What is self-realization? In the Taoist tradition, this concept is revealed through a metaphor, which does not prevent us from formulating effective principles for achieving goals on its basis. Let’s try to understand the Eastern view of how to achieve happiness.
The world in the Eastern tradition appears to be threefold – heaven, earth and man are interconnected.
Earth and sky are flows of energy. The celestial stream is the light pouring down on us from above, that is, the downward stream. The energy of the earth rises upward, this is an ascending stream. They can unite only through a person – and not through some abstract or chosen one, but through everyone. Through you.
Merge streams
Why do the streams of heaven and earth meet inside a person? The flow of heaven wants to be realized – to take form. To do this, he needs the power of the earth. And the person becomes a means of this realization.
It would seem an ideal situation: the heavens favor, the earth gives strength – and we do what we are destined to do. However, in the Taoist tradition there is no idea of XNUMX% predestination. There is an idea of fate, but there are a great many of these fates. Their interweaving affects what is happening, while we have the freedom to choose which of the available streams we implement.
Often we are not in sync with the brightest, most beautiful, subtle sky stream available. A person has the feeling that he is capable of more. After all, everything can be realized, if only we are able to imagine it. With age, the number of opportunities decreases, but even so, there are many ways of self-realization.
How to choose what is best for you? How, based on Taoist philosophy, to realize the best possible fate?
Three steps to happiness
Qigong practices provide many opportunities, and each of them is aimed at creating the best conditions for realization.
1. “Open” body. It is impossible to separate the process of self-realization from the processes that occur in the body. Taoists pay a lot of attention to his health and freedom, and here’s why: firstly, the body must be “open” to receive the heavenly stream, and secondly, it must qualitatively conduct the energy of the earth. Then we will express ourselves most vividly, powerfully and fully.
What does it mean to “open” the body? Any tension in the body blocks the flow of energy. In addition, it is associated with negative emotions, which also cloud the energy. Therefore, such Taoist practices as Sing Shen Juang are aimed at making the body flexible, free, relaxed – and therefore happier. Only such a body will be in harmony with the elements of heaven and earth.
2. Working with state and intent. Spiritual practices, meditation practices are important for self-realization. As part of meditation, for example, Shen Jen Gong, a person learns to synchronize with the strongest and brightest celestial currents available.
This idea is close to the theories of quantum physics: the observer himself chooses which of the many parallel universes he wants to get into. And meditation explains how to make informed choices. In addition, in spiritual practice, a person learns to work with intention: to formulate it in such a way as to confidently and easily move in the chosen direction.
3. Energy cultivation. It’s not enough to just choose where you’re going and get heaven’s favor for it. You need to have enough resources to feed your intention, to realize it. To do this, there is a practice of accumulating vital energy, which is called neigong.
Taoists believe that energy feeds our spiritual component, and in order to become a wiser, kinder, more conscious, and therefore a happy person, you must first become stronger. Neigong is a set of breathing exercises that, when performed regularly, give strength and energy.
Taoist philosophy wraps simple discoveries in complex metaphors. But if you are lucky enough to find a competent teacher who is familiar with the tradition from the inside, then mysticism turns into understandable practical techniques that allow you to find the path on which you fully realize your potential.