Tao lessons

Tai chi (or tai chi) and qigong exercises, the Book of Changes, yin and yang energies, acupuncture sessions and aphorisms from the Tao Te Ching. Books of the Way and Grace”… All these seemingly heterogeneous phenomena and concepts are united by Chinese philosophy, and in particular by Tao. This word is translated as “path”, “regularity”, “principle”, “teaching”, “theory”, “truth”, “morality”, “absolute” … Contrary to popular belief, the concept of Tao does not belong only to Taoist teaching – it is part Chinese philosophy in general. However, as the encyclopedic dictionary “Chinese Philosophy” explains, Tao does not have a precisely fixed meaning: “in various philosophical systems, Tao was defined in different ways.”

The ancient thinkers Lao Tzu and Confucius spoke about the original harmony of Tao, believing that it is contained in every thing on earth and in heaven, and therefore is available to each of us. To live in harmony with one’s inner nature and with nature as a whole, to balance one’s desires and needs, to create peace in oneself and around oneself… This is the goal of Tao, based on the search for balance and right action.

The Tao Te Ching, the oldest book of Taoism, contains 81 precepts. From it you can draw a lot of knowledge – from the most complex, for example, how to manage power, how to gain wisdom, to simple worldly: how to eat and others. At the heart of all the chapters is one fundamental and paradoxical statement: in order to live a full life, one must be in a state of non-action.

“In the West, people often think that the Tao philosophy of “moving without moving” means connivance,” says Boris Orion, an expert on Eastern religions and head of the Moscow Zen Center. – In fact, we are talking about the right action, without forcing. But this does not mean that without effort, it means – without contradicting yourself and others. An example is the slow movements of tai chi or qigong, based on the concentrated control of vital energy.

To make our life more harmonious and measured, we must adhere to two main principles.

“The first is the following,” explains Boris Orion, “living in simplicity, here and now, as the Tao teaches us, I realize that joy and love are within me and I do not need to make an effort to achieve them. The second principle: our life, like nature, is essentially dual, it consists of two energies – yin and yang. We must not turn their opposition, which enriches our lives, into a collision that destroys it.

If we learn to recognize these two principles in ourselves, then we can work to ensure that they balance each other. Diane Dreher, a researcher at the California Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), says the same thing: “The path of the Tao gently leads us to an understanding of the wisdom and harmony of nature—the ebb and flow of the tides, the changing phases of the moon, the sequence of the seasons. In this way he helps us to discover the richness of our own nature.”

Благодаря дао мы можем позволить жизненному течению нести себя, открыться ему и радоваться его красоте. Недаром его последователи нередко выражают свое учение всего в двух словах: спокойствие и простота.

“The Tao Helps Purify Your Heart”

We spoke with Alan Francis, a specialist in reflexology, the founder of the Taoist Medical College in California, a follower of the school of the esoteric scientist George Gurdjieff, about what Tao can offer to a modern Western person and what qualities Tao helps to develop. In 2005, Francis founded the Russian Center for Gurdjieff Studies in Moscow, where he conducts classes in tai chi and qigong, as well as seminars on Taoist practices.

Psychologies: Как изменило вашу жизнь изучение дао?

Alan Francis: Taoist practices have increased my vital energy, they give strength to engage in the internal transformation of the soul. I started to trust my body more. Now I can cope with difficult tasks more easily and perceive any difficulties with greater composure and calmness. I began to judge less – both myself and others, there was more benevolence and simplicity. Immersing yourself in the Tao means for me to purify my heart so that it is always ready to welcome the new. I have a feeling that I have finally returned to my childhood view of the world: trusting and admiring.

How does the philosophy of the Tao fit in with the modern Western way of life?

The Tao is always here and now, and no matter how humble our attempts, we can strive to make it a part of our lives. Tao helps to live consciously, humanely, rationally.

Reflection on the thoughts of the Chinese sages brings calmness, concentration and balance, leads us to aspire to higher goals. The primary goal of Taoism is simple: to create conditions in which we can become real people – not enslaved, free internally.

You lead seminars on Taoist practices in Russia. What is their main goal?

