7 Powerful Teachings to Adopt From This Ancient Chinese Philosophy
The hidden meaning behind seeking completion.
I firmly believe in seeking the optimistic side of life.
Specifically, when life hits rough.
Thereby, appreciating both the highs and lows of life.
At times, rewinding the history, our knowledge seeks infinite wisdom through the traditional established teachings. One among such is the ancient Chinese philosophy — Taoism.
While the present scenario has a lot of anti-Chinese talks circulating globally, however, the wisdom established through its old school of teachings can help create a meaningful life.
These ancient Chinese texts have a lot to offer to the modern society. Personally, to self-introspect and seek purpose.
My personal favorite is Lao Tzu’s school of thought. The teachings of his are scripted in the book “Tao Te Ching.”
Lao Tzu, also known as Laozi, was an ancient Chinese philosopher. Considered as the Father of Chinese Taoism, he remained as one of the prominent figures of Chinese culture in the 6th century B.C.
The core philosophical teachings of Lao Tzu governed around advocating a simpler life. Further, focussing the underlying goodness and establishing harmony in everything surrounding us.
Hence, Taoism breaks as “Tao” meaning a “positive path” and his institutional spiritual teachings mentioned in “Taoism.”
Although very little is known about his life, Lao Tzu’s teachings however have passed down through centuries. Also, has influenced larger sections of society, regardless of culture. Through his timeless teachings, we can reflect on seeking timeless wisdom. If the teachings are brought into regular practice and nurtured, it can help maximize our productivity towards fruit-bearing life.
In this regard, mentioned below are a few of my learnings through his teachings. It can help instill insightful knowledge with inspiration to harness your potentials utmostly.
1. Adapt To Life, Avoid Negative Mindsets
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them-that only creates sorrow. Let reality be a reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever they like.”
To state, Life is unpredictable. Henceforth, calculating the absolute certainty in regards to a perfect life will dis channel your path of growth.
The more we resist the changes, the higher is the probability for circumstances to turn unlikely.
For instance, if a certain career goal is leaving you to feel disconnected and yet you tirelessly continue pursuing it, in hopes that someday a shooting star will favor with achievement. I mean sailing on the reverse side of currents is the saddest tragedy one can encounter. Resembling, the set of goals that we hardly feel interested in.
Contrarily, on the reverse, theirs a passion-oriented goal leaving you with peace, content, and satisfaction. In fact, life collectively is guiding you towards it to pursue. However, at times we strike as an opponent towards this passionate guide. Why? Because pursuing an unconventional path might keep life at the risk-bearing side.
Hence, we end up either sidelining the change or opposing the set path.
Comparing both the scenarios, we fairly conclude that resisting the life flow will result in creating a bitter version of an individual. To avoid getting self as part of negative space, adapting to the natural sequence of life helps.
2. March With Your Own Pace, Compare None.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
Witnessing the reality of today, we fairly remain the fastest-growing generations in the historical chain. For certain aspects of life, this growth rightly favors.
However, attached to it are phases that remain highly unfavorable.
We are constantly in a race against time, to rise above and beyond everyone, and to successfully champion everything striking our doors. Also, focus on an aim that can be easily attainable within the shortest span.
Be it career, goals, relationships, or any other, we remain recurrently rushing through life. Much worse, if achievement gets delayed beyond set targets, we start complaining, worrying and comparing. Finally, rising high on making proposed judgments for failures. Ahead, this creates life resembling a valley of fog — of restlessness, jealousy, and envy.
The above state definitely is not an ideal way to healthy living.
We must not forget that every individual is individually unique. Also, each one of them remains their own creator, marching in their individual time-frame.
For real accomplishment, keep walking and not hurrying.
3. Be In The “Now”
“To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders. Empty yourself of everything. Let your mind become still.”
When we converse about being in the present, its real meaning resides in adapting a calmer mindset towards our — past and future.
We are extremely busier generations.
Right from trekking through our career objectives, to finding our purpose, seeking an opportunity, to exploring relationships, our life feels severely overburdened. Many-a-times, intoxicated. Also, deeply absorbed.
While there can be an innumerably ample amount of things which can distort our peace, resistance towards them guides.
The stillness of a mind in duress can be achieved through the practice of meditation. Through its adaptation, we can learn how to control our responses, be momentous in each moment, regardless of the outward noises.
