Natural Movement Principles

Lately, I've been reading a book by Tara Stiles titled "Guiding Strala: The Yoga Training Manual.  To Ignite Freedom, Get Connected, and Build Radiant Health and Happiness.  By Tara Stiles.  Carlsbad, California, Hay House Inc., 2017.  Index, 361 pages.  ISBN: 978-1401948108.  The Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries supply me with plenty of good books, CDs, VCDs, ebooks, etc. 

In Guiding Strala, she outlines "11 Principles of Natural Movement" (pp.69-85)  These 11 Principles are then discussed throughout the book mostly in the context of Vinyasa style yoga.

These Principles can also be found in Tai Chi Chuan theory and practices.  Qigong and Feldenkrais practices and theory use some of same concepts. 

"So here they are: 11 principles to natural movement that will get you moving easily and powerfully, without tiring, in everything you do."

1.  Soften
2.  Establish Your Breath-Body Connection
3.  Lead From Your Middle
4.  Use Your Opposites
5.  Use Momentum
6.  Use Your Whole Body
7.  Open the Door, Close the Door
8.  Conserve Energy
9.  Sensitize
10.  Focus on Body Position
11.  Play

For example, Principle 7 (Open the Door, Close the Door): "Always move into challenges from where you are comfortable and open. Always open the door to movement first so you don't have to force your way through."  Relax while learning new movements, be open, don't rush, welcome yourself in.  Don't let impatience, immaturity, or pride close the door to your progress.  Overly stressful exertion, too much effort, or high octane challenges might delay your overall progress and close the door on real progress, benefits, and mastery.  Close the door on dis-ease, and open the door to ease.  Breathing practices (pranayama) use inhaling (opening the door) and exhaling (closing the door) to our benefit and mental-spiritual well-being. Mind-body yoga practices enable us to close the door on unhealthy practices, and open the door to a healthier lifestyle.  [The "Door" metaphor works in many ways.]

Tao Te Ching, Chapter 13

Dao De Jing, Laozi
Chapter 13 


"Favor and disgrace would seem equally to be feared;
Honor and great calamity, to be regarded as personal conditions of the same kind.
What is meant by speaking thus of favor and disgrace?
Disgrace is being in a low position after the enjoyment of favor.
The getting that favor leads to the apprehension of losing it, and the losing it leads to the fear of still greater calamity.
This is what is meant by saying that favor and disgrace would seem equally to be feared.
And what is meant by saying that honor and great calamity are to be similarly regarded as personal conditions?
What makes me liable to great calamity is my having the body which I call myself;
If I had not the body, what great calamity could come to me?
Therefore he who would administer the kingdom, honoring it as he honors his own person, may be employed to govern it,
And he who would administer it with the love which he bears to his own person may be entrusted with it."
-  Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 13 



"Favor bodes disgrace; it is like trembling.
Rank bodes great heartache.
It is like the body.
What does 'Favor bodes disgrace; it is like trembling' mean?
Favor humiliates.
Its acquisition causes trembling, its loss causes trembling.
This is what is meant by 'Favor bodes disgrace; it is like trembling.'
What does 'Rank bodes great heartache, it is like the body' mean?
I suffer great heartache because I have a body.
When I have no body, what heartache remains?
Therefore who administers the empire as he takes care of his body can be entrusted with the empire."
-  Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 13 



"Dread glory as you dread shame.
Prize great calamity as you prize your body.
What does this mean:
"Dread glory as you dread shame"?
Glory comes from below.
Obtain it, you are afraid of shame;
Lose it, you are still afraid of shame.
That is why it is said;
"Dread glory as you dread shame."
What does this mean:
"Prize great calamity as you prize your own body"?
We who meet with great calamities, meet them because we have a body.
If we had not a body what calamity could reach us?
Therefore he who honours the kingdom as his body can govern the kingdom.
He who loves the kingdom as his own body can be trusted with the kingdom."
-  Translated by Isabella Mears, 1916, Chapter 13  

