murky, the other image shows the mud settled to the bottom and clear water above which is reflective of what happens to the mind when one sits in meditation. Murky water is a metaphor of an anxious mind which is represented by the jar on the left. The other represents a mind that is still and has clarity (oneness with the Tao).
If you missed The Tao of Oneness Part One, go here
Part Two of this Chapter (the middle part) indicates what happens without oneness.
The sky, lacking clarity, would break apart
The earth, lacking tranquility, would erupt
The gods, lacking divinity, would vanish
The valley, lacking abundance, would wither
Myriad things, lacking life, would be extinct
The rulers, lacking standard, would be toppled.
Verses 9-14, Chapter 39, Tao Te Ching
Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching translated and annotated by Derek Lin.
When the weather is stormy, the skies are cloudy and not clear. When our minds have stormy weather, our choices and decisions lead to negative results.
When the earth erupts, it can be like a volcanic eruption, which is a good example of what happens when people lose their temper. Anger and violence create cataclysmic mistakes and create tensions, strife, violence, and devastation.
When spirituality is put aside or forgotten, a person loses the benefits that come with it, such as wisdom, discipline, and faith. When cultivation stops, we become vulnerable to mistakes and consequences.
When the valley and the river that provide nutrients (abundance) dry up, all those living things that are dependent on it begin to wither away.
When the myriad of living creatures lacks vital life energy and die off, which leads to extinction. In a more modern and personal context, this means health. Without oneness, health declines and will lead to death.
When rulers lack the world standard (being a good example), people no longer listen to or follow them. They are no longer looked up to or can be seen as someone to follow as a source of advice, and they lack credibility. Without oneness, they become irrelevant. loss of oneness leads to as reflected in the sky, earth, divinity, fertile valley, life, and leadership:
A lack of clarity (being clear-minded and having understanding).
Cataclysmic results interrupt well-being and bring about suffering.
Spirituality (divineness) begins to erode and disappear, which leads to the emptiness of purpose and spiritually void and empty. (Ego will fill the void).
A lack of abundance in its many examples. Quality of life withers, and suffering fills the void.
Loss of health and well-being. Atrophy sets in, and unless it is turned around will lead to death.
With rejection and loss of natural leadership. You become irrelevant at best, and no one will see you as someone to follow or listen to because of such an inferior performance.
In summary, these reflections of existence deteriorate.
The benefits of oneness:
Clarity
Tranquility
Divinity (Spirituality)
Abundance
Physical Life and Health
Leadership
The consequences of not having oneness:
Unclear judgment and thinking
Destruction and life coming apart in disintegrating fragments
Being controlled by ego and its emotions
Poor health leads to death
Becoming an example of failure in life (how to not live life)
You can see the importance of Oneness. So, what is Oneness?
Answering this question requires examination from three aspects. Unity, Connectivity, and the One True Path.
Unity. Unity begins with the perspective of bringing the unity of all things into one reality. On the largest scale, this would be the universe and everything in it as one collective. Oneness of the Tao begins on a personal level that is relevant because our lives reflect all other aspects of the Tao. It’s a pattern that you will recognize.
For example, we can see that the universe is not empty but filled with stars, gases, planets, and other elements. It is a collection in a working system that is thought to begin with the big bang.
A reflection of that system is the human body. We are a universe contained within our physical bodies. We have many different elements from the skeletal bone structure down to the microscopic cells that keep us alive. We even have life forms living in symbiosis within our gut. From large down to small it is a living system, a collective that works in harmony with natural law, the Tao. Taken to an even smaller level, such as microscopic, atomic, and quantum, the same pattern is seen. It is a collective of many parts that is unified and inseparable.
Connectivity. Another perspective is to see oneness as the connectivity between us as a people. Collectively we are one, yet despite being individuals we are all connected. The perspective of being separated from everyone else is an illusion that is opposite from Oneness. This [illusion] or desire to be separated from everyone else leads to division and separation. Lack of unity and divisiveness creates strife and conflict. Unity opens the way for cooperative harmony. Unity is Oneness. Reasonable people will see this to be true on every level beginning with everyone in your neighborhood, in your town, in your state, in your country, and especially throughout the world. Together we have Oneness. When as a world society we develop Harmony, prosperity, and well-being follow. When we have disparity and disharmony between societies, we have war, famine, and large-scale suffering. There is Harmony when people ascend the ego mind. There is disharmony when people are prisoners of their egos. Those who find their true path, join with others who are where unity brings widescale well-being. When ego-centric people collectively follow their own self-destructive paths there is widescale suffering.
