@@BenebellWeni find it so strange that someone wouldnt be able to see the value in your videos. But im also not surprised there are people who feel this way at the same time. I guess it is the way of the dao that haters gonna hate. Lol
I've always had a interest in Tao but no one has broke it down like this. Listening to this I 💯 grok Taoism now. Thank you for your very informative videos. I always learn something new and many times my mind is blown 😊😁
This is WONDERFUL! I was making my lunch while listening to this and on multiple occasions shouted out "Yes, yes! Exactly!" The definition of evil as interfering with someone's natural path is one I have only heard one other person give. He was my chiropractor(!) and it is the definition I have used ever since.
I agree as others have stated that the New Age Western approach to the DDJ does not come close to touching on Ziran. I so appreciate your work and level for throughness. This is alot too digest so i will be watching this again, your teaching has given me a deeper understanding of my True Nature and reminds me to be more aware of how others may try to manipulate me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I truly appreciate you ❤❤❤
People who think balance in the Force means equal influence from the Jedi and Sith need to watch this video. Pain and suffering exist, that's a fact of life. Manifestations of the Dark in Nature come from predation, natural disaster, etc, and we still have balance. It is when humanity uses their qì powers to cause harm for the sake of causing harm, cause harm in the name of "progress," unintentionally cause harm through actions that aren't mindful, or even allow harm through inaction, that's when the Dark is unnatural. That's when we've strayed feom the path, that's when there's no balance; too much yin or too much yang. Thanks for this one. Your videos are the golden dragon of Daoist esotericism on youtube and as someone in the midwest of the USA, I greatly appreciate being able to have access to them in lieu of a community or readily avilable teachers.
This was enlightening thank you Benebell. I sincerely agree with this point about having faith, those who are lacking in faith wont go far, there are too many x factors and unknowns, people who think they have it all figured out are completely lost. Ever since I started free and easy wandering, I have found contentment in life, and I am making lemonade from the lemons life gave me, enjoying the bittersweet for what it is.
I am jealous of all the attention I must observe that you get from within this channel. I enjoy your use indistinguishable from the rest through my personal growth and practices. My sharp tool. Knowing that a savage can never afford the effort it takes to keep you so sharp or afford to have you. I move to place more of your access. I move in secret so as not to disrupt the flow within.
The transcendental way of exiting the ego-centric sphere of having to perpetually navigating the internal currents of the way, is also precisely the offer that Christ Jesus provides through Him as the savior and Son of God. It is interesting how other doctrines and paths of arriving at a conclusion of a cessation of suffering have been arrived upon throughout time. This can be a very powerfully alluring type of philosophy in that it seems to inherently and naturally ensure harmony and a self centered type of self-realization. The main thing I really feel like also commenting on this video is how the absolutely undeniable truth of everyone having external help of some sort has always played a undeniable role in this life. Everyone on earth does indeed have the Earths natural permission to exist upon it in one way or another. Absolute self independence and power is one of the most treacherous and deceitful snarls of evil. This is a timeless, pure and elegant historical analysis of ancient philosophy and wisdom. Beautiful timeless truths and harmonious spiritual lessons you have graced everyone with Benebell! Never forget Christ Jesus! I really do not want to interfere with anyone at all!!! I'm just leaving a comment like she said she would appreciate at the end of the video! I just worry that this type of intellectual esoteric type of spiritual historical thought can be potentially dangerous to some. I suppose information can indeed be potentially dangerous in so very many ways anyhow. Hope I don't offend anyone with this comment. If anything I am just providing her my own personal thoughts! **oh, and i use to the word "esoteric" mainly pertaining to western audiences! Forgive me!
I have been exploring the Tao or Dao for a while now. After this talk, I can appreciate how, while going with the flow of life, our own intuition must discern to attain great potential for spiritual growth and individual wisdom. Thank you Benebell for sharing your knowledge, wisdom and time with us 🙏🏽
Wu wei is how you stay on the path of heaven. The way of heaven is Ziran … the path of least resistance is non action 🙏🏻📿 cant wait for your true name video you referenced. Thank you for all your videos.
Sometime what you teach can be a little above my pay grade and other times you just blow my mind with new knowledge Today I think you helped to change the very direction of my life. Thank you
We are impressed with your clear explanation of Ziran. Thanks from the bottom of the heart from Romania! Respect and attention to your guidance in our life!
I loved how you broke down these concepts, this was such a comprehensive, detailed, and informative video. I find a lot of these concepts to be fascinating, and some of the philosophies are eerily similar to parts of my understanding of nature and energy that before now, had no words to describe them. 🐺🌿☯️
I love how you explain wu wei (無為）, juxtaposing it to zi wei （自為）。 The analogue in Western terms seems to be non-attachment, or without ego; vs insistence of will, ego, or world view. You have taught me a lot about zi ran（自然）starting with the pictogram of the nose. If we could all accept that everything is created perfectly as it is -- zhen xing (真形)-- we would have a world of greater acceptance. Your command of Chinese is impressive, so as a Chinese American, I learn so much from you! As a qigong/taichi practitioner, I liked your use of the circle to represent the physical body and the 4-pointed star. All of this brings new insight to the notion of going with the flow. Many, many thanks.
Thank you, and that's so cool that you are into qigong and taichi! I find integration of those practices into everyday life to be so beneficial for health and wellness.
I always love learning from you. A lot of your videos are coming in to an alignment with my journey and reinforcing impressions I've had, though now I have a way to cite these things further so i'm not just floundering in a sort of nihilism cursing the structures I've bred from. I can chose to recode myself to that deeper alignment of ziran and know that non-action is not just idleness. Again, very nourishing content!! Thank you for sharing your self with us all ~
I am very grateful for this video. Prior to this retrograde period I was given insight on an associate that there would be some upcoming strife due to an individual they’re around. I’ve had visions/dreams before with another associate years ago where I took a different route by letting them know as soon as I got the download. They still did what they wanted and got the result I wanted to help them avoid. With understanding the basics of “Ziran” thanks to you it gave me some revelations on some questions I’ve been having recently about intervention regarding another. Idk why i get the visions and downloads but now I’ll remain in more of an observable state. Focusing on being my true form which may be more beneficial anyway lol.
Morning - I had not been aware of Ziran in my growing interest in Wu Wei. I am impressed by the depth of understanding that the early thinkers in ancient China had as to the intrinsic belongingness of all things with no separation - also how these schools of thought have continued to be woven into the fabric of Chinese civilisation over millennia. When I look within for an expression of myself that has been there throughout my life - I am nearly 70 years old - I see a leaf that is borne on the surface of the stream - movement without motion. When I was younger I was concerned at the seeming lack of agency but now I am not concerned by that interpretation as I feel that being the leaf borne by the river is part of something greater and more inclusive than it might at first suggest. I am feeling as though I have found a way of being within and part of - not the separated experience of being that Western thought has promoted - the Cartesian split of mind from body and the Christian forgiveness of sin in this world with the promise of life after death through redemption.
Another excellent peice of work. I really appreciate your examples, from our scientific understanding, of how we observe these principles in physics and the natural world. I personally see Taoism as a very accurate natural science which continues to show us great relevancy, beauty and truth. 🙏 Thank you Sifu Wen.
Thank you for your excellent videos. You manage to combine impressive scholarship with clarity for the " average " person . Very impressive and valuable content Thanks again !
