Philosophy – Origin & Being
1. Holistic
Tao Te Ching is one of the true classics of spiritual literature. Through aphorism and parable, it leads readers toward the Tao, or the “Way”: harmony with the life force of the universe. The key to a long healthy life is to follow the Tao, the natural way of the universe. Health and illness are caused by an imbalance of the two basic forces, yin and yang, and by the influence of the five elements (water, fire, metal, wood, and earth) on the organs of the body.
I Should
The lung and head can be associated with Metal, the sky, and heaven because they are on top of the body. Heaven is to be respected, therefore it denotes “I Should”, and corresponds to the Mental functions, thought, concern, etc.
I Would
The Earth is physical, associated with the tissues of the body, muscles, fascia, and represents the desire “I Would”.
I Like
Emotion is power, it generates, and can be represented by Fire. When the physical body is animated by the Fire of emotion, the power of discernment emerges, “I Like”.
I Wish
As discernment develops, it becomes desire, motivation, “I Wish” and can be associated with the element of Wood (represented by the trigram for Wind, Xun), striving to achieve a goal, as the plant strives toward the light under the forest canopy.
I Can
The “Wish”, the striving impulse, through the Will, generates movement. This leads to the “I Can”, and can be represented by the movement of Water and is associated with the Kidney. Movement can become habitual so the Kidney can be associated with habitual ways of being.
2. Mathematic (Earth) >>> Physical (Metal) >>> Chemical (Water) >>> Biological (Wood) >>> Neurological (Fire)
When one is meditating, sitting in silence with oneself, our body is making a triangle (Geometry), stable with the Earth, our healing journey starts with a single thought. This thought becomes a line of intention becoming manifest into the physical realm (Metal). This starts a chemical process(Water) in the body toward healing. Once the chemistry of the body becomes activated in the healing process, the biological processes (Wood) of growth and repair come into being. As the body starts to repair, the thoughts and emotions start to come into harmony healing our neurological system (Fire).
3. The three Factors, the Formless, the Feeling and the Movement.
The Formless
Anything that is abstract can fall into this category, appreciation of art or music uses the five senses to process the information contained within the work. We can lose our sense of time when we become truly involved in appreciating a masterpiece, so time itself falls into this category. – Time/Information/Five sense organs/Music, Arts, Books/Animal/ Movable/Expressive/Bias.
The Feeling
The material world that one can feel falls into this category, we can feel gravity, temperature and pressure. Our joints fall into this category also as they function in a physical way to interact with the force of gravity. In Chinese philosophy, more abstract concepts such as Fixed, Hidden, Applicable & Non-applicable also fall into this category.
The Movement
Energy flows connecting things… movement. In Chinese Medicine, energy flows through channels, the Meridians. The flow of energy through the nervous system produces thought and awareness itself. The flow of intention produces action. In Chinese Philosophy the following string of concepts all fall into this category. Conditioning, Acting, Minding, Awareness, Toward to.
4. In Health/Unwell
When we are healthy, time is the priority of our life. We are busy with “things we have to do”, continually managing our time to fit everything into our daily routine.
When we are unwell, time becomes less important as we slow down and require space for healing. A quiet, pleasant physical space is needed as well as the mental space to let go off duties and demands do that we can regenerate ourselves.
5. In Happiness/Harmony/Healthy
Happiness is achieved through the way of Truth, Kindness and Beauty in progress;
“Simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.”
― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching
Harmony consist of Proportion, Methods and Orders;
What is Harmony? It is a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts. In music, harmony results from the orderly arrangement of notes so that they coalesce to produce a harmonious whole. In life, harmony consists of ordering one’s activities in such a way as to produce a balance between work and play, effort and relaxation, exertion and healing, responsibility and recreation.
Healthy via self-established system, Media and Materials;
To establish and maintain good health, we need to use practices which will promote healing, mental harmony and physical strength and flexibility. Such practices will require us to educate ourselves into techniques and to obtain any materials which may be needed to perform those practices.