The Tao Is Only A Word That Signifies The Fundamental Nature of The Universe.

Philosophy | Taoism

Please don’t get caught up trying to explain the word Tao, it is beyond explaining. It’s like understanding quantum mechanics with our three pounds of organic neurons. Even physicists know it’s beyond them.

Lao Tzu cautions that if individuals become disconnected from their core essence, the Tao, they will inevitably face conflict, suffering, and destruction.

I think it’s evident that we are living in uncertain times. The entire globe is involved in turmoil. War, genocide, famine, and a shift toward extreme right-wing fascist politics

Climate crises, rapid temperature increases, and savage storms are also global. The planet is running out of resources quickly. There is a lot of conflict and exploitation happening, and the unequal distribution of resources is causing suffering for billions of people.

Human greed puts our survival as a species and the future of the planet we rely on for life at risk. There is a natural balance and flawlessness in the universe. In Taoism, it is believed that achieving harmony involves realigning with the Tao.

We don’t need to create the Tao. It’s already in place. It’s basically who we are. We only need to remove obstacles that are blocking its movement.

We humans have the gift and burden of being able to make our own choices. Every other living being on Earth follows their natural instincts and programming. They go with the flow of the Tao.

Humans are not inherently wrong or naturally motivated by greed, selfishness, and violence. Our values and authenticity have declined due to not aligning with this behavior, a product of our culture.

Research shows humans are fundamentally inclined towards cooperation, peace, curiosity, and harmony. We are naturally inclined to thrive in close-knit communities, coexisting peacefully with the environment, possessing only essential possessions, and dedicating a few hours daily to tasks that align with our inherent abilities and interests.

Humans have remained physiologically consistent for millions of years, while our lifestyle has significantly shifted from hunting and gathering to agriculture.

Once we established boundaries and the idea of possessing things, we had to be prepared to protect and even resort to violence to uphold those beliefs. Next, we had to establish currency, military forces, and organized power systems.

Living in today’s world, we are increasingly detached from nature. Our society is influenced and controlled by the government and media, which were intended to benefit the people but are manipulated and dominated by them.

Materialism and greed are wreaking havoc on both ourselves and our planet. When we disconnect from the natural rhythm of life and our true selves, like we often do, suffering is bound to occur.

One of the critical concepts in Taoism involves the idea of returning. Everything originates from the Tao and eventually returns to it, much like rivers flowing back to the ocean. Returning to the Tao, significant changes can result from the universe’s inherent rhythm.

Lao Tzu says.

Just go with the flow.
The saying “go with the flow” originates from Taoism.

Lao Tzu compared the Tao to water, “nourishing all of creation without trying to compete with it.”

There’s a lot we can learn from water. Even though it’s soft and yielding, it’s also mighty. Water is crucial for sustaining life, capable of eroding rocks and reshaping landscapes.

Water can be potent and destructive, yet soft and flexible. Whether still or in motion, active or passive, it doesn’t do anything independently, goes with the flow, and adapts to the situation. It effortlessly navigates around obstacles, always returning to its source with ease.

Nature flows according to the natural order of life. If it didn’t, chaos would quickly ensue. Imagine a scenario where the sun refuses to shine, fire becomes cold, and water ceases to flow. Things would not function properly!

We are the only species on Earth that thinks we can surpass life itself. Lao Tzu ponders how people often believe they could run the universe more effectively. He’s pretty sure we’d mess things up, and based on our human history, I’d have to agree.

Chuang Tzu, the Taoist sage, made a similar observation:

While people sleep, their spirits tend to wander; when awake, their bodies attract entanglements with everything they touch. Every day, they keep causing problems with their minds; they turn arrogant, sly, and mysterious. They seem overly worried about insignificant issues while ignoring more critical concerns. They speak confidently, firing off their opinions without hesitation. They hold onto their positions as if they had made a solemn promise, utterly confident in their impending triumph. Their slow decrease is similar to the transition from autumn to winter — this is how they diminish with each passing day. And as their minds near the end, nothing can make them change towards the light.

Being inflexible and unyielding, resisting life, and trying to control and dominate it can make us feel strong and powerful, as we arrogantly assume we always know best.

Many of our problems, both personal and societal, stem from the human ego’s narrow perspective.

When we try to control everything and everyone, we often find ourselves going against the natural course of life. We believe we can push against the flow and make our way upstream because we’re committed to asserting our desires and achieving our goals.

The Tao Te Ching highlights the risks and pointlessness of this way of thinking. With all its immense power, even nature cannot produce a storm that will endure indefinitely.

Effort is necessary, but it’s not something we can keep up forever, and eventually, it exhausts us. We can’t be sure that what we desire is best for us. We can only see a small portion of the big picture, so our lack of knowledge will always surpass what we know.

Also, being inflexible doesn’t provide strength; it leaves us open to vulnerabilities. Comparing it to nature, Lao Tzu highlights that a tree that remains stiff is prone to breaking during a storm. A flexible tree can easily withstand any storm. The branches will sway with the wind instead of snapping.

Life has its ups and downs. Success and power come from aligning ourselves with the universe’s way, focusing our energy wisely, and working with the natural flow instead of against it.

One of the fundamental principles of Taoism and a captivating and potentially life-changing concept in Eastern philosophy is known as Wu Wei, which translates to ‘doing without doing’ or ‘actionless action.’

Instead of trying too hard to make things happen, which usually means going against the natural flow of life, Taoists go with the flow and let the right action come naturally.

Instead of attempting to bend life to our will, a valuable practice involves pausing, looking inward, and discovering what life is calling us to be, do, have, and create.

Practicing wu wei makes our actions flow smoothly and more likely to lead to positive outcomes. It also conserves a significant amount of energy that can be redirected towards fully embracing life.

The Tao Te Ching cautions that trying to impose action can often result in creating disorder:

Acting hastily leads to failure. Struggling to understand things often leads to losing them. Pushing a project to finish prematurely can spoil its potential.

As a writer, I can confirm that!

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