Thank you for the inspiring video on Ziran and Wu Wei. Your explanations have helped me understand the deep significance of natural order and authenticity in Daoism. I am committed to applying these principles in every moment of my life and living in harmony with the natural order.
This was a great lesson for me, as I could see that sometimes the evil is in the self instead of others. The concept of evil you presented made me see what I couldn't see in the wu wei concept. Thank you!
A great video and reminds me a lot of Buddhist concepts and practices to attain the state of Enlightenment (or Ziran). As I understand it, Wu Wei (aka formlessness) is equivalent to the Buddhist concept of Sunyata (aka emptiness or “voidness”), while Ziran is equivalent to the Buddhist concept of Buddha-Nature/Buddha-Mind. On Ziran, we are inherently good (or endowed with Buddha-Nature), but it is through action (both our own and by others) that we create karma that go against Ziran and entangle us in this world (Samsara). Buddhist dharma teaches us to understand and identify the 12 links of dependent origination (paticcasamuppada) so that we can break free from samsara (or as you put it in this video: go beyond the sphere). Thank you for your work. 🙏 Your work helps me better understand Buddhism from a different perspective. Quite a valuable experience.
I'm reminded of Octavian Augustus, the first Roman Emperor in various parts of the episode. His transitioning from the republic to the empire, and rule as an Emperor was so subtle, that no one outside the senate knew what had happened. He was also bestowed many titles, merits, and powers to make it seem like he wasn't a monarch. Although the following emperors tried to model his exact way of rulership, it was those who ruled in their OWN style that had positive impacts and lasting prestige on the empire. All in all the concept of the Dao is universal.
i know absolutely nothing about tao and dao, but your videos were recommended to me after i started looking more into disassociation and tao ! while i still dont know much, you explain things so clearly and im beginning to START to understand LOL ! thank you for your videos !
Thank you so much for making this (and other) videos about Taoism and esotericism. The part near the end where you talked about transcendence and quantum entanglement was both fascinating and useful since I now have better words to help understand what I'm doing here - exoteric vs. esoteric Ziran.
@BenebellWen. You are like the Billy Graham of Daoism to our family. We now live in Jiangsu province now. 老婆妹妹 and myself watch your videos together once a week. You have you become a part of our practice. 老婆和妹妹 are 满族人 from 东北 and I am part 蒙古人, born in 九龙 raise in the US. So, I understand and appreciate the linguistic mixture of your practice. Thank you so very much. Our family has different levels of English your language, humor and warm nature are like that of a “cool breeze on a hot summer day.” 六六六
Great video!! Love it!! Thank you! I am so glad that you share my passion for Chuang Tzu!! Yes, evil is to interfere in someone or something's natural path!! I particular love Chuang Tzu chapter 9 The horse hoof. I sense a deep respect in Chuang Tzu for others, whether the other human beings, animals, or even plants! I would argue that Chuang Tzu is probably the first deep ecologist!
Your videos are so informative and educational. I've been looking for a channel that does a good job of explaining all things Taoist and it seems I've finally found it! Great work 👏🏽😊
I’m really enjoying this series. The idea of “the path of least resistance” makes me think about the idea of “acceptance” in Stoicism. That instead of fighting with reality, we need to accept the way things are and the. Look at what we can control, which is ourselves and our response to things.
So happy to hear that you are interested in this series, Lou! I was in part not even sure whether tarot community people were still engaging in this new the subject matter on my channel. ❤️🙏 Hope you have been well.
thank you so much for these videos and I have been slowly working my way through your I Ching book all year. So grateful for your work! The unlearning required to cultivate ziran is the hardest part for me but is so rewarding at the same time
I had never heard of ziran before now, despite reading and rereading the Tao Te Ching in translation for decades. The explanation of Chinese words is very enlightening. I am interested in the magic of manifestation. I have also done banishing spell with voodou and black salt. Would this be against the Tao? How can i rid myself of bad neighbors? The spell worked. My evil neighbor left. Does the Tao want me to suffer?
Great Work bringing these concepts in a learned manner to us. Love the xuan de being ziran! Ive read ziran as self arising but my interests in the science of complexity makes me think self organising. This term self organising includes crystals, which is most of matter, how groups of cells differentiate into various tissues, how gases equilibrate their spacing, skin markings in animals, to weather, the waves in sand dunes. In fact most of our human world including the nervous system are self organising mass human behaviour, city building over long periods meaning emerging from complex chaos of underlying mediums into higher order. Understanding complexity/chaos and self organising systems tells us a lot about the cutting edge of modern science and the Dao. Complexity scientists say we live in a continuous spectrum running chaos and order, chaos feeding order. The Dao is more modern than many suppose. One story road researchers researching how bottlenecks build up on roads. Sent drivers around a track with bends etc. Bottlenecks formed at certain points. By eliminating at these points the drivers ability to see the eyes of other drivers bottlenecks disappeared. Drivers were told nothing, but they organised themselves with no knowledge. Ziran, xuan de.
Thank you for helping me gain insight. I am a holistix therapist on the spiritual journey, this past week I have encountered the question: "how may I truly help others?" And I realized that I humbly don't know. And to really know I must help others find their own natural path and answers... find out what they consider as help. Understanding evil is interrupting another's path and free will with our own opinions ideas and judgments is a beautiful and clear way of "do no harm" . So thank you
You are definitely living according to your own Ziran, as I can feel the joy by which you translate these ideas for us. I am very happy to say that no one can really oppose you in any way that can stop you, as long as you remember your safety, or better said, do not forget the natural safety in which you are and will always be couched. 🙂 I understand the forces working against ziran in general to be for me, any fears that were passed to me somehow, that I may learn to ignore them, or see the love even in their misguided attempts. Then I am free to be outside the circle of the fears of infinite choice, and the fears of spontaneity, both of which when forgotten, allow for infinite adventure and creativity that I believe is the true nature of those who have embarked on the journey through matter.
I am trying to figure out if i am in the bubble and going with the flow- or in the bubble and going against the flow or outside the bubble I moved away from my family and I live a great life with some hardship. But really I have nothing to complain about. I do miss my original “home” and the relationships i had there. After this video I can address that parts in my life where I have lacked faith and how that has negatively affected me. But i am grateful for this enlightenment because it never feels great trying to interfere with others lives: such as friends/family
Very clear and good presentation in clear good English of the invaluable wisdoms and virtues of the one of the ancient Chinese philosophies. If only humans embrace these, the world would not see so much madness and chaos. Wish the Western world realized the Chinese values and ingested it well.
One of my guardian angels however non religious lived on earth in the central highlands. Goat herder poet studied the Tao. Wearing black gown and cap I recall red somewhere. Where the 5 senses are dulled and the sixth the one sense is magnified crystal clear. Between worlds. He comes through. Lawful evil is the alignment. The man who fights with constructs against constructs.😎 Consciousness evolves first. Humans consciousness is temporary until next time. Give a hungry man a fish to eat he will be hungry tomorrow. Teach the man the way to fish and he has a resource for life.