Onward, it helps establish a connection of self-talk. At this point, through internal reflection an energy source bounces back positivity, thereby creating a well-balanced, focussed, and concentrated mind.
Not only does meditation calm down our wavering thoughts, instead it establishes a unison of — mind, body, and soul.
Meditate more.
4. Practise The Art Of Kindness
“ Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”
Being kind is about being humane. This reflects the ethical morale of goodness practiced by an individual — towards self and in society at large.
It also mentions, how appreciative is the person towards the blessings endowed, how benevolent is he in terms of paying back his service to society.
Kindness indeed is about good governance. Its practice starts from self to further extend wide.
However, certain questions which we need to asks ourselves —
- How far do we practice kindness?
- Forget about practice, how far do we even think about being kind?
Certain instances like a blind person crossing a street, poverty-ridden family crying of hunger, or instances where a person is mentally depressed, isn't a small act of kindness in the form of —
- Kind words instilling confidence in the blind man in letting you extend help and cross the street,
- An all heart thought of buying eateries for the hunger deprived family, and
- An amicable amount of affection to the depressed.
These acts of kindness can help bring down their worrisome plight, if not entirely solve their problem.
Personally, I feel extremely elated if my help or support makes a life smile. Especially, at moments where I feel weak, practicing kindness instills the colors of the rainbow in my life as well.
You see, Kindness is a thing of grace. Its touch lighten every life.
Henceforth, practice being kind regardless of any rewards. For the real blessing resides in knowing how gracefully you can impact life to flourish.
5. The Phase Of Letting Go
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
If your present self portrays an unhappy version of you, consider redirecting the path of your life. Why? Because growth cannot thrive in dull conditions of — boredom, stress, anxiety, procrastination, or feeling extremely low.
For instance —
- Can your dreams ever turn into reality if you simply overthink rather than putting your goals into action?
- Can your life ever progress, if you consider it as a liability and not nurture it continuously?
- Can your relationships ever progress if taken for granted?
Certainly, neither of the above conditions will inflict the influential progress of an individual. Instead, it will leave the person fixated, halted, and resist the continuum of growth.
To state, Growth can only happen, when you decide to shred off aspects of yourself making you feel burdened. At times, hopeless too.
Be it bad habits, toxic people, traumas of the past, worries of the future, and the cycle of negative thought process, everything needs to be narrowed down to let you breathe. Finally, help you evolve.
Hence, Create a space for your soul, where true growth prospers.
6. Awareness Is The Key
“The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.”
The majority of our troubled life results because of ignorance. We willingly or unwillingly remain so gravely engrossed in our work-life, that the voice of our true consciousness silences.
This remains the real problem.
Where true consciousness of our — mind, body, and soul remain not in synchrony or in harmony, our lives awareness quotient suffers. This is why we at times become directionless, lose sight of our goals, and tend to orient towards negativity.
Each one of us lives through such tragic experiences at certain instances in our lives. While resisting such circumstances at times remains out of reach, however ignoring them peaks the difficulties of lives. Thereby, making every dimension of our life suffer.
Be it whether you are — unhappy, stressed, lonely or anxious, consider reading through your thoughts. Keep revisiting and rereading them, if unsolved. Through such analysis, the knot which blinds our awareness growth breaks free.
Onward, it results in an individual being guided on the correct path ultimately leaving them with peace, content, and satisfaction.
7. Begin — Execute — Create
“Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of thousand miles must begin with a single step.”
The key to excel in any area of life lies in getting started. With the small initial steps which keep progressing ahead. This is the core requirement of any possible achievement.
Rather than focus on reaching the destination or completing the mission, channelize your energy into creating momentary progress. If lost tracks, try to establish a focus on the task of the present. Analyze through its possible solutions and derive a well-suited conclusion.
Henceforth, a concentrated focus on the process weaves a journey of excellence.
The Takeaway
Lao Tzu is believed to have traveled halfway around the world spreading his teachings and insightful knowledge.
Since we live in a world filled with so much conflict and uncertainty, the wisdom of Lao Tzu is perhaps in much greater need today than ever before.
The teaching of his indicates a clear reflection of life revolving around values.
Instilling them will develop your inner strength, create a life of purpose, and inspire you to be the best of you can.
