Being in Harmony With Nature

The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu is not known by many people yet it is popular enough to be the second most translated text in history after the Bible, while being easy for anyone to read despite existing before the Bible. It's truths are simple yet profound, not controversial or in need of much interpretation, other than mere reflection and application into our own lives. As we deal with balances of our own, we may read such a text or merely think about the balances in our life in order to achieve a greater harmony in our life. This means, one can follow the Tao without even knowing the word Tao, it's a natural religion which is why there are no converts, and as it accepts difference and change, it can start no war and it can certainly support no government. How is it that an ancient text can contradict what most people support, that being a government? Well, while most people would not support war, that of which creates these governments, the very concept of a government is man having a higher authority over his fellow man in dictating his own life without consent. Government in short, is the denial of difference, or better yet, the denial of the embrace of nature, since it is Natural Law for change and difference. Furthermore, teachings of Taoism tell us to let life be, to not overstep or try to control nature, as nature will govern itself if we allow it; certainly, we humans have the ability to own ourselves and practice self-ownership, just as slaves did not have to be slaves with a little empowerment that starts in the mind, knowing that they can be free.

It's only the knowledge of this certainty and simplicity that we are not told in order to keep us in complex systems of control, talking about man made politics and titles, positions and authorities, that nature has no doing with. It's all about forcing people to be good or even just act due to the mere authority of some human being, with every law backed by violence, every order follower ignoring their own conscience. As if ignoring nature was one, ignoring our own nature is just the same. For if every individual did use their conscience and exercised it so to educate others, there'd be no need for law or authority, yet there'd still be rules and leaders. Yet the mind closed to this possibility will refuse to see it. And since it is this very fact of freedom which allows polarities to function and come to a balance, it is not that we should embrace slavery since it is the opposite condition. Rather again, we learn from it, we have no choice but to live with it, in order to truly do so, and to endure and to ultimately escape it stronger than ever. Nature never gives us a challenge we cannot solve, and every problem man creates, he can equally abolish or solve.

The Tao seems contradictory to the limited mind, yet harmonizing to the open mind. Yet, it provides a path or way for our lives, because we see all the many paths, we can then choose where to go, and then we may know what balances exist therein. For within a free world, there will still be the need for balance, even though the imbalance of government would have left the equation; because government was born of freedom, slavery was born of freedom, but ultimately, all wrong is born of the lack of good. As we sunk into the depths of wrong, we had tyranny, democide and all forms of evil. But as we sink into the depths of good, we have innovation, possibility, morality, love, abundance and all forms of good. Each has their comforts and benefits, but understanding the problems with a free world helps us see it is not an extreme good, it is merely embracing the natural authority of the world, the government beyond all man made government. If you see it as a balance between following yourself and following the commands of authority, ask yourself if you'd balance yourself touching a poison and not, because that of which is not of nature cannot be balanced, but abolished. The balance of extreme ignorance will tell you that following the orders of some “authority” leads to catastrophe; that is unless you know you are doing right, in which case, you are following your conscience instead and you are not ignorant. And to say that following this knowledge is not simplicity or it isn't Taoist non-action is also ignorance of the fact conscience we are born with in our nature, and it has the ability to say “no,” the very ability to have non-action. While moral standards may go against simplicity when they get extreme, there is a morality that everyone generally follows, and this is rather simplistic. A life of harmony and balance is simplistic because it's easy, we have mastered the energies and brought them together where they should be, like a child raised up with a mother and father union; how much easier may their life be compared to the individual who does not have this essential or natural balance? Indeed, to assume balance as natural is the Tao. Whereas, that which we aren't to balance goes against the Tao, like holding onto an extreme itself and claiming we can balance it. This is holding onto a tyrannical or even limited government, as because the conscience is still overruled by the concept of “authority” (statism). If Taoists or everyday people want to really create a better world, perhaps they should consider these points, as I'm merely part of the balance in bringing to light what is mostly in the dark, I'm doing my part, but what about you?

by Cory Endrulat - The Liberator 2