Don't be surprised if you don't get the number of comments that you expected. The Dao has always rendered people speechless. It is said that it cannot be spoken of, and they who can speak about it don't know what they are talking about. I have, since I came to understand it, been able to talk about it, explain what it is to people who have never heard of it, point out when I see one of its truths materialize in life, and answer questions. I was trying to instigate a conversation about it, in a chatroom once. Finally a someone said, "Okay. Talk about it." It was as if all I ever wanted to be was be in space among the stars, then found myself out there and realized that now I was far from all of them, and the place that I came from. I couldn't say a word. For everything that you can say about it, you can pretty much say the opposite also, so you go about it carefully, like crossing an icy stream in late winter. Next thing you know, you have stopped speaking in absolute terms, and you take even the smallest commitment very seriously. You use a lot more qualifiers in your speech; just about, most of, the majority of things is usually, kinda, pretty much qualified to a state of neutrality, just like this statement. You see such a deep meaning in a shallow joke that you take all of the funny out of it. The budding, ripening, and withering of fruit, in a basket on a table reminds you to be a bit diligent about life, in general. The rain upon your fresh coat of wax reminds you not to take such things so seriously. You finally find that your efforts are relaxed. You're detached from the way that things come out. They are the culmination of the circumstances that bring them about. You feel like you are on high alert, but you move slowly, carefully. You feel like you are tired, but you know that you can go on forever. There are no pleasures to be enjoyed and then paid for. You are also equally unattached about your suffering, and you realize that this density doesn't become you anymore, if it ever did. Namaste
I’ve been going to a local Tibetan Buddhist temple a lot recently, sometimes helping out with yardwork etc. this concept has been a missing word in my mind that I am very grateful to have learned, I drew it out even, because now I comprehend Wu Wei in a little bit deeper and for that I am very thankful to you
thank you for sharing, I've been seeing the need to hone my creativity in my own personal I-Ching journey as a path to be a respectable person, two years the symbol of breakthrough has appeared by guidance of the evolving oracle. Respect and honor to all your ancestors
Thank you for every detail, your expertise on this is outstanding. This principle is holds truth for me from my own personal experiences. Om! May you be blessed for eternity!🙏🙏🙏🙏
I've always wondered about ziran. How embodying its principals can be achieved in this life? This was a great eye opener into concepts and conclusions I've arrived to. In application, I've noticed theirs an inner and outer ziran experienced in zen meditation. When faith is applied, it transcends your beliefs of what is and what will be. As if walking blind and tripping over a stone, picking it up, and handing to another who tells you it's gold. You care less about your personal story and embrace the lives of others without interference. Faith is key, and gentle in life. Thank you for sharing your scholarly insights into the matter.
I absolutely love the depth of your knowledge in comparative philosophy, theological, esoteric, and occult teachings and practices... many of which the true adept realizes the symmetry and complimentary aspects of the deeper truths in the various traditions! Hey... compar Ziran to Zurvan of the teachings of Zoroaster ❤️ your so very beautiful, both intellectually and physically 😉
I love this overall theme as well as all the carefully selected details of the presentation including the various calligraphies. I also love how this intersects with other spiritual traditions in engendering the no-self allowing of 'shunya'. The ultimate freedom comes when we are lovingly unattached/allowing without being arrogantly aloof. In our modern money and materialism oriented culture, it is challenging to find the balance between self-interest that doesn't focus on caring for the whole, and self-expression which includes caring for the whole. It is something we can each deeply reflect on to create more and more alignment with the Tao even as we self-express in the modern culture which as a money creation at its basis.
Thank you so much for your content, you may be my favourite TH-cam channel. Whenever I watch, I think of how I hope to find a teacher in Taoism like you or your teacher(s). As Hua Hu Ching says though, when one practices the undiscriminating virtue, cares for all beings, and follows the teachings written by the sages, the highest beings will take notice and approach them. So I'm just being the best I can for the sake of being the best I can, and the company of those highest beings will hopefully come.
After a convoluted path of false starts, two books were handed me, as take two rolled. Hesse's Siddhartha and the Tao Te Ching (Witter Bynner translation), which is wonderful in its poetic marrying of the surface to the core. Fifty four years on Maui, growing in the recognition of how complete is the provision of the Tao, which parked me on the side of a volcano growing orchards and going form "wonder into wonder". The Tao provides, was the Maui mantra in 1970. Rings as true as ever. Your obvious and unpretentious scholarship are so very refreshing, not to mention your smile and humor. Thank you for bringing focus to the bigger picture by examining the details in such concise and accessible ways. Heart of a healer, spirit of a dragon. You go girl, or don't. :) Me ke aloha
The moon beast, indicates self transcending. ZhuangXi he is right so much. He comes with few tones, bells, or staging props. The path and the destination are present and the same. Ambition has betrayed his detractors, it seems, that his brush fell straight and true.
also, i must say thank you for teaching us as its difficult to a degree to find any active practitioner of taoism in the states; let alone one that will teach you…
Sincere thanks offered with both both hands. Your methods of helping gain understanding and appreciation are wonderful. I am on the third reading of "I Ching, The Oracle". My copy of the Wilhelm Baynes is now over 55 years old. Your material is so refreshing it is like finding a sacred Peach. It is helping me become a better student of the Tao. You are using your gifts wisely. I look forward to your next release.
"With all the work fulfilled, the mission done" (correct inner practice to connect to real self), "all the people explain " (all the thoughts explain) this is ziran (this is the self here now ) ...same idea of to Be or not to Be (presence of self or only presence of biological body)
I live my life close to what is said in this video , to properly interpret what is said and the meaning of these is that the person has to be open to see all sides not just the self, this took me decades to understand and it for me can be a little tricky, we all have things inside that are caused from others, especially now days, many people spend much time on cell phones in social media which influences them. Most if not all of those people possibly do not even realize they are being influenced, there is a reason why they call many people on social media "Social media influencers" ;). So most people are, lack of better expression, lost, they don't truly know themselves , they may not fully understand what the meaning of much of the Taoist ways of thought , I mean people literally Google it to quickly find answers without actually understanding what the answers are or if they are true.
Thank you so much, I have followed you for some time now and you helped me feel I finally have accurate look at daoism that I have been drawn to since I was young, though being an American it has been hard to find detailed explanations on it and its philosophy. I even have a taijitu birth mark I feel is in place to encourage me to dig deeper into the dao! My younger self seemed to find ziran by looking at the world as an amused observer intitially, I cultivated lots of personal beliefs at the time that I found when older were shared by practioners of Bön and Daoism. It reaffirm thst my observations and mental musings may have actually had some veracity, which was quite comforting as I found much at home in thst way. Sadly as many of us do when growing up life, emotions, ego, etc. Scared me away from that state. But I am studying more and rebuilding myself. Perhaps it was part of the journey for me to lose my way so I could later find it again with greater appreciation and stability.
Thank you for this work. I have done some study of several spiritual paths and their common themes; your exposition of Daoist philosophy, and the reading in Daoism that teaching inspired (thanks for your reading suggestions) has confirmed that it contains those same commonalities. By the way, your suggested readings in Daoism and my interest in the deep commonalities between them led me to an excellent scholarly book by Toshihiko Izutsu named Sufism & Taoism. His remarkably lucid exposition of Daoism, is very consonant with your own. For any with an interest in exploring the ways traditions seem to agree, quite directly, I recommend that book.
