Modern people have a peculiar characteristic: they sleep less, yet always feel short of time because external matters are endless. This echoes what Zhuangzi said: “My life has a limit, but learning knows no bounds.” Learning here doesn’t only refer to academic studies but also encompasses the perpetual intertwining of external information. We must remember that the inner realm of every individual’s soul is the starting point or foundation of freedom.
Laozi believed that the cultivation of the soul can be achieved through emptiness, stillness, or non-action. This is the initial practice of Daoism. In terms of self-cultivation, we can engage in physical activities like exercise or Tai Chi. However, when it comes to cultivating the mind, we need a profound understanding of our own lives. This includes realizing that our sensual life, or our life as an observer, tends to pursue external things. Laozi had a saying: “Colors blind the eye, sounds deafen the ear, flavors numb the taste, and pursuits of hunting and chasing lead to madness.” This means that during the Warring States period, nobles and princes constantly pursued beauty, delicious food, or melodious sounds, as well as various colorful and dazzling decorations. These are all external things. Many of those nobles enjoyed hunting, and the excitement of chasing rabbits would drive them into a frenzy. Laozi believed that such activities were not conducive to nourishing our minds. While they might provide physical exercise, the excessive pursuit of external stimuli would result in dissipation.
Mental distress arises from excessive desires and excessive comparison with others. A strange aspect of modern people is that they try to reduce sleep time in order to do more things, yet they still complain about not having enough time. In fact, there are times when a person needs a state of non-action, a kind of leisure. Life sometimes possesses its own order, and not every moment needs to be fully utilized.
We must understand that external things are limitless, and excessive focus on them can exhaust us, leaving no room for simplicity and relaxation. The ease of life, as mentioned in Daoism, is the state of being in accordance with nature. This natural state arises spontaneously and is not imposed by external factors that dictate what we must do. We must remember that the inner realm of every individual’s soul is the point of freedom or the foundation. Thus, Daoism provides us with a reference: excessive dissipation leads to a state where it seems that modern people cannot concentrate, always feeling a sense of urgency and constantly being drawn by something, always fearing to miss out on any information. This is the reason for the exhaustion of modern people.
How can we cultivate this state of emptiness, stillness, or non-action? As long as our state of mind does not revolve around pursuing wealth every day or constantly desiring luxurious possessions, and as long as we don’t obsess over comparing ourselves to others, nor engaging in slander or defamation, then we can enter a state of emptiness. In this state, we will be able to perceive the abundant content of nature, experience certain emotional changes in art, and have a deeper understanding of the emotional exchanges between individuals. Therefore, regarding emptiness as a wonderful application is beneficial.
Mo Xuan Sheng’s I-Ching Research Center
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Jalan Aeropod Off Jalan Kepayan,
88200 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
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