"Favor and disgrace are things that startle;
High rank is, like one's body, a source of great trouble.
What is meant by saying favor and disgrace are things that startle?
Favor when it is bestowed on a subject serves to startle as much as when it is withdrawn.
This is what is meant by saying that favor and disgrace are things that startle.
What is meant by saying that high rank is, like one's body, a source of great trouble?
The reason I have great trouble is that I have a body.
When I no longer have a body, what trouble have I?
Hence he who values his body more than dominion over the empire can be entrusted with the empire.
He who loves his body more than dominion over the empire can be given the custody of the empire."
-  Translated by D. C. Lau, 1963, Chapter 13   


寵辱若驚.
貴大患若身.
何謂寵辱若驚.
寵為下.
得之若驚.
失之若驚是謂寵辱若驚.
何謂貴大患若.
身吾所以有大患者為吾有身.
及吾無身.
吾有何患.
故貴以身為天下若可寄天下.
愛以身為天下, 若可託天下.
-  Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 13




ch'ung ju jo ching.
kuei ta huan jo shên. 
ho wei ch'ung ju jo ching.
ch'ung wei hsia.
tê chih jo ching.
shih chih jo ching shih wei ch'ung ju jo ching.
ho wei kuei ta huan jo.
shên wu so yi yu ta huan chê wei wu yu shên.
chi wu wu shên.
wu yu ho huan.
ku kuei yi shên wei t'ien hsia chê k'o chi t'ien hsia.
ai yi shên wei t'ien hsia, chê k'o t'o t'ien hsia.
-  Wade-Giles Romanization, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 13


"Los santos decían: "Alabanzas y culpas causan ansiedad;
El objeto de la esperanza y el miedo está en tu interior".
"Alabanzas y culpas causan ansiedad"
Puesto que esperas o temes recibirlas o perderlas.
"El objeto de la esperanza y el miedo está en tu interior"
Pues, sin un Ego, no pueden afectarte la fortuna o el desastre.
Por tanto:
El que observa al Mundo como se observa a sí mismo es capaz de controlar el Mundo;
Pero el que ama al Mundo como se ama a sí mismo es capaz de dirigir el Mundo."
-  Translated by Antonio Rivas Gonzálvez, 1998, Tao Te Ching, Capítulo 13

"Accept honors and disgraces as surprises,
Treasure great misfortunes as the body.
Why say: "Accept honors and disgraces as surprises"?
Honors elevate (shang),
Disgraces depress (hsia).
One receives them surprised,
Loses them surprised.
Thus: "Accept honors and disgraces as surprises."
Why say: "Treasure great misfortunes as the body"?
I have great misfortunes,
Because I have a body.
If I don't have a body,
What misfortunes do I have?
Therefore treasure the body as the world,
As if the body can be entrusted to the world.
Love the body as the world,
As if the body can be entrusted to the world."
-  Translated by Ellen Marie Chen, 2000, Chapter 13


"You are in everything.
 Everything is in you.
 Create hope and fear and you throw away the Dao.
 Create happiness and sorrow and you will collapse.
 Keep your feet on the ground.
 Love everything as you love yourself.
 Then everything is within your reach."
 -  Translated by Ray Larose, 2000, Chapter 13

A typical webpage created by Mike Garofalo for each one of the 81 Chapters (Verses, Sections) of the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi) includes 25 different English language translations or interpolations for that Chapter, 5 Spanish language translations for that Chapter, the Chinese characters for that Chapter, the Wade-Giles and Hanyu Pinyin transliterations (Romanization) of the Mandarin Chinese words for that Chapter, and 2 German and 1 French translation of that Chapter.  Each webpage for each one of the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching includes extensive indexing by key words, phrases, and terms for that Chapter in English, Spanish, and the Wade-Giles Romanization.  Each webpage on a Chapter of the Daodejing includes recommended reading in books and websites, a detailed bibliography, some commentary, research leads, translation sources, a Google Translate drop down menu, and other resources for that Chapter. 

  
Chapter 13, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu.  Complied by Mike Garofalo.  

Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

English Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Spanish Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices

Taoism: A Selected Reading List

A Daoist Druid's Final Journey  

An Old Philosopher's Notebooks

Text Art - Spring 2020 Exhibit

Text Art by Mike Garofalo

Spring 2020 Exhibit