Thank you, I found this talk very informative regarding Ziran and the meaning of Tao. Including the chartlike illustrations helps me understand what you are saying. It inspired me to take notes. Being able to pause the video really helps. The fact that you include chinese writing and pronunciation really helps me become more familiar with the language and writen characters. I'm so glad I found you on youtube 🙂
Thought is the most powerful tool. If we understand our nature well, we can transcend it. There is no point in endlessly confirming our stature, neither the stature of others, yet that's what we do. Do we do it because it is the innate nature of our brain to confirm its existence? What exactly do we teach if all that we can think about is people's confirmation? We're getting paid for the material confirmation of our thoughts, but are thoughts and ourselves truly inseparable? The most important conclusion to me is that there is no true "good" and "evil" in the material world, the two are constantly mixing. By knowing this, I can be at ease with my "poor" nature as labeled by someone, because their perception is perhaps nothing more than their perception of self. I can go out and enjoy the storm and lightning and learn more about ziran this way; or get shocked by the stork's appearance out nowhere, and not purposefully seek to find a confirmation from anyone. Every moment I can be at peace knowing that I am doing the right thing for myself.
Really appreciate your videos! I am learning a lot. Making my way through the first of your books. I have practiced in the Tibetan Bön tradition for several years now and find your work to be an immensely helpful complementary perspective. You have my thanks! 🌞
Thank you for another helpful and edifying video, Ms. Wen. You are the educational voice I have been waiting for since I was exposed to Daoism years ago, by someone very dear to me who now exists on another plane. I have come to see the Tao Teh Ching as much a work of holy wisdom as the Bible or the Bhagavad Gita, but there has always been this sort of secular, Barnes and Noble, HR department kind of veneer to the way it is usually presented in western publications. Nice to know I’m not just crazy. PS. Having already received some real material blessings from some suggestions/instructions you’ve made throughout your work- let me say thanks a second time. 🙇 You are appreciated and respected.
Follow the orderly action of soul movement and prevent self following self attachment of self emotional and feelings Learn to maturity by categories of self mindfulness of wisdom at soul knows, soul calculation, soul ideology,soul logical, soul creativity, soul planning the right development of self planning , soul writing, soul tesis ,soul learning and soul do and prevent the self dreaming and harsh words Prevent bad though but seLf at ideologies soul and prevent self harsh words but self at the voices of self mouth at self tune voices of sentences self pronounciation in the principality of self voices tune sentences of self mouth at matters and solution
the path of least resistance is difficult to achieve in the modern day 1) there is a stimuli from the environment and from others which has happened. 2) Everything around us at the moment in time, especially if you are in the city there is some form of government or entity by others trying to affect us or manipulate you. 3) in order to revert to the power of least resistance, one must revert to zen thing by going back to basics or to realise that we have many difference which we have done by the education, the exposure to tv. Hence another step back is to realise which moves we make will be easiest. In my instance of Ah ha moment, i realised that i cannot be abused by my former boss anymore. I decided to quit and find another path. at that moment in time another opportunity opened for me and the path changes.
Ziran is a very difficult method to put into into practice as a method of governing. There is a chinese webnovel where the main character is a daoist priest who manages to cultivates in the real world, via a game world mostly based on the Journey to the West; over time, he becomes an immortal and makes the other daoist priests benefit a bit. But mostly, he acquires the reputation of being Yuanshi Tianzun (apparently, in that setting of Journey to the West, only Taishang Laojun exists and the 2 other Pure Ones & Hongjun Daozu don't), this is because he can transport things from one world to the other, and uses it to become not only wealthy, but to support his cultivation in a fast and effiscient manner. He greatly benefits from incense fire offerings, since that's his source of income for immortality cultivation (like the Souls in Dark Souls, which have a dual purpose of XP and money), but also from access to modern commodities such as genetically modified seeds, steel industry to mass produce weapons and armours for his mortal minions, and so on. Eventually, his miracles get noticed, from stopping meteorites to healing people... of course, many want to quit their job (or studies) to become daoist priests in the hope of cultivating immortality; but he decides to prevent it proactively, and the daoist officials openly claim that there is no such thing as immortality cultivation, and that the method they teach are for health benefits and such. This is because the main character doesn't want the modern world to become a fantasy setting, for it would no longer be useful for trading with the Saiyuki world and support his cultivation. Why I am speaking about all of this, it is because the situation of the modern world truly beggars the question: why are the ascended immortals and gods allowing our world to go to shit? Sanatana Dharma believes that Kali Yuga is both vital and necessary, a cosmic out-breath ; but what about Daoism? Why would immortals let it be? Because they don't want to interfere with the mundane world? Because they can benefit from this mess? No matter how one looks at it, the situation isn't right, because things and people are not being established in an harmonious conformity with their nature. Ultimately, only great spiritual power would allow Ziran to be put into practice as a method of governing. Perhaps only 天 can rule this way due to material limitations of humans.
I came across another Taoist that claims his way is the only way to learn Taoism magic. Wow he missed a lot of lessons and I am shocked he made it this far in scamming people. Thank you for being here. You have no idea how valuable you are being here in the English population to set the record straight. 🦋
I feel total resonance with your exploration of Ziran 自然 and the personal embodiment of Wu Wei - thank you for your thorough exploration of the topic and your personal cultivation so as to be able to transmit it - especially to me as an English speaker!! I'm 4 years into a Qi Gong training and enjoying the exploration of 5-Element theory - I'm getting deeper each season. At this time (Wood into Fire) I am enjoying focusing my Heart Spirit (Shen) on embedding into my Kidney (Jing) by aligning my Zhi with my inner Vision (Liver). I am also noting the tendency to express my excess creative energy in a flash, and would rather, this Cycle, see it as an opportunity to move the Yang deeper in to nourish the Kidneys through the Winter. What are you feeling about the Seasonal tides? :]
To work to not work and to reveal my true knowing to myself with as little resistance as I can allow. To trust my twu way. I feel so empty of knowing when I review your videos, so much awe for what has come before and much enthusiasm for the subject matter. How can one study in your presence?
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I really appreciate your academic approach to teaching taoism to the english speaking world.
Yeah, you're right. Those air finger quotes are super helpful! How could we understand without them?!
Some people like it some people hate it. Glad you appreciate it! 😅❤
@@BenebellWeni find it so strange that someone wouldnt be able to see the value in your videos. But im also not surprised there are people who feel this way at the same time.
I guess it is the way of the dao that haters gonna hate. Lol
Agreed! I’ve gathered great information from listening to Alan Watts and others, but this makes me feel as if I’m in class! I love it! Thank you! ❤
I've always had a interest in Tao but no one has broke it down like this.
Listening to this I 💯 grok Taoism now.
Thank you for your very informative videos.
I always learn something new and many times my mind is blown 😊😁
This is WONDERFUL!
I was making my lunch while listening to this and on multiple occasions shouted out "Yes, yes! Exactly!"
The definition of evil as interfering with someone's natural path is one I have only heard one other person give. He was my chiropractor(!) and it is the definition I have used ever since.
Thank you!
Totally agree with you!! She is the best!
I agree as others have stated that the New Age Western approach to the DDJ does not come close to touching on Ziran. I so appreciate your work and level for throughness. This is alot too digest so i will be watching this again, your teaching has given me a deeper understanding of my True Nature and reminds me to be more aware of how others may try to manipulate me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I truly appreciate you ❤❤❤
People who think balance in the Force means equal influence from the Jedi and Sith need to watch this video.
Pain and suffering exist, that's a fact of life. Manifestations of the Dark in Nature come from predation, natural disaster, etc, and we still have balance.
It is when humanity uses their qì powers to cause harm for the sake of causing harm, cause harm in the name of "progress," unintentionally cause harm through actions that aren't mindful, or even allow harm through inaction, that's when the Dark is unnatural. That's when we've strayed feom the path, that's when there's no balance; too much yin or too much yang.