The third aspect of Oneness is the One True Path which is a rich topic and is revealed in detail in Part Two of the Oneness Feature. This post is just a paraphrase of Derek Lin’s Lecture on Oneness. This has been just a brief report on what he goes into detail about. Here are the links to the lectures that this lesson is sourced from. I invite you to watch and listen to the in-depth translation and explanation of this especially important Tao principle.
Part Three
(The Third Part of the chapter on Oneness) How to Attain it.
The Tao of Oneness – Finding the One True Path
Therefore, the honored uses the lowly as basis
The higher uses the lower as foundation
Thus, the rulers call themselves alone, bereft, and unworthy
Is this not using the lowly as basis? Is it not so?
Therefore, the ultimate honor is no honor
Do no wish to be shiny like jade
Be dull like rocks
Verses 15-21, Chapter 39, Tao Te Ching
The One True Path.
Left the muddy water represents a turbid mind. Right is a settled mind that has clarity. The sediment has dropped away through tranquility and stillness.
Parts One and Two ended with two of the three aspects of Oneness. They were Unity and Connectedness. The third aspect of Oneness with the Tao is finding and staying on the One True Path to attain oneness. Attaining oneness is to gain:
Robust life energy (Qi) to maintain and enjoy life
Sought out by others due to success (example for others)
The One True Path is the one that is unified with Tao teachings. It is the one that creates, sustains, and promotes successful living. The Tao, also known as “The Way,” is the one true path. This aspect of how to be on the One Path is something that most people will not recognize with a skilled teacher points out the intentions of Lao Tzu. Which path is the true one? You must seek that answer by finding clarity. As mentioned above, you must do this yourself. It happens through practice, trial, and error. This is what cultivation is. How do you know if you are being successful? Karma is your judge by enacting cause and effect. You will know when life becomes simpler and better. You will know when your spirit is right (clarity), and your heart is tranquil. You will know when the people around you start to notice and want to mirror what you do and have.
The True Path is the most optimal and beneficial. When you sit and contemplate this you can get a sense of which way to go; which path to take. In those moments of choice when destiny awaits, you step forth carefully with wisdom.
Your true path is unique to you. Of the many choices, only one is the true one, the most optimal. Tao cultivators have learned that the Tao teachings reveal which path, is right and which is wrong. This one true path is that which has Oneness with the Tao and not the distracted side paths of the ego.
Here are some steps for finding and attaining Oneness with the Tao. This section is characterized by the virtue of Humility.
Humility becomes the way to self-honesty. With self-honesty, you can take ownership of your faults and change your ways. As you contemplate what this all means to you, ask yourself what you need to master to attain Oneness? What is it you will commit to? What speaks to you in such a way that you are willing to invest in and stick with for the long term. It is writing this book and sharing what I learn through blogging. I do this because I have seen it work in my life. This can be one of your most important decisions, so think carefully before vowing and committing to it.
As you consider this be truthful with your self-talk. What are you holding in your heart and mind? What is the underlying intention behind your consideration? Your motivation should come from a place of gratitude. Solid intention and a foundation of gratitude are necessary parts of the recipe for Oneness to work.
These two virtues will empower and motivate you to action, which is the next step in the process. As you experience the benefits of Oneness, the feeling of gratitude will join with the intention to share what you found with others. As you gain clarity and tranquility, Oneness arises. As you begin to master Oneness, you will look back at the past with a feeling of never wanting to repeat the lack of vision, the instability, the spiritual awakening, the lack of abundance, and the lack of leadership amongst your peers. Naturally, having transcended that, you will feel grateful for your newfound wisdom. As you begin to attain Oneness, others will notice your success. They will want to know the secret, and you naturally attain leadership by request.
Then you will gladly take the next steps because you know how effective they are, and you want others to receive the same benefits. These actions become second nature and will compound over time, leading to a mastery of life.
The Protocol steps and levels listed above are:
Commitment,
Intention,
Gratitude,
Actions,
Mastery
There is an alchemy of bringing these spiritual ingredients together in such a way that the sum is greater than the individual parts. The result is Oneness and the One True Path. For true results, practice this every day until it becomes second nature over time. Be patient and remember why you committed to the process.
With Humility in your heart, you start over and begin taking small steps following the protocol above. Begin and build from the ground up so that you have a strong foundation. Make a commitment to yourself to finish what you start and do a good job. Success at this commitment will help you develop the right intention where you realize a sense of true gratitude about being able to improve your well-being, quality of life and longevity. With gratitude you take actions with courage and confidence because you know that the process works through experience. After a time of success, you will realize that are ascending toward Mastery. With mastery, comes the natural leadership for those who want to know how you do it. With Humility as your foundation, you will not let ego go to your head and stray from the path.
