Taoist Monk Yun Rou (Soft Cloud), AKA Arthur Rosenthal

 Arthur Rosenthal, Taoist Monk Yun Rou (Soft Cloud), is a Tai Chi and Taoist Master teacher, author, and television personality at Tai Chi for Longevity.

"I work to bring harmony and balance to my community and the world. I believe we must evolve rapidly to help all sentient beings survive and thrive.

Daoist teachings and practices offer a uniquely effective, powerful and effortless path through life.

Love, wisdom, charity, and insight arise in the individual and spread outward to the community, country, and world.

An enlightened mind requires a foundation in a strong, healthy body.

A plant based (vegan) diet is a gift to our own health as well as millions of tortured animals and a warming world.  

Discrimination based on race, gender identity, religious beliefs, or sexual preference is a cancer best cut from society.

Always do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.

The morally bankrupt destruction of the natural world doom sentences us all to a life of disconnection and suffering.

Acting with compassion, frugality, and humility benefits the world and gives us each an all-important sense of purpose.

A regard for all sentient beings, health, justice, and spiritually must replace speed-and-greed materialism.

In engaging virtual worlds over the real one, we become less human and loose the life we evolved to life.  

Arthur Rosenthal, Taoist Monk Yun Rou (Soft Cloud)

Taoism.  Compiled by Michael P. Garofalo 

Dao De Jing, Chapter 3

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Chapter 3


"If no distinctions of superiority and inferiority prevail among officers, they will devote themselves to their tasks rather than to rivalries with one another.
If no special value is placed upon rare things, one will have no incentive for stealing them.
If nothing appears to arouse envy, one will remain satisfied with things as they are
Since this is so, the wise administrator does not lead people to set their hearts upon what they cannot have, but satisfies their inner needs. He does not promote ambition to improve their status, but supports their self-sufficiency. He does not complicate their lives with knowledge of multifarious details or with an urge to attend to this, that and the other.
By keeping people contented, he prevents those who mistakenly believe that ambition is better than contentment from leading the contented astray.
By being calm and contented himself, he sets an example for his people."
-  Translated by Archie J. Bahm, 1958, Chapter 3  


"Not exalting ability ensures that the people do not strive.
Not prizing goods that are difficult to obtain ensures that the people do not become robbers.
Not showing them what they might desire ensures that the people do not feel disturbed in their hearts.
Therefore the Saint, in the exercise of government, empties their hearts and fills their bellies, weakens their wills and strengthens their bones, thus constantly ensuring that the people are without knowledge and without desires and that those who have knowledge dare not act.
He practices Non-action and consequently there is nothing that is not well governed."
-  Translated by Jan J. L. Duyvendak, 1954, Chapter 3  


"When you praise people for their achievements, people will compete
When you call things valuable, people will steal
When people flaunt desirable things, it will make other people restless
Therefore the sage sets himself to the task of emptying their heads
To make sure they're not hungry, discourage their ambitions and strengthen their bodies
So people will be without anxiety and without the desire for knowledge
And the scientists will be played off the field
When people won't labour anymore
All will live in peace."
-  Translated by Anonymous, Chapter 3  

"Rewarding not the talented from fierce contention frees,

With wealth unprized, the people will not take to thievish arts,

Not seeing what awakes desire will keep the mind at ease,

And so the sage' s governing unloads the people' s hearts.

He fills the stomach, strengthens bones, and calms the daring will,

He causes people not to know desires they should not hold,

And those who know of such he keeps, from reckless daring, still,

He acts the nothing acting, and there' s nothing uncontrolled."
-  Translated by Isaac Winter Heysinger, 1903, Chapter 3  



不尚賢, 使民不爭; 不貴難得之貨, 使民不為盜.
不見可欲, 使心不亂.
是以聖人之治.
虛其心.
實其腹.
弱其志.
強其骨.
常使民無知無欲.
使夫知者不敢為也.
為無為.
則無不治.
-  Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 3  


pu shang hsien, shih min pu chêng; pu kuei nan tê chih huo, shih min pu wei tao.
pu chien k'o yü, shih min hsin pu luan.
shih yi shêng jên chih chih. 
hsü ch'i hsin.
shih ch'i fu.
jo ch'i chih.
ch'iang ch'i ku.
ch'ang shih min wu chih wu yü. 
shih fu chih chê pu kan wei yeh. 
wei wu wei.
tsê wu pu chih.
-  Wade-Giles Romanization, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 3  

"If those who are excellent find no preferment,
The people will cease to contend for promotion.
If goods that are hard to obtain are not favored,
The people will cease to turn robbers or bandits.
If things much desired are kept under cover,
Disturbance will cease in the minds of the people.
The Wise Man's policy, accordingly,
Will be to empty people's hearts and minds,
To fill their bellies, weaken their ambition,
Give them sturdy frames and always so,
To keep them uniformed, without desire,
And knowing ones not venturing to act.
Be still while you work
And keep full control
Over all."
-  Translated by Raymond Blakney, 1955, Chapter 3  


"Exalt not the wise, 

So that the people shall not scheme and contend;
Prize not rare objects,
So that the people shall not steal;
Shut out from site the things of desire,
So that the people's hearts shall not be disturbed.
Therefore in the government of the Sage:
He keeps empty their hearts
Makes full their bellies,
Discourages their ambitions,
Strengthens their frames;
So that the people may be innocent of knowledge and desires.
And the cunning ones shall not presume to