Thanks for this one. Your videos are the golden dragon of Daoist esotericism on youtube and as someone in the midwest of the USA, I greatly appreciate being able to have access to them in lieu of a community or readily avilable teachers.
I love your amazing channel.
Thank you so much! That means a lot to me!
This was enlightening thank you Benebell. I sincerely agree with this point about having faith, those who are lacking in faith wont go far, there are too many x factors and unknowns, people who think they have it all figured out are completely lost. Ever since I started free and easy wandering, I have found contentment in life, and I am making lemonade from the lemons life gave me, enjoying the bittersweet for what it is.
I've often read *dao fa ziran* translated as "the Tao rules itself" or" the Tao follows no law". Never knew there was so much behind *ziran* 谢 谢
I am jealous of all the attention I must observe that you get from within this channel. I enjoy your use indistinguishable from the rest through my personal growth and practices. My sharp tool. Knowing that a savage can never afford the effort it takes to keep you so sharp or afford to have you. I move to place more of your access. I move in secret so as not to disrupt the flow within.
The transcendental way of exiting the ego-centric sphere of having to perpetually navigating the internal currents of the way, is also precisely the offer that Christ Jesus provides through Him as the savior and Son of God. It is interesting how other doctrines and paths of arriving at a conclusion of a cessation of suffering have been arrived upon throughout time. This can be a very powerfully alluring type of philosophy in that it seems to inherently and naturally ensure harmony and a self centered type of self-realization. The main thing I really feel like also commenting on this video is how the absolutely undeniable truth of everyone having external help of some sort has always played a undeniable role in this life. Everyone on earth does indeed have the Earths natural permission to exist upon it in one way or another. Absolute self independence and power is one of the most treacherous and deceitful snarls of evil. This is a timeless, pure and elegant historical analysis of ancient philosophy and wisdom. Beautiful timeless truths and harmonious spiritual lessons you have graced everyone with Benebell! Never forget Christ Jesus! I really do not want to interfere with anyone at all!!! I'm just leaving a comment like she said she would appreciate at the end of the video! I just worry that this type of intellectual esoteric type of spiritual historical thought can be potentially dangerous to some. I suppose information can indeed be potentially dangerous in so very many ways anyhow. Hope I don't offend anyone with this comment. If anything I am just providing her my own personal thoughts! **oh, and i use to the word "esoteric" mainly pertaining to western audiences! Forgive me!
We are so lucky to have you
I have been exploring the Tao or Dao for a while now. After this talk, I can appreciate how, while going with the flow of life, our own intuition must discern to attain great potential for spiritual growth and individual wisdom. Thank you Benebell for sharing your knowledge, wisdom and time with us 🙏🏽
I love this realization. And thank you for watching!
This is wisdom. Benebell Wen is sharing wonderful information and philosophy.
Thanks so much for this profound Taoism being explain in the most beautiful and simplest expression and understanding. ❤❤❤
Wu wei is how you stay on the path of heaven. The way of heaven is Ziran … the path of least resistance is non action 🙏🏻📿 cant wait for your true name video you referenced. Thank you for all your videos.
Sometime what you teach can be a little above my pay grade and other times you just blow my mind with new knowledge
Today I think you helped to change the very direction of my life. Thank you
Perfect timing. I was just learning about chemistry and how valence electrons always try to be in a state of least energy (having 8 electrons)
Check out the laws of thermodynamics. It's all about path of least resistance and spontaneity.
This philosophy resonates with many religions and teachings.
We are impressed with your clear explanation of Ziran. Thanks from the bottom of the heart from Romania! Respect and attention to your guidance in our life!
I loved how you broke down these concepts, this was such a comprehensive, detailed, and informative video. I find a lot of these concepts to be fascinating, and some of the philosophies are eerily similar to parts of my understanding of nature and energy that before now, had no words to describe them. 🐺🌿☯️
Clearly explained, and I admire your slides.
Haha thank you. I enjoy making the slides. 😅
I love how you explain wu wei (無為）, juxtaposing it to zi wei （自為）。 The analogue in Western terms seems to be non-attachment, or without ego; vs insistence of will, ego, or world view. You have taught me a lot about zi ran（自然）starting with the pictogram of the nose. If we could all accept that everything is created perfectly as it is -- zhen xing (真形)-- we would have a world of greater acceptance. Your command of Chinese is impressive, so as a Chinese American, I learn so much from you! As a qigong/taichi practitioner, I liked your use of the circle to represent the physical body and the 4-pointed star. All of this brings new insight to the notion of going with the flow. Many, many thanks.
Thank you, and that's so cool that you are into qigong and taichi! I find integration of those practices into everyday life to be so beneficial for health and wellness.
I always love learning from you. A lot of your videos are coming in to an alignment with my journey and reinforcing impressions I've had, though now I have a way to cite these things further so i'm not just floundering in a sort of nihilism cursing the structures I've bred from. I can chose to recode myself to that deeper alignment of ziran and know that non-action is not just idleness. Again, very nourishing content!!
Thank you for sharing your self with us all ~
magic fox 🦊
I am very grateful for this video. Prior to this retrograde period I was given insight on an associate that there would be some upcoming strife due to an individual they’re around. I’ve had visions/dreams before with another associate years ago where I took a different route by letting them know as soon as I got the download. They still did what they wanted and got the result I wanted to help them avoid. With understanding the basics of “Ziran” thanks to you it gave me some revelations on some questions I’ve been having recently about intervention regarding another. Idk why i get the visions and downloads but now I’ll remain in more of an observable state. Focusing on being my true form which may be more beneficial anyway lol.
Thank you for allowing me pillar of truth.
-Commish
Morning - I had not been aware of Ziran in my growing interest in Wu Wei. I am impressed by the depth of understanding that the early thinkers in ancient China had as to the intrinsic belongingness of all things with no separation - also how these schools of thought have continued to be woven into the fabric of Chinese civilisation over millennia. When I look within for an expression of myself that has been there throughout my life - I am nearly 70 years old - I see a leaf that is borne on the surface of the stream - movement without motion. When I was younger I was concerned at the seeming lack of agency but now I am not concerned by that interpretation as I feel that being the leaf borne by the river is part of something greater and more inclusive than it might at first suggest. I am feeling as though I have found a way of being within and part of - not the separated experience of being that Western thought has promoted - the Cartesian split of mind from body and the Christian forgiveness of sin in this world with the promise of life after death through redemption.
What a blessing to witness another slice of wisdom from you, B!🙏🙏🙏☯️☯️☯️👍🏼👍🏼🦉🦉🦉🦉
Another excellent peice of work. I really appreciate your examples, from our scientific understanding, of how we observe these principles in physics and the natural world. I personally see Taoism as a very accurate natural science which continues to show us great relevancy, beauty and truth. 🙏 Thank you Sifu Wen.
Thank you for your excellent videos. You manage to combine impressive scholarship with clarity for the " average " person . Very impressive and valuable content Thanks again !
Beautiful
Thank you for the inspiring video on Ziran and Wu Wei. Your explanations have helped me understand the deep significance of natural order and authenticity in Daoism. I am committed to applying these principles in every moment of my life and living in harmony with the natural order.
This was a great lesson for me, as I could see that sometimes the evil is in the self instead of others. The concept of evil you presented made me see what I couldn't see in the wu wei concept. Thank you!