Know that you will have setbacks which are inevitable in training, so know what to do when it happens. Meditation and mindfulness are the self-management skills to deal with those days when can’t hold Oneness. When you can become aware of your cloudy and turbid mind you can find the Clarity and Tranquility that you need through meditation. Mindfulness practice helps you to pay attention and notice the moments when you have a lack of Clarity, and the mind is not tranquil.
When you lose your feeling of gratitude due to the inevitable times when the challenges of life temporarily distract us from our higher self. In those times you can step back (mentally) and remember those times in your life where you were experiencing life with contentment and joy.
Remember those things that you have experienced and are grateful for. Look at some photos of time where you were really enjoying life.
Remember how as you attained Clarity in other areas how it brought more success and joy to life.
Think of people who love you
Think of people who you love and enjoy spending your life with
Take some self-time to enjoy a moment in life again.
Look at all you have accomplished through Oneness up to this point.
Be humble and recognize the fault and resolve to do better.
Summary: Oneness is a powerful Tao Virtue that will improve every aspect of life that you practice it in. As stated in the beginning of this chapter, Oneness is reflected in every aspect of life, especially in spiritual longevity. Spiritual Longevity opens the way for Physical Longevity.
Cultivate Oneness through Meditation, Mindfulness, and Spiritual Cultivation.
Through Tranquility and Clarity, discover your true self and your true path.
Let humility and gratitude be the foundation virtue and guide for attaining Oneness
By adhering to and following your true path, you will transform your life by reducing suffering and achieving Well-being and Longevity.
For a deeper insight into Oneness, watch the original lecture from Tao Teach Derek Lin.
This is an excerpt from the book, The Tao of Longevity (part one only)
The lesson of Oneness is one of the most important and key Tao principles for Tao Cultivators to master. As mentioned before, spiritual longevity leads to physical longevity. Oneness is one of the cultivating principles to work on for having success in life, especially for longevity. After all, you are crafting your destiny in every moment of every day so to heal, restore your vitality and maintain it for the long haul, Oneness is essential to cultivating spiritual longevity. We begin with Lao Tzu’s Chapter 39 which explains the what, why, and how to cultivate it.
The chapter can be broken down into three parts in which I am sectioning into two parts as separate blog posts. Part one is a study of sections one including verses 1 -8, and Part Two are verses 9-14. And Part Three is verses 15-21.
Part One. What is Oneness and how is it reflected in life, especially for Longevity?
The Chapter Study begins with part one which is the first 8 verses of Chapter 39. Its sub-title could be stated as You Mirror All Aspects of the Tao
Those that attained oneness since ancient times
The sky attained oneness and thus clarity
The earth attained oneness and thus tranquility
The Gods attained oneness and thus divinity
The valley attained oneness and thus abundance
The myriad things attained oneness and thus life
The rulers attained oneness and became the standard for the world
These all emerged from oneness
Verses 1 – 8, Chapter 39, Tao Te Ching
Oneness is referenced in three different chapters of the Tao Te Ching. It is featured in chapter 39 (above) and mentioned in chapters 10 and 56. You will notice as you read the Tao Te Ching that Lao Tzu uses local metaphors for perspective. These metaphors are historically contextual and may not make sense when you take the translations at face value. Here I am giving you a very basic explanation of what they mean to us now. For a deeper and more thorough understanding please watch Derek Lin’s YouTube video. See the links below.
The first seven verses are examples of different elements of existence in which oneness is reflected in our lives. We are reflections of the universe both internally and externally. Tao cultivators understand that all perspectives of existence are reflected in each of us. Each of us is a reflection of the Tao. Above are seven different examples, and metaphors for seeing the different areas of existence in our life in which we are to mirror Oneness. As you read through these consider how they can be reflected in the different aspects of your life. to personally apply them.
The Sky has oneness when it is clear thus it has clarity. Not having oneness would be cloudy and stormy weather reflected as cloudy or turbid thinking. In life, we can avoid stormy weather by avoiding the egocentric activities and drama that distracts us and causes us to have stress and anxiety. A mind filled with drama, anger, arguing, and fighting is one that clouded my emotion and not thinking clearly. When we see things clearly as they truly are we have clarity. Then perception is free from distracting emotion and mood which often filters and distorts thinking. A good example is to think of when you are in a depressed mood and how ineffective your thoughts are at planning future events. When the spirit and mind are free of these, inspiration rises, and we know our path forward with confidence
With clarity, we are free and clear to observe and flow with life unimpeded. When the mind is clear there is oneness of the true self (spirit). This is clarity through oneness. With clarity, you can make sound and wise choices that advance success in your life.
