“An individual’s attempt to control life according to her own beliefs, and as a result to force this perspective upon others, is the beginning of tyranny.”
― Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony
― Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony
“If I believe in the intrinsic efficacity of a discipline, I attribute its failure to all kinds of things but not to the discipline itself; so that it does not devalorise itself. If, on the contrary, I have understood the intrinsic inefficacity of the discipline, while not by any means forbidding myself to practice it if I feel the need to do so, a profound lassitude will develop little by little in me which will detach me from this discipline in a real transcendence.”
― Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony
― Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony
“This is because his primary focus was not on the liberation of the individual but on an enlightened society. I am not saying here that an enlightened society is impossible. But it needs to be clear that the foundation of a society comes from what is within the minds of the individuals who live in it. Hence Lao-tzu’s insight is that the enlightenment of the individual takes us a step closer to the total liberation of humankind.”
― Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony
― Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony
“As a result, we have developed numerous methods of practice to explore this movement of energy through our bodies, such as the Chinese arts of qigong and t’ai chi, the Indian practice of hatha yoga, and the modern movement culture spreading across the globe. The problem with practical movement methods such as these is they can delay our quest for a liberated mind (enlightenment) if the practice becomes a habitual crutch.”
― Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony
― Effortless Living: Wu-Wei and the Spontaneous State of Natural Harmony
“Fusing Fire and Water This is a moving exercise in which the hands help raise and lower chee between the Sea of Energy (water) and the heart (fire). Posture: Horse stance, or sitting Technique: Exhale thoroughly and bring your hands together just below the navel, with palms up and fingertips about an inch apart. Begin inhaling slowly through the nose and slowly raise your upturned hands the torso until they reach the nipples. Time it so that inhalation is complete and hands reach the heart about the same time. Apply the Three Locks and retain the breath 3 to 5 seconds, then turn the palms over to face downward and slowly push them back down the torso as you exhale slowly through the nose, timing it so that hands reach bottom as lungs empty. Pause briefly, relax abdomen, then turn the palms back up and begin another cycle. Repeat 6 to 10 breaths. Pointers: Breathe and move hands in unison. Keep shoulders, arms, and neck muscles loose and relaxed, and “sink” the breath down as deeply as possible during retention. Benefits: This exercise moves energy up and down between the “fire” of heart and the “water” of the navel region, thus blending and balancing these two types of energy. It regulates and deepens heartbeat and develops awareness of the Sea of Energy as the body’s chee headquarters.”
― The Tao Of Health, Sex, and Longevity: A Modern Practical Guide to the Ancient Way
― The Tao Of Health, Sex, and Longevity: A Modern Practical Guide to the Ancient Way
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