A great video and reminds me a lot of Buddhist concepts and practices to attain the state of Enlightenment (or Ziran). As I understand it, Wu Wei (aka formlessness) is equivalent to the Buddhist concept of Sunyata (aka emptiness or “voidness”), while Ziran is equivalent to the Buddhist concept of Buddha-Nature/Buddha-Mind. On Ziran, we are inherently good (or endowed with Buddha-Nature), but it is through action (both our own and by others) that we create karma that go against Ziran and entangle us in this world (Samsara). Buddhist dharma teaches us to understand and identify the 12 links of dependent origination (paticcasamuppada) so that we can break free from samsara (or as you put it in this video: go beyond the sphere). Thank you for your work. 🙏 Your work helps me better understand Buddhism from a different perspective. Quite a valuable experience.
I'm reminded of Octavian Augustus, the first Roman Emperor in various parts of the episode. His transitioning from the republic to the empire, and rule as an Emperor was so subtle, that no one outside the senate knew what had happened. He was also bestowed many titles, merits, and powers to make it seem like he wasn't a monarch.
Although the following emperors tried to model his exact way of rulership, it was those who ruled in their OWN style that had positive impacts and lasting prestige on the empire.
All in all the concept of the Dao is universal.
Great explanation. It's even deeper than many Chinese resources. I like your channel!
This channel is so well conceived and truly an incredible resource - it deserves all the accolades! Thank you @BenebellWen !
i know absolutely nothing about tao and dao, but your videos were recommended to me after i started looking more into disassociation and tao ! while i still dont know much, you explain things so clearly and im beginning to START to understand LOL ! thank you for your videos !
So grateful for your videos! This is my new favourite TH-cam channel 🙏 I learn so much, and it gives me so much peace.
Thank you so much for making this (and other) videos about Taoism and esotericism. The part near the end where you talked about transcendence and quantum entanglement was both fascinating and useful since I now have better words to help understand what I'm doing here - exoteric vs. esoteric Ziran.
@BenebellWen. You are like the Billy Graham of Daoism to our family. We now live in Jiangsu province now. 老婆妹妹 and myself watch your videos together once a week. You have you become a part of our practice. 老婆和妹妹 are 满族人 from 东北 and I am part 蒙古人, born in 九龙 raise in the US. So, I understand and appreciate the linguistic mixture of your practice. Thank you so very much. Our family has different levels of English your language, humor and warm nature are like that of a “cool breeze on a hot summer day.” 六六六
Thank you for another great teaching. "Have a gentle heart and peaceful mind" :D
❤thank you dear, so lucky 🍀 to listen and learn with you 🌈
Great video!! Love it!! Thank you! I am so glad that you share my passion for Chuang Tzu!! Yes, evil is to interfere in someone or something's natural path!! I particular love Chuang Tzu chapter 9 The horse hoof. I sense a deep respect in Chuang Tzu for others, whether the other human beings, animals, or even plants! I would argue that Chuang Tzu is probably the first deep ecologist!
Agreed! My mother very much loved Zhuangzi/Chuang Tzu and I guess I have inherited that love. 😊
Your videos are so informative and educational. I've been looking for a channel that does a good job of explaining all things Taoist and it seems I've finally found it! Great work 👏🏽😊
I'd never heard of Ziran before so thank you for the exposure....I'm sure I'm going to need a few listen throughs of this like I do with Wu Wei
I’m really enjoying this series. The idea of “the path of least resistance” makes me think about the idea of “acceptance” in Stoicism. That instead of fighting with reality, we need to accept the way things are and the. Look at what we can control, which is ourselves and our response to things.
So happy to hear that you are interested in this series, Lou! I was in part not even sure whether tarot community people were still engaging in this new the subject matter on my channel. ❤️🙏 Hope you have been well.
@@BenebellWen I’ve been doing well. Thanks for the series. I’m loving your I Ching book too!
Thank you for teachings.
thank you so much for these videos and I have been slowly working my way through your I Ching book all year. So grateful for your work! The unlearning required to cultivate ziran is the hardest part for me but is so rewarding at the same time
I had never heard of ziran before now, despite reading and rereading the Tao Te Ching in translation for decades. The explanation of Chinese words is very enlightening. I am interested in the magic of manifestation. I have also done banishing spell with voodou and black salt. Would this be against the Tao? How can i rid myself of bad neighbors? The spell worked. My evil neighbor left. Does the Tao want me to suffer?
Great Work bringing these concepts in a learned manner to us. Love the xuan de being ziran!
Ive read ziran as self arising but my interests in the science of complexity makes me think self organising.
This term self organising includes crystals, which is most of matter, how groups of cells differentiate into various tissues, how gases equilibrate their spacing, skin markings in animals, to weather, the waves in sand dunes. In fact most of our human world including the nervous system are self organising mass human behaviour, city building over long periods meaning emerging from complex chaos of underlying mediums into higher order.
Understanding complexity/chaos and self organising systems tells us a lot about the cutting edge of modern science and the Dao. Complexity scientists say we live in a continuous spectrum running chaos and order, chaos feeding order.
The Dao is more modern than many suppose.
One story road researchers researching how bottlenecks build up on roads. Sent drivers around a track with bends etc.
Bottlenecks formed at certain points. By eliminating at these points the drivers ability to see the eyes of other drivers bottlenecks disappeared. Drivers were told nothing, but they organised themselves with no knowledge. Ziran, xuan de.
Thank you for helping me gain insight. I am a holistix therapist on the spiritual journey, this past week I have encountered the question:
"how may I truly help others?"
And I realized that I humbly don't know. And to really know I must help others find their own natural path and answers... find out what they consider as help.
Understanding evil is interrupting another's path and free will with our own opinions ideas and judgments is a beautiful and clear way of "do no harm" .
So thank you
You are definitely living according to your own Ziran, as I can feel the joy by which you translate these ideas for us. I am very happy to say that no one can really oppose you in any way that can stop you, as long as you remember your safety, or better said, do not forget the natural safety in which you are and will always be couched. 🙂 I understand the forces working against ziran in general to be for me, any fears that were passed to me somehow, that I may learn to ignore them, or see the love even in their misguided attempts. Then I am free to be outside the circle of the fears of infinite choice, and the fears of spontaneity, both of which when forgotten, allow for infinite adventure and creativity that I believe is the true nature of those who have embarked on the journey through matter.
the more I learn Dao, the more I realize that my path naturally does this.
Daoism is my favorite religion rk
I'm so glad that this resonates! ❤
The Taoist path of least resistance is very good.
And as far as I know this word even directly means "Nature" "Shizen 自然" in japanese. this cements the definition of this concept as "the natural way."
I am trying to figure out if i am in the bubble and going with the flow- or in the bubble and going against the flow or outside the bubble
I moved away from my family and I live a great life with some hardship. But really I have nothing to complain about. I do miss my original “home” and the relationships i had there.
After this video I can address that parts in my life where I have lacked faith and how that has negatively affected me. But i am grateful for this enlightenment because it never feels great trying to interfere with others lives: such as friends/family
Very clear and good presentation in clear good English of the invaluable wisdoms and virtues of the one of the ancient Chinese philosophies. If only humans embrace these, the world would not see so much madness and chaos. Wish the Western world realized the Chinese values and ingested it well.
One of my guardian angels however non religious lived on earth in the central highlands. Goat herder poet studied the Tao. Wearing black gown and cap I recall red somewhere.
Where the 5 senses are dulled and the sixth the one sense is magnified crystal clear. Between worlds.
