|
'To attain knowledge add something every day, to attain wisdom remove something
every day.' This ancient Chinese proverb illustrates the value that the Chinese
culture places on nothingness.
In Chinese art the space in a picture is as important
as the painted area - and in meditation and martial arts an empty mind is viewed
as the ultimate attainment. This is really just a logical application of the
theory of yin and yang - the yin side (emptiness
and nothingness) is just as important as the yang side (movement and action.)
Those following the Taoist path are advised to empty out their minds until nothing
remains.
But why bother? Well, a mind that has no preconceptions or rigid plans is far
more flexible. A person who constantly labels, analyses and ponders can become
stuffed up with intellectual ideas that stop them from seeing what's there.
The 'empty vessel' of Taoist writings can act spontaneously as the situation
demands because they are not tied to any particular set of actions.
In martial
arts, a fighter with a perfectly clear mind can react instantaneously to any
attack, and spotting a weakness, exploit it without hesitation. A fighter who
already plans his next attack will miss the opportunity.
As well as emptiness the Tao teaches the benefit of nothingness. It is when
we practice doing nothing that our body and mind relax and we feel at peace,
so nothingness is brought into everyday life in the idea of Wu Wei. Wu Wei translates
as 'not doing' or 'doing without doing' and like much of Taoist thought it goes
against the way many things are done in our society.
Really, the idea is to
go with the flow around you and not struggle against the tide. When someone
advances, yield. Be pliant and patient, and wait until you are in a strong position
before advancing. The image of the 90s man or woman is one of a hard working
hard playing businessperson who gets things done by being vigorous and aggressive,
managing social life, family and work with the same overzealous approach.
This
very yang attitude is highlighted by marketing departments to sell us the painkillers,
mobile phones and ready meals which we all need in 'todays hectic world'. What
we really need is a good holiday, and a few moments to rest each day, and we
need to ask - 'is this really what I want?'. The modern Taoist says no, and
tries to bring the yin back into the balance of his life.
Wu Wei is often the Taoist concept that people have most trouble grasping.
This is not really all that surprising since it seems to do away with the rigid
notion of causality that the Western world-view is based upon. Typically, in
order to get something done, it is considered that you must work at it. The
more work and effort that is put in, the quicker it will happen.
However, this
is not the Wu Wei approach. This is not 'doing without doing' it is simply 'doing'.
To use Wu Wei is to have a kind of Taoist patience - it is to allow things to
unfold in their own way, in their own time. This does not imply a complete lack
of energy expenditure - just a recognition of the flow and cycles of the world
around us. Acting at the appropriate time with the appropriate amount of force
is the key.
By appreciating at a more subtle level what is happening around
him, holding onto nothing, and acting with simplicity the Taoist can flow with
the Tao, and will always be in the right place at the right time. The Taoist
master becomes like the Tao itself - he does nothing, yet nothing is not done
Defining chi (sometimes spelled 'Qi') is extremely difficult - it is a concept entirely foreign to Western
thought. Referred to in ancient China as Dragon's Breath, it cannot be seen
or measured, but it is present in all things. It is both matter or energy (the
Chinese don’t tend to differentiate between the 2) and it comprises and defines
all life and all inanimate objects in the universe. Chi has been called ‘vital
energy’ but it is much more than that.
The Chinese word 'chi' literally translates
as ‘energy’ or ‘breath’. In the body it is said to flow through channels called
'meridians' in a similar way to blood flowing through the veins. Traditional
Chinese Medicine considers the blockage or incorrect movement of chi through
the body as the cause of mental and physical disease, and internal arts such
as meditation aim to increase the amount of chi in the body.
A person’s chi can be experienced after training in meditation or the internal
arts, and its strength and power in a master is undoubtable. Those with strong
Chi have a healthy and youthful appearance, a strong immune system and are full
of energy. However, poor diet and hectic modern lifestyles take their toll,
and many of us suffer terrible health, tiredness, constant colds and depression
due to depletion of our vital energy, or disruption of its normal flow and function.
Chi is also manifest in the world around us, it is the life force of the natural
world and chi is strong where there are clear streams, rolling hills and abundant
plant life. The Chinese art of geomancy, called 'Feng Shui' is increasingly
popular all over the Western world - its practitioners seek to promote a healthy
and luck enhancing flow of chi through their homes with the use of ancient formulae.
As I have said before, there are many interpretations of the concept of 'chi'
by Westerners who are attempting to integrate Eastern and Western methodology.
Believing the Chinese ideas to be unscientific, they attempt to fit the theory
into the biomedical framework, equating chi with electromagnetic energy and
meridians with nerves.
Such theories may lead to interesting new discoveries
but the attempt is flawed. The approach used in TCM is fundamentally different
to that used in the West and attempted integration of the two is unlikely to
be very effective.
"In a single syllable the word Qi proclaims one of
the deepest root intuitions of Chinese civilisation... Qi is the thread connecting
all being. Qi is the common denominator of all things - from mineral to human."
~ From 'The
Web That Has No Weaver', Ted Kaptchuk
Electronic Resources:
The Chinese Gallery has a
range of information and links about all things Chinese, including plenty on
Taoism and related subjects.
The Taoist Restoration Society give
a good history of Religious Taoism as practiced in China.
Taoism Links Search for links that interest you from this large list.
Tao Te Ching Translations A number
of translations available in full.
 Recommended Reading:
Classics: As general introductory reading, start with the Tao Te Ching and the writing of Chang Tzu. Other classics worth looking at are The
Art Of War by Sun Tzu and the I Ching. For more info on these books
and comments on choosing a translation, see the section on Classic Texts.
Also recommended:
The Tao of Pooh and The Te of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff.
ISBN 0-7439-0179-1 (pooh) and 0-7493-1514-8 (piglet). These are fantastic books
written by a true Taoist, which are easy to read, amusing, and extremely informative.
Hoff illustrates Taoist principles with examples from the Winnie The Pooh stories
by A.A.Milne. The second book is slightly heavier and more detailed, and does
become quite judgemental in parts. Nevertheless, both very highly recommended.
(Also available as a Boxed Set )
The Chronicles of Tao : The Secret
Life of a Taoist Master by Deng Ming Dao.
ISBN 0-06-250219-0. The true story of Kwan Saihung, a boy born into a rich
Chinese family, who leaves behind his riches for the strict life of a Taoist
Monk. Eventually leaving the mountain temple of his master he travels to America
where he attempts to understand a culture very different to his own. Full of
insight into the Taoist path.
To order
any of these titles, or to browse through other Taoist related books, visit
the Taoist Bookshop (click here for the UK store.)
|