The Earth has tranquility when it is without cataclysm which is most of the time. Most of the time the earth is stable. However, people are not so tranquil as they are often distracted with drama, debate, arguing, fighting and other negative traits opposite of tranquility. When we are tranquil like the earth is most of the time, then life has stability. Earth here is a metaphor for heart and home which for most people is the center and foundation of life. Most of the time the earth is solid and still and is easy to stand and walk on. When you have tranquility in your heart and in your home which are the center of your life, it radiates outward into all the other aspects of life. How about your life? Is its lack of tranquility causing instability and distraction where you live and work? When we avoid egocentric drama and chaos, we lose our stable foundation for navigating life’s challenges. Too much turmoil erodes peace of mind and heart. When we are constantly bouncing around from one drama to another it is hard to enjoy life and be productive. Oneness in this perspective is to develop tranquility in life by avoiding the distractions and reactions of the emotional ego.
The Gods and divinity are a reflection of spirituality. When you can have oneness in your spiritual development you realize authentic spiritual wisdom. This is to say that when you have oneness in your spiritual life, you do your best to practice, to cultivate the spiritual lesson rather than to just go through the empty motions of being spiritual. The colloquial saying that comes to my mind is “to practice what you preach” or “walk to talk”. Those who just pretend to follow spiritual disciplines reveal their true nature in the things they do in life, in the way they interact with others, and in the lack of true leadership they portray. I am reminded of those who are pious on Sunday morning in the temple or church yet back to business-as-usual on Sunday Afternoon and the following week.
The Valley and Abundance is reflected in our lives through Oneness of clarity and tranquility. The Valley is a metaphor for abundance having its origins in the way the ancients appreciated how the low areas between and following the mountains were where rich nutrients were deposited on a regular basis in the rivers and streams. Perhaps gold is a good example of how nuggets are found in the silt and sand of riverbeds in the valley of hills and mountains. How is abundance reflected in your life? Are you free from distractions and turmoil so that mind, body, and spirit are clear and tranquil so that you can manifest wealth? Or are you living a chaotic life always struggling from paycheck to paycheck and never getting ahead? Wealth doesn’t have to be financial, it can also mean friendship, peace of mind, a happy family, employment, or even the physical locality of where you live.
The Myriad of Things and Life is a reflection for all living things on earth and their life vitality. Oneness with the Tao, to have clarity and tranquility promotes wellbeing and robust life energy, Qi. This energy is what makes life so good from both a health perspective, but also mood, outlook, and a positive perspective. Enjoyment of life is what all creatures seek. Without oneness which is to be without clarity and tranquility is to have low energy, low outlook, dark thoughts, and emotions, and too much suffering. Without Oneness life becomes stressful, dull, and filled with apathy and depression.
The Rulers and the World Standard. Rulers is a metaphor for leadership. When you have oneness, it is reflected in your life and people notice. They want to know the secret and by your example, you become a leader in the sense that people look up to you. You become an example of how good life can be. This verse is not so much about actual rulers, and it is about those who rule their life with clarity and tranquility. It pays off in so many positive ways that people will want to follow the example so their life will be good too.
Use Clarity of mind and spirit to attain oneness
Use Tranquility of heart and home to attain oneness
Use divinity (your spiritual discipline) to attain oneness
Use abundance to attain oneness
Use your robust life energy to attain oneness
Be an example for others (world standard) to attain oneness
There is a great story that gives a good example of how clarity brings about oneness to solve a difficult problem.
Now apply this to reflect your current longevity path.
Clarity: are you clear and committed to changing course away from what is damaging your health and well-being. Is it clear to you how you created your current situation?
Tranquility of heart: is your emotional heart filled with negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, worry, fear, aggression, etc.? Or is your heart calm and tranquil and able to have clarity?
“The Tao that is true and constant.
Those who realize it will attain it by themselves.
Those who realize and attain the Tao, will possess constant clarity and tranquility.
Chapter 12: Qingjing Jing [Chingjing Jing], also known as the Clarity and Tranquility Classic.
Divinity (Spirituality): Are you awakened as the true self and able to maintain the determination to stay on the path or is the ego controlling your life through choices that undermine longevity? Spirituality is the work of cultivating attainment of clarity and tranquility. “Those who realize it will attain it by themselves” means that seeking, the cultivation can only be done by you. Enlightenment or attainment is the result of one’s personal refinement that is the personal true path that they follow; they life that they live. No one can do for you. No one can give it to you. You must seek, find and cultivate clarity and tranquility for yourself. Spiritual teachers can only point the way, it is up to you to understand it, use it, and refine your attainment.