He comes through.
Lawful evil is the alignment.
The man who fights with constructs against constructs.😎
Consciousness evolves first.
Humans consciousness is temporary until next time.
Give a hungry man a fish to eat he will be hungry tomorrow. Teach the man the way to fish and he has a resource for life.
Don't be surprised if you don't get the number of comments that you expected. The Dao has always rendered people speechless. It is said that it cannot be spoken of, and they who can speak about it don't know what they are talking about. I have, since I came to understand it, been able to talk about it, explain what it is to people who have never heard of it, point out when I see one of its truths materialize in life, and answer questions. I was trying to instigate a conversation about it, in a chatroom once. Finally a someone said,
"Okay. Talk about it."
It was as if all I ever wanted to be was be in space among the stars, then found myself out there and realized that now I was far from all of them, and the place that I came from. I couldn't say a word.
For everything that you can say about it, you can pretty much say the opposite also, so you go about it carefully, like crossing an icy stream in late winter. Next thing you know, you have stopped speaking in absolute terms, and you take even the smallest commitment very seriously. You use a lot more qualifiers in your speech; just about, most of, the majority of things is usually, kinda, pretty much qualified to a state of neutrality, just like this statement. You see such a deep meaning in a shallow joke that you take all of the funny out of it. The budding, ripening, and withering of fruit, in a basket on a table reminds you to be a bit diligent about life, in general. The rain upon your fresh coat of wax reminds you not to take such things so seriously. You finally find that your efforts are relaxed. You're detached from the way that things come out. They are the culmination of the circumstances that bring them about. You feel like you are on high alert, but you move slowly, carefully. You feel like you are tired, but you know that you can go on forever. There are no pleasures to be enjoyed and then paid for. You are also equally unattached about your suffering, and you realize that this density doesn't become you anymore, if it ever did.
Namaste
It is what it is! Thank you for all of this!
Your videos bring a greater understanding than what I had gotten from Taoist texts. Thank you so much🙏
I’ve been going to a local Tibetan Buddhist temple a lot recently, sometimes helping out with yardwork etc. this concept has been a missing word in my mind that I am very grateful to have learned, I drew it out even, because now I comprehend Wu Wei in a little bit deeper and for that I am very thankful to you
thank you for sharing, I've been seeing the need to hone my creativity in my own personal I-Ching journey as a path to be a respectable person, two years the symbol of breakthrough has appeared by guidance of the evolving oracle. Respect and honor to all your ancestors
Thank you for every detail, your expertise on this is outstanding. This principle is holds truth for me from my own personal experiences. Om! May you be blessed for eternity!🙏🙏🙏🙏
I've always wondered about ziran. How embodying its principals can be achieved in this life? This was a great eye opener into concepts and conclusions I've arrived to. In application, I've noticed theirs an inner and outer ziran experienced in zen meditation. When faith is applied, it transcends your beliefs of what is and what will be. As if walking blind and tripping over a stone, picking it up, and handing to another who tells you it's gold. You care less about your personal story and embrace the lives of others without interference. Faith is key, and gentle in life. Thank you for sharing your scholarly insights into the matter.
I absolutely love the depth of your knowledge in comparative philosophy, theological, esoteric, and occult teachings and practices... many of which the true adept realizes the symmetry and complimentary aspects of the deeper truths in the various traditions! Hey... compar Ziran to Zurvan of the teachings of Zoroaster ❤️ your so very beautiful, both intellectually and physically 😉
Thank you so much! ❤
@BenebellWen your always welcome 🙏
I love this overall theme as well as all the carefully selected details of the presentation including the various calligraphies. I also love how this intersects with other spiritual traditions in engendering the no-self allowing of 'shunya'. The ultimate freedom comes when we are lovingly unattached/allowing without being arrogantly aloof. In our modern money and materialism oriented culture, it is challenging to find the balance between self-interest that doesn't focus on caring for the whole, and self-expression which includes caring for the whole. It is something we can each deeply reflect on to create more and more alignment with the Tao even as we self-express in the modern culture which as a money creation at its basis.
Thank you so much for your content, you may be my favourite TH-cam channel.
Whenever I watch, I think of how I hope to find a teacher in Taoism like you or your teacher(s).
As Hua Hu Ching says though, when one practices the undiscriminating virtue, cares for all beings, and follows the teachings written by the sages, the highest beings will take notice and approach them.
So I'm just being the best I can for the sake of being the best I can, and the company of those highest beings will hopefully come.
Thank you Benebell!❤
After a convoluted path of false starts, two books were handed me, as take two rolled. Hesse's Siddhartha and the Tao Te Ching (Witter Bynner translation), which is wonderful in its poetic marrying of the surface to the core. Fifty four years on Maui, growing in the recognition of how complete is the provision of the Tao, which parked me on the side of a volcano growing orchards and going form "wonder into wonder". The Tao provides, was the Maui mantra in 1970. Rings as true as ever.
Your obvious and unpretentious scholarship are so very refreshing, not to mention your smile and humor. Thank you for bringing focus to the bigger picture by examining the details in such concise and accessible ways. Heart of a healer, spirit of a dragon. You go girl, or don't. :) Me ke aloha
The moon beast, indicates self transcending. ZhuangXi he is right so much. He comes with few tones, bells, or staging props. The path and the destination are present and the same. Ambition has betrayed his detractors, it seems, that his brush fell straight and true.
of its own; by itself. Very well done video ❤
also, i must say thank you for teaching us as its difficult to a degree to find any active practitioner of taoism in the states; let alone one that will teach you…
Sincere thanks offered with both both hands. Your methods of helping gain understanding and appreciation are wonderful. I am on the third reading of "I Ching, The Oracle". My copy of the Wilhelm Baynes is now over 55 years old. Your material is so refreshing it is like finding a sacred Peach. It is helping me become a better student of the Tao. You are using your gifts wisely. I look forward to your next release.
"With all the work fulfilled, the mission done" (correct inner practice to connect to real self), "all the people explain " (all the thoughts explain) this is ziran (this is the self here now ) ...same idea of to Be or not to Be (presence of self or only presence of biological body)
I live my life close to what is said in this video , to properly interpret what is said and the meaning of these is that the person has to be open to see all sides not just the self, this took me decades to understand and it for me can be a little tricky, we all have things inside that are caused from others, especially now days, many people spend much time on cell phones in social media which influences them. Most if not all of those people possibly do not even realize they are being influenced, there is a reason why they call many people on social media "Social media influencers" ;).
So most people are, lack of better expression, lost, they don't truly know themselves , they may not fully understand what the meaning of much of the Taoist ways of thought , I mean people literally Google it to quickly find answers without actually understanding what the answers are or if they are true.
I follow the great way, and can definitely appreciate an amazing presentation on just how to do that. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much, I have followed you for some time now and you helped me feel I finally have accurate look at daoism that I have been drawn to since I was young, though being an American it has been hard to find detailed explanations on it and its philosophy. I even have a taijitu birth mark I feel is in place to encourage me to dig deeper into the dao!
My younger self seemed to find ziran by looking at the world as an amused observer intitially, I cultivated lots of personal beliefs at the time that I found when older were shared by practioners of Bön and Daoism. It reaffirm thst my observations and mental musings may have actually had some veracity, which was quite comforting as I found much at home in thst way. Sadly as many of us do when growing up life, emotions, ego, etc. Scared me away from that state. But I am studying more and rebuilding myself. Perhaps it was part of the journey for me to lose my way so I could later find it again with greater appreciation and stability.