Мы организуем выездные занятия в Крыму и на Кавказе, где есть возможность раствориться в природе, обратиться к ней непосредственно, как делали это древние даосские мастера. Мы добиваемся максимального расслабления и открытости. Это один из лучших способов скинуть маски, которые мы носим в повседневной жизни. Когда эти маски спадают, мы можем общаться друг с другом и природой без психологических барьеров.

На семинарах мы изучаем даосские искусства исцеления, такие как точечный массаж, упражнения для восполнения жизненной энергии, медитации, которые укрепляют и уравновешивают жизненную силу. Люди приходят к нам с разными целями: одни больше интересуются физическим здоровьем, другие хотят найти средство для обретения душевного равновесия, а третьи хотят глубже проникнуть в философию дао. Я всегда стремлюсь к тому, чтобы люди получили именно то, ради чего они пришли. Чтобы познать реку жизни, нужно открыть ее в себе.

4 Tao lessons

To find harmony in relations with ourselves and the world around us, we should learn to be flexible, prudent and decisive at the same time. We have selected four lessons from the Tao Te Ching. Books of the Way and Grace”, which will help make everyday life more serene and harmonious.

1. Действовать подобно воде

“A man of supreme virtue is like water,” Tao Te Ching, chapter 8.

Water, according to the teachings of the Tao, is a symbol of “active virtue” – an excellent illustration of active passivity (it corresponds to yin). It teaches us that attempts to find a way out of conflict or deadlock situations with the use of force or tough confrontation are often in vain and only take away a lot of vital energy from us. They weaken by giving us the illusion of control.

To act like water means to come to a state of inner peace and analyze the problem from all sides, just as water flows around an obstacle. This will help to postpone the action and find a non-standard way out or a tool to solve the problem. Or step back and consider how reasonable our goal and the way we have chosen to achieve it is. Thus, the water calmly and stubbornly makes its way and reaches its goal without any extra effort.

2. Lead by example

«Мудрый человек сохраняет единство и становится примером для всех. Он не прославляет себя, поэтому имеет заслуженную славу», «Дао Дэ Цзин», глава 22.

Сохранять единство — значит объединить в своем сознании естественные противоположности: инь и ян, действие и бездействие, тень и свет…

Приняв двойственность своей натуры, человек больше не заблуждается на свой счет, а также не судит других. Его уравновешенность благотворно воздействует на окружающих, а его доброжелательность укрепляет их уверенность в себе. Люди тянутся к нему и рядом с ним стремятся проявлять себя с лучшей стороны. Согласно дао, мудрец не тот, кто обладает сверхчеловеческими способностями, а тот, кто всецело осознает свою природу, сильные и слабые стороны и старается привести в равновесие свои противоположности.

3. Maintain the sacred fire

“Instead of filling to the brim, it is better to stop,” Tao Te Ching, chapter 9.

Sacred fire is a metaphor for the living, qi energy, that is, life energy. All Taoist practices – meditation, breathing, nutrition – serve to ensure that balance is both a goal and a means to achieve a worthy life. A person is lost in excesses, he dies out himself and extinguishes the sacred fire, of which he was the guardian.

Identifying excesses—whether in the material, emotional, or relationship realms—and then reducing them to a level where we expend no more energy than necessary is the indispensable precondition for anyone who wants to live a long and peaceful life. Stop, determine your place in the world of wildlife and connection with it. Do not stick out your “I” in front of everyone and everything, but realize the “I” of another and respect him just like your own, showing a sense of proportion, respect and goodwill.

4. Разучиться прежнему

“Who serves the Tao, day by day reduces (his desires)”, “Tao Te Ching”, chapter 48.

Cleansing the mind means ridding it of previously learned stereotypes, of persistent beliefs, regularly sifting them through a sieve of doubt and questions. A cluttered mind is like a cluttered house: what beliefs are really good for us, and which ones can we do without? What opinions do we impose on others? What changes are we rejecting?

Не застывать, а открываться навстречу переменам, включаться в движение природных циклов — все это поможет нам избавиться от страхов и использовать наш жизненный потенциал без ограничений и отбора. Разучиться старому, чтобы открыться новому, — вот в чем смысл этого парадоксального призыва.