Abundance: Is your life filled everything you need to live a long healthy life? Or has a lack of clarity, tranquility and Spiritual power allowed the ego to deplete the things you need to live comfortably?
Life: The myriad of things: within your life, your body, your mind, are the elements that make up your life. Are they reflecting wellbeing prosperity and heath? Or are they tired, sick, weak, and low on resources?
The Rulers of the World: The most successful rulers/leaders are those who have been promoted by their peers. Because they reflect the Tao, people notice the success and life skills. They want to seek to learn and associate with success from those who have attainment. People will naturally follow them. This is what Lao Tzu means by The Rulers of the World”. Those who rise to true leadership through attaining the Tao.
Are you being viewed as someone who is at the top of their Longevity practice?
How likely are your peers to recognize the virtue of Clarity and Tranquility within you?
How likely is it that others will notice your fitness level, your health, happiness, and wellbeing and want to know what you are doing? Or are you an example of what not to do.
Acumulating virtues, means there is nothing one cannot overcome
When there is nothing that one cannot overcome,
One’s limits are unknown.
The limits being unknown, one can possess Sovereignty.
With this mother principle of power, one can be everlasting.
This is called deep roots and firm foundation.
The Tao of Longevity and Lasting Vision
Longevity is a topic that is becoming more prevalent these days, with fitness a $96 billion dollar industry worldwide. This may be driven by the collective ego of people who simply want to look good for everyone else. Yet there are plenty of people who are sick with chronic diseases who simply want to live longer and experience contentment. This is the group that I hope to offer assistance to. So rather than focus just on physical longevity, The Tao (the way, the path) of Longevity begins with Spiritual Longevity.
What is Spiritual Longevity? Like many spiritual traditions, Tao Cultivators understand that there is much more than just the physical aspect of “self”. For those who believe in reincarnation, there is a never-ending cycle of life and death in which the spirit experiences many lives. Too often these lives are filled with suffering and misery through no fault of their own. Yet in this modern age, there is a lot of suffering that people cause for themselves. The glaring question is why we as a society, especially Western Society, do this to ourselves.
Six in ten Americans live with at least one chronic disease, like heart disease and stroke, cancer, or diabetes. These and other chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in America, and they are also a leading driver of health care costs.
The answer I believe lies within. Too many people are dominated by ego-driving desires and distractions living in a waking dream of always striving for more. According to the CDC, six out of ten people cause themselves to be chronically ill, a category of self-caused suffering. The course of action to stop this destructive behavior is learning to control themselves. Or more specifically learning to control ego and desire. One must learn to wake up and become conscious and aware of what they are doing and why. The becomes the foundation of “self” discipline, where “self” is binary. The ego-self must be controlled by the spiritual self, also known as the “True Self”. This is the intent and purpose of spiritual cultivation which is internal. So before a person cannot effectively work on physical longevity, they must first awaken and cultivate spiritual longevity.
Your Destiny Is Not Predetermined
The sub-title to the new book and this blog, “Your Destiny Is Not Predermined”, means that you do not have to end up one of the 6 in 10 people who developed a chronic disease and die before you should. If you truly want to have a long successful life, you can become the sovereign ruler over your physical life and manage the ego so that the choices you make lead to a much better destiny. We make choices every moment of every day that creates our future. When we are awake and aware, consciously choosing those actions that are right, and promoting harmony, physical longevity will follow.
What is meant by waking up and paying attention? Most people who have not trained in mediation, do not comprehend just how distracted they are. Their busy minds are inundated with too much activity, stress, and drama. Their mindstream can be like a mountain river after a flash flood; out of control. Meditation is the state of being where the spirit, also considered to be the “observer” remains detached and awake, not lost in the incessant stream of thoughts and emotions. This is covered in detail in the book. Once awakened, the higher self becomes the Sovereign ruling life through wisdom and experience, avoiding the ego traps that cause suffering. This state of being is known as “self-awareness”. Once awake and aware, the observing true self (spirit) can pay attention to the mind and guard against ego takeover without being reactive to it. Through stillness, desire is dispelled and the ego becomes distant.
The term “Tao Cultivator” simply means one who cultivates the way. It is the way of reality, the way of living successfully, and with harmony in world around us. Harmony, as you will learn in the book, is no small thing. It is a powerful virtue, that through the cause and effect of Karma, turns the choices you make into the destiny of wellbeing. So if you want to truly have a long successful life, now and in future lifetimes, cultivate spiritual longevity and the physical will follow. Karmic affinity will follow your lives with the wisdom you attained, so that each time around you can improve and get better. Spiritual longevity is not just about this life, but also about the ones that will follow.
Sovereignty – The Tao Principle of Spiritual Discipline
Paperback
Imagine what it would be like to rule over your life from a place of stillness, calm, and, tranquility. Imagine what it would be like to wake up and remember what it feels like to find the world beautiful again. This is the power of Sovereignty. This book will explain and guide you into becoming Sovereign over your life and destiny. This is true power.
Every new year, many of us set new goals and resolve to make positive changes that will make life better. Yet many will fail because of a lack of discipline. Specifically, “self” discipline. This book will explain and guide you into exercising your higher willpower and self-discipline
So before setting those goals and agendas, learn to work on your “self” first. Which is to say work on self-control and willpower first. In this way, goal success will be a lot easier. Real success awaits the person who can best manage and control the ignorant self-destructive ego-self. When you realize this sovereignty of ruling over the ego, then you can take charge of your destiny which is created in every choice you make. At any given moment you can choose the action that takes you closer to or further from realizing success. This will share with you the ancient secrets of true spiritual power.
Life is a journey of self-discovery. It is the discovery of the true self. What is the true self you ask? The true self is the part of you that has been lost to distraction. There is a part of you that is above the pettiness and self-serving ego. This higher aspect of the self is your spiritual center. This aspect of you is eternal and resonates at a higher state of consciousness. To realize the true self, one must only awaken. You will awaken into your true nature… your true self. As the true self, you will know how to find and follow your true path. Here is a step-by-step spiritual strategy that has been around for thousands of years. “Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders”. Discover the path to longevity and well-being. TDT
“Hello Mr. Beasley, I am calling to find out more about your meditation classes. A friend of mine told me the meditation you teach really helps with stress. I really want to find out more about how I can get a handle on my stress.”As a meditation instructor, I receive phone calls and emails like this about once a month. Along the way, I began to write down the lessons that I share in the courses and classes. These are ancient spiritual lessons that saved me from myself and gave me my life back. I have compiled them into a handbook for the average person to use to free themselves from a path of self-destruction. This book is designed so that the reader can jump around from problem to problem and seek understanding about why they are stressed and how to stop self-destructing behaviors. The lessons overlap and as you begin to understand your own craziness, you begin to understand what you have been doing and why. This handbook is part of a meditation course, so I strongly recommend that you study mindfulness meditation along with mindfulness study. If you take up this path with determination and do not give up, you will transform your life. These teachings are how to free yourself from ego and find your true self, your true path. As you begin to study and practice other spiritual paths, you will find that it takes willpower to choose wisdom when faced with choices. This is about how to free your “self” from distraction and take back the power of choice. In this way, you can choose and implement wisdom, moment by moment, step by step along your path to freedom. Your destiny awaits you. Free Your Self
I define Meditation as a transcendent state of being. Transcendence is to exist and experience clear of, beyond, or above the physical realm. Even more to the point, Meditation cultivates the ability to transcend the ego mind which often dominates the physical world. To cultivate Longevity, a person must rise above the ego-self and take charge of life. Another way of seeing Transcendence is to understand it awaken from the ego self and go beyond, rise above into the True Self.
Self
The first principle to consider is to wake up and recognize the duality of consciousness and mind, and then to transcend it. Let us begin with a rudimentary definition of the word “self”. In the interactive physical realm ego sense of self is often reflected in the word “me”.
This term is useful and necessary in modern-day syntax for effective communication. We use it multiple times a day, every day. As a language tool, the word “me” is used by a person to refer to themselves. As you can see the word “self” is woven into our way of speech and is indispensable. Also referring to one’s self in the grammatical sense is “I” which denotes who is “doing” or “being”. “Me” denotes the object of a verb and is used when the speaker is the receiver of something. See if you can notice how many times a day and in the context, you use the words Me, I, and Self while communicating with others.
The next perspective to consider is the metaphysical or spiritual one. In this view, both “I” and “me” refer to the ego through its sense of “self-awareness” which is almost reflected through cravings and desire. Examples:
“What about me?” Or “what about mine”
“I need that” or “I want that” and “I must have that to be happy”
The Duality of Self
All things in the Tao follow the Yin Yang duality. The duality of self is in the broader sense The spiritual eternal self and the physical self. The Spirit Self or True Self is the eternal soul, and the Physical self is the entity you identify with and experience life in the physical realm. The Physical self is also The spiritual self that does not think in language so the subject pronoun is not relevant. In the physical realm, the physical self is binary. Physical spirit is a reflection of the eternal spirit (True-Self) a forms duality with the ego-self. Think of Yin (physical spirit harmonizing in the physical realm with the ego-self. When a person has not yet transcended, they mostly experience life through the ego self with Ying following Yang which is how most people identify. Being “me” is all they know. Right now, you may be coming to this realization.