Thank you for this work. I have done some study of several spiritual paths and their common themes; your exposition of Daoist philosophy, and the reading in Daoism that teaching inspired (thanks for your reading suggestions) has confirmed that it contains those same commonalities.
By the way, your suggested readings in Daoism and my interest in the deep commonalities between them led me to an excellent scholarly book by Toshihiko Izutsu named Sufism & Taoism. His remarkably lucid exposition of Daoism, is very consonant with your own. For any with an interest in exploring the ways traditions seem to agree, quite directly, I recommend that book.
Thank you so much for your content. Can't believe I never found your channel until now. So well done! Again, thank you.
Thank you, I found this talk very informative regarding Ziran and the meaning of Tao. Including the chartlike illustrations helps me understand what you are saying. It inspired me to take notes. Being able to pause the video really helps. The fact that you include chinese writing and pronunciation really helps me become more familiar with the language and writen characters. I'm so glad I found you on youtube 🙂
Thought is the most powerful tool. If we understand our nature well, we can transcend it. There is no point in endlessly confirming our stature, neither the stature of others, yet that's what we do. Do we do it because it is the innate nature of our brain to confirm its existence? What exactly do we teach if all that we can think about is people's confirmation? We're getting paid for the material confirmation of our thoughts, but are thoughts and ourselves truly inseparable? The most important conclusion to me is that there is no true "good" and "evil" in the material world, the two are constantly mixing. By knowing this, I can be at ease with my "poor" nature as labeled by someone, because their perception is perhaps nothing more than their perception of self. I can go out and enjoy the storm and lightning and learn more about ziran this way; or get shocked by the stork's appearance out nowhere, and not purposefully seek to find a confirmation from anyone. Every moment I can be at peace knowing that I am doing the right thing for myself.
Really appreciate your videos! I am learning a lot. Making my way through the first of your books. I have practiced in the Tibetan Bön tradition for several years now and find your work to be an immensely helpful complementary perspective. You have my thanks! 🌞
You are a beautiful and smart soul. Bless you
A very subtle informative video explained. Excellent presentation...
Thank you for another helpful and edifying video, Ms. Wen. You are the educational voice I have been waiting for since I was exposed to Daoism years ago, by someone very dear to me who now exists on another plane. I have come to see the Tao Teh Ching as much a work of holy wisdom as the Bible or the Bhagavad Gita, but there has always been this sort of secular, Barnes and Noble, HR department kind of veneer to the way it is usually presented in western publications. Nice to know I’m not just crazy.
PS. Having already received some real material blessings from some suggestions/instructions you’ve made throughout your work- let me say thanks a second time. 🙇 You are appreciated and respected.
Amazing work and analysis 😊❤ always a pleasure tuning in on your insight and understanding.
You are a genius, very well explained! Zhuang zi reminds me of heraclitus perhaps Logos and Ziran are somehow connected
Follow the orderly action of soul movement and prevent self following self attachment of self emotional and feelings
Learn to maturity by categories of self mindfulness of wisdom at soul knows, soul calculation, soul ideology,soul logical, soul creativity, soul planning the right development of self planning , soul writing, soul tesis ,soul learning and soul do and prevent the self dreaming and harsh words
Prevent bad though but seLf at ideologies soul and prevent self harsh words but self at the voices of self mouth at self tune voices of sentences self pronounciation in the principality of self voices tune sentences of self mouth at matters and solution
Wow great video! Thank you so much!
This was very insightful. Well done.
Benebell Is this a series? Would love to watch this from the beginning. Perhaps a playlist?
Thank u miss yt tao lady. Hopefully I can apply this to my life
Thank you this is great. 🙏🏻
Thanks for the comprehensive and interesting exploration of Ziran!
the path of least resistance is difficult to achieve in the modern day
1) there is a stimuli from the environment and from others which has happened.
2) Everything around us at the moment in time, especially if you are in the city there is some form of government or entity by others trying to affect us or manipulate you.
3) in order to revert to the power of least resistance, one must revert to zen thing by going back to basics or to realise that we have many difference which we have done by the education, the exposure to tv.
Hence another step back is to realise which moves we make will be easiest.
In my instance of Ah ha moment, i realised that i cannot be abused by my former boss anymore. I decided to quit and find another path. at that moment in time another opportunity opened for me and the path changes.
Ziran is a very difficult method to put into into practice as a method of governing.
There is a chinese webnovel where the main character is a daoist priest who manages to cultivates in the real world, via a game world mostly based on the Journey to the West; over time, he becomes an immortal and makes the other daoist priests benefit a bit. But mostly, he acquires the reputation of being Yuanshi Tianzun (apparently, in that setting of Journey to the West, only Taishang Laojun exists and the 2 other Pure Ones & Hongjun Daozu don't), this is because he can transport things from one world to the other, and uses it to become not only wealthy, but to support his cultivation in a fast and effiscient manner. He greatly benefits from incense fire offerings, since that's his source of income for immortality cultivation (like the Souls in Dark Souls, which have a dual purpose of XP and money), but also from access to modern commodities such as genetically modified seeds, steel industry to mass produce weapons and armours for his mortal minions, and so on. Eventually, his miracles get noticed, from stopping meteorites to healing people... of course, many want to quit their job (or studies) to become daoist priests in the hope of cultivating immortality; but he decides to prevent it proactively, and the daoist officials openly claim that there is no such thing as immortality cultivation, and that the method they teach are for health benefits and such. This is because the main character doesn't want the modern world to become a fantasy setting, for it would no longer be useful for trading with the Saiyuki world and support his cultivation.
Why I am speaking about all of this, it is because the situation of the modern world truly beggars the question: why are the ascended immortals and gods allowing our world to go to shit? Sanatana Dharma believes that Kali Yuga is both vital and necessary, a cosmic out-breath ; but what about Daoism? Why would immortals let it be? Because they don't want to interfere with the mundane world? Because they can benefit from this mess? No matter how one looks at it, the situation isn't right, because things and people are not being established in an harmonious conformity with their nature.
Ultimately, only great spiritual power would allow Ziran to be put into practice as a method of governing. Perhaps only 天 can rule this way due to material limitations of humans.
I came across another Taoist that claims his way is the only way to learn Taoism magic. Wow he missed a lot of lessons and I am shocked he made it this far in scamming people. Thank you for being here. You have no idea how valuable you are being here in the English population to set the record straight. 🦋
I feel total resonance with your exploration of Ziran 自然 and the personal embodiment of Wu Wei - thank you for your thorough exploration of the topic and your personal cultivation so as to be able to transmit it - especially to me as an English speaker!!
I'm 4 years into a Qi Gong training and enjoying the exploration of 5-Element theory - I'm getting deeper each season.
At this time (Wood into Fire) I am enjoying focusing my Heart Spirit (Shen) on embedding into my Kidney (Jing) by aligning my Zhi with my inner Vision (Liver). I am also noting the tendency to express my excess creative energy in a flash, and would rather, this Cycle, see it as an opportunity to move the Yang deeper in to nourish the Kidneys through the Winter.
What are you feeling about the Seasonal tides? :]
Human nature,nature of self
To work to not work and to reveal my true knowing to myself with as little resistance as I can allow. To trust my twu way.
I feel so empty of knowing when I review your videos, so much awe for what has come before and much enthusiasm for the subject matter. How can one study in your presence?