Yangshuo famer leads cattle, Yangshuo, China. Photo: David Arenson

What is Tao comes naturally.

It is following the way of sanity. Much common sense has been lost as man has become dictated to by desire and ambition. His linear thinking has defragmented the universe, created a new left-brain way.

The Tao is the way.

What has created this loss, oblivion, end of reason? Limiting beliefs, limiting science, disconnection, fragmentation. The all has been broken up into composite parts. The Tao has been deconstructed—hence, we are all lost.

”Nature is now unconscious to most of us, most of the time, and we have become shrunken into two dimensional social or cultural beings, aware of only five of the hundreds of senses that link us to the rich biological nature that underlies and nourishes these more symbolic and recent aspects of ourselves.”

~ Norman O. Brown

How do we change our limiting beliefs?

Start by disconnecting from the society that created the limiting beliefs. Therein lies the value of travelling to far-off places, especially those with culturally differing landscapes. Do an internet fast. Go on a retreat. Do a cleanse. Get rid of newspapers and magazines. Educate yourself about food.

Stillness creates the wellspring for expanded consciousness. Once you start to de-clutter, and retreat from the frenetic world, you will be amazed at what happens. You may even start to have surprising insights about yourself, your life, and what you’re here to do.

What stops people from exploring their limits?

 

If we never take risks because we are too scared to fail, then we are not building our “dream muscles.” We need to experience life first, live boldly, sometimes even on the edge if need be. Most of us are taught by our parents as kids to play at safe. If everything is about safety first, that affects how we see ourselves and the world when we grow older. We take the same lessons from childhood and live out our life from the perspective of a five-year old.   

We are never our circumstances or our mistakes, or our past, or even our present. We just create that as our identity. We did something we thought was bad, and we make it our identity. We want to score “good” points—be a good team player, be a good citizen, a good wife or husband, father, mother, child, brother, sister.

Yet, we are always far more than our circumstance…

With action and time, we can change almost anything about ourselves and our life. So no point in making our perceived failures our identity. Reality is we are here now living our lives moment to moment.

If we want to start pushing our limits, we have to be brave enough to start even if at first it’s like pushing a truck uphill. It is not conducive to happiness to always follow the average of society.

Let your heart win. Listen to your dreams for a change, and start taking calculated risks. Stop suppressing your inner voice. We are something much greater than we ever imagined. Who you are is much deeper, far more vast and far more connected than this simple physical reality. So open your mind up to possibility. And start with a single step.

China, the bountiful landscapes, sizzling modern technology, and ancient history, are punctuated by a distant memory of something intrinsic to Chinese cultural history—the way of the Tao. China taught me that the way of the Tao involves following one’s heart—following my passion is my way.

Man follows Earth.
Earth follows heaven.
Heaven follows the Tao.
Tao follows what is natural. 

Man follows Earth. Earth Follows Heaven. Heaven follows the Tao.

Taoist Temple, Wudangshan, China. Photo: David Arenson

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Ed: Bryonie Wise