According to Tao Tzu, only one in ten people are successful in life. These are the awakened ones who follow the true path. The rest, nine out ten, suffer and die too soon. These are the ones who have not awakened yet and their ego self is causing failure in life. The one in ten he speaks of have transcended the ego and have attained Sovereignty. Sovereignty is the virtue of ruling over your life with wisdom and clarity.
Transcendence
Transcendence is the process of awakening from the prison of the ego. The ego and its associated mind link form a multiplex of subroutines or personalities that form this illusionary identity. The ego is a mental entity that creates the illusion. This self-created prison is the ego mind which traps the person through craving (desire) and fear. The illusion of prison is constructed by the inability to let go of attachments that arise from desire or fear. When we suffer, we look for ways to cope with emotional and physical pain. These coping measures become habits and addictions which lead to more suffering. Yet we cannot let go because we fear we will lose, and we desire more of it to stop the suffering. It often creates a downward spiral which becomes harder and harder to escape as time goes on. Since this is all that, you know, there appears to be no way out of the life of suffering. This is a big illusion. The illusion can be broken by awakening from this realistic dream state through meditation. The important thing is that every one of us has the potential to awaken and know the truth through meditation and transcendence.
Self-awareness – The True Self
Transcendence is an evolution of awakening:
Awakening – (rising above the thinking mind, the process of detaching)
Presence (Self-aware, present, fully in the now)
Oneness (Stillness, clarity, and unity with Tao)
Dissipation/Dispelling (of desire and emotion)
Harmony
Meditation is a Transcended state of being (awareness) where through observation there becomes a distinction between consciousness and mind. This is a subject-object view where the observer is the subject, and the mind is the object. Who is this observer that is separate from the mind? It is the true self or soul that is eternal and all-knowing. The realization of this is the transcendence of waking up from pure ego being to spiritual being. When awakened (transcended) one is self-aware. This is to say, that the true self is detached and observing recognizing that there is much to life than the singular egoic view of life. Of the two parts of the physical self, it is the physical spiritual self that is unified with the true self (soul). The True Self shines through the physical true self and manages life. This is sovereignty and the only way to manage the ego.
The Ego.
The Ego is a mental entity. It evolved with our species as we grew more sophisticated and learned how to survive in a harsh environment. It is the aspect of mind and self that takes care of “me”. It is crafty, smart, tenacious, and narcissistic. Unlike other religions that direct a person towards enlightenment by annihilating the ego, the Taoist approach is one of management recognizing that completely ridding oneself of ego is both impossible and extreme. Arguably the ego must be managed yet sometimes it can bring forth something that the true self can use. The ego is attached to emotion which can be problematic therefore, transcendence from it being the sole identity is the way to break free of emotional attachments. For the person, possibly you the reader, the ego is all that you know. This means you identify with the ego and all its attachments, desires, and dark emotions. Yet most people have a moment from time to time where a subtle wise whisper suggests the higher path. Part of the wise self will get through, if only for a moment, and in that pause, the true self is rising above, and you are awakening. But then, without training, most will slip back into the world of ego and be lost again for some period of time, suffering, and not knowing how to escape.
Transcendence is the waking of the True Self. This awakened state is known as self-awareness. As you begin to awaken to the realization that you are and always have been a spiritual being having a physical experience so does the possibility of escaping. The prison disappears and you, your true essence is free to construct and manage a successful life. In meditation, thoughts become objects to be observed in a detached non-reactive manner. It is in the stillness or emptiness of thought where oneness with the Tao is discovered. With oneness, you will gain clarity and enlightenment. It is in the stillness that becomes the source of clarity. Clarity is the truth of reality. Enlightenment in this context is the end of self-caused suffering
There are three meditations recommended for the process of awakening and cultivating self-awareness and sovereignty (discipline over the ego).
Transcendence Meditation (Mantra or Breath)
Mindfulness Meditation (detached observation of the mind)
Contemplative Meditation (detached self-discovery and reflection)
There are many other types of meditation, these three are what I advised for cultivating self-awareness, sovereignty, and enlightenment. You can find instructors for these in many places. It is your job to find the teacher and begin the process of learning and cultivating.
Self-awareness is a state of being that is apart from or above the duality of mind and ego. Both the physical spirit self and the ego self mold and shape the mind. It is the illusion that you are the mind is the state that you awaken from. In self-awareness, you become aware of the ego and its influence over the mind and thus life. From the perspective of self-awareness, you can control your destiny through choices the wisdom of the true self makes and ignore the always insistence needy whiny ego. These choices directly affect the destiny of longevity and the quality of present life.
Self-awareness takes cultivation. There is the initial awakening from which most people will fall back asleep with the illusion of ego life. To make it stick takes practice and repetition to get strong and stronger at staying awake, aware, and detached. Through practice, your skill gets stronger and stronger which means that you begin to remain longer and longer in the awakened state. As this happens life begins to change in the most amazing and wonderful ways.
See Stillness Meditation in the Meditation Section
The True Self (Living Spirit) and the True Path.
The Way of longevity is one the being on the true path. What is the true self and the true path? The true self is the transcended sense of self that is awakened and aware. In the diagram above it is called the living spirit. I follow the perspective that in the physical realm and physical life experience these two aspects. Physical spirit self and ego mind self. The living spirit is the avatar of the soul for experiencing physical life. This is the meaning of the saying, “a spiritual being having a physical experience”.
Through meditation and transcendence, the physical living spirit awakens and takes charge of life which is the Tao principle of Sovereignty. In the diagram above you can see that the living spirit holds a larger presence than the ego-self. This is the true self. The ego is a mental entity that evolved with us as we evolved as primates into modern humans. It is a survival mechanism that has helped us to endure. Yet it is also the troublemaker that must be managed. You may have lived your whole life only identifying as ego. If, however, while reading this you realize that there is this better self, then you are beginning to identify as the true self, spirit. Meditation is the way of rising above ego and with practice, there is a place of harmony where the two work together to become a much higher being.
Sovereignty, a key virtue of the True Self, is the spiritual discipline that rules the physical life and manages the ego. Through Sovereignty, harmony between the true self and ego is attained. Rather than annihilate the ego, a balance is achieved between the aspects of self. This balance creates the harmonious synergy that is reflected by a sense of well-being, thriving, and success. This is the true path.
How do you know if you are on the true path? Here are a few questions to consider. Be honest and accurate.
How satisfied or dissatisfied with your life?
Is your life characterized by a sense of well-being?
Are you healthy?
Do you have a self-cause chronic disease?
Are you passionate about your life’s work?
Is your career/job fun, rewarding, and fulfilling on many levels? Or is do you hate your job, feel stuck, and deeply wish you were not there?
How often do you feel stress and anxiety due to influences that seem out of your control?
How often do you feel content with your life?
What do you do when you are not at your job? Are you involved in other activities that you enjoy and serve others? Or are you coping with stress by overindulgence
How often do you feel a sense of contentment, spontaneity and joy at life’s wonderful surprises? Or how often do you feel a sense of self-loathing, disgust, unworthiness, or despair?
What type of people do you seem to attract in your life? People, who seem happy and easy to laugh and smile? Or are you mostly surrounded by people who don’t care, take advantage of you, or are always being disrespectful, moody, and filled with drama?
Do you often feel lucky, grateful, and blessed? Or do you feel unlucky, resentful, and never have enough of that which you desire most?
How often do you look to the heavens and ask, “why me”?
Are you always struggling financially? Or does there somehow always seem to be enough money to live with contentment?
If you answered most of these questions with an honest positive reflection, then you are experiencing life as the true self, on your true path. You are getting the most out of life’s journey and on a good trajectory for longevity. You can even reach a higher level by following the teachings of the way along with others who found success.
If like so many others in our society, you felt in truth, negative affirmations about the conditions of your life, then you are still unawakened, still lost, and under the control of the ego mind. This is the path of self-destruction and distraction is an active element in keeping you there on the path of suffering.
The more that your choices are guided by wisdom the more successful you become at life. As discussed in the chapter The Tao of Virtue choice, virtue and karma create destiny. By accumulating virtue, you develop an extraordinary wisdom for staying on the longevity path. The way of virtue (The Tao of Virtue) becomes the way you deal with life in a moment-by-moment, day-by-day means of crafting your life by controlling ego and making wise choices that keep you on the path of longevity. As you craft your life plan, you make the changes through lifestyle choices.
It is only through self-awareness can you attain the Tao and make the Alchemy of Qigong work. Qigong is the next section on cultivating life. The alchemy is the process of changing something ordinary into something extraordinary. It comes down to the point of whether you can control the ego and through a meditative focus practice the Qigong principles for the magic to happen. It will happen. All you must do is consciously align your way of life with the way of the universe (Tao) and the results will manifest as intended. This is the Tao of Transcendence and the Tao of Longevity.
Finally, you must learn to incorporate the Tao of Longevity into a Lifestyle for Longevity. Later you will learn much about how Desire, Coping, and Indolence fueled by the ego are ruining your chances for that long-satisfied authentic life that awaits you, the true self.
The Tao of Longevity 