The Art of Effortless Being: Taoist Principles
Summary
This video explores the Taoist concept of aligning with the natural flow of existence, referred to as the Tao. It uses the metaphor of a river to illustrate how resisting this flow creates struggle, while swimming with it allows one to harness its power. The discussion extends to the idea of 'no-mind' or 'absence' as a state of being fully present and effective, drawing parallels to physiological invisibility and the experience of skilled individuals. It emphasizes that true virtue and mastery arise from unconscious, effortless action, free from self-consciousness or the desire for external validation, ultimately leading to a state of weightless, natural living.
Key Insights
The art of living is to swim with the river, not against it.
The skilled approach to life is to align with the natural flow, 'swimming with it'. While people can still swim against the current and pretend not to be carried, true mastery comes from acknowledging and flowing with the Tao. This alignment grants the power of the river to one's actions.
Flowing with the Tao grants power and subtle direction.
A person swimming with the river has the entire force of the river behind them. Subtly directing this flow, like a ship using a rudder or a sailboat tacking, allows for changing direction within the current. This skillful navigation, or 'art of sailing', represents the perfection of Taoism.
Virtue and skill are potent only when unconscious of themselves.
Highly virtuous action is virtue that is not conscious of itself as virtue. The moment it becomes self-aware, it fails. This is seen in a child lost in dance, contrasted with a child who knows they are being watched and performs for an audience. True artistry is performed without playing to the gallery or self-consciousness.
Living in accord with Tao is like ordinary experience, but slightly elevated.
The experience of Satori (enlightenment) is described as being like ordinary everyday experience, but just 'two inches off the ground'. This connects to the feeling of 'walking on air', which symbolizes liberation from care and a state of effortless, natural joy.
The Tao is an inescapable, fundamental force that carries everything along.
The Tao is described as that from which nothing can depart, a fundamental reality that encompasses all. It's compared to being in a tremendous river, where everyone is carried along. Those who swim against the current are still carried, but they mistakenly believe they are going in the opposite direction, failing to acknowledge the river's power.
Sections
Understanding the Tao and Flow
The Tao is an inescapable, fundamental force that carries everything along.
The Tao is described as that from which nothing can depart, a fundamental reality that encompasses all. It's compared to being in a tremendous river, where everyone is carried along. Those who swim against the current are still carried, but they mistakenly believe they are going in the opposite direction, failing to acknowledge the river's power.
The art of living is to swim with the river, not against it.
The skilled approach to life is to align with the natural flow, 'swimming with it'. While people can still swim against the current and pretend not to be carried, true mastery comes from acknowledging and flowing with the Tao. This alignment grants the power of the river to one's actions.
Flowing with the Tao grants power and subtle direction.
A person swimming with the river has the entire force of the river behind them. Subtly directing this flow, like a ship using a rudder or a sailboat tacking, allows for changing direction within the current. This skillful navigation, or 'art of sailing', represents the perfection of Taoism.
The Principle of 'Absence' or 'No-Mind'
Operating in the world as if absent is fundamental and physiological.
There's a built-in physiological aspect to the concept of absence. Our eyes, for instance, cannot see our own head, suggesting an inherent form of invisibility. This 'headless' state, or 'no-mind' (mushen), is presented as a secret to being truly alive.
Our perception of the external world is actually our brain's translation.
The external visual field is not the world as it is, but rather the brain's interpretation of electrical impulses from the external world. We don't see our brain's physical structure; instead, we experience everything outside our skin as a state of our brain. This 'blankness' of not seeing the brain is a fundamental Taoist idea of absence enabling presence.
True comfort and skill arise when an object or action disappears from awareness.
When things like a belt or shoes are perfectly comfortable, we stop feeling them, as if they weren't there. This illustrates that the less aware we are of something, the more properly it functions or fits. The more we are aware, the less properly it works.
The desire for self-awareness impedes true happiness and mastery.
An objection is raised: if we don't know we're there, we seem to miss everything. We want to know we know, and to be happy and aware of it. However, this self-consciousness, the possibility of reflecting on our own knowledge, is also a curse. Taoism deals with this by emphasizing unconscious action.
Virtue and skill are potent only when unconscious of themselves.
Highly virtuous action is virtue that is not conscious of itself as virtue. The moment it becomes self-aware, it fails. This is seen in a child lost in dance, contrasted with a child who knows they are being watched and performs for an audience. True artistry is performed without playing to the gallery or self-consciousness.
The challenge is to act without requiring external validation or self-awareness.
We create a double bind by requiring actions (like love) that are only acceptable if done without being required or conscious of the requirement (e.g., 'You must love me because you promised'). Great artists, in maturity, give the impression of acting naturally, without self-consciousness.
Experiencing Weightlessness and Effortless Being
True accord with the Tao leads to a feeling of weightlessness.
Taoist sage Liezi's reputation for riding the wind illustrates a state of weightlessness. This is parallel to the sensation felt in outer space or deep ocean, representing not carrying one's body around. It's akin to an expert driver feeling one with the car and road.
Living in accord with Tao is like ordinary experience, but slightly elevated.
The experience of Satori (enlightenment) is described as being like ordinary everyday experience, but just 'two inches off the ground'. This connects to the feeling of 'walking on air', which symbolizes liberation from care and a state of effortless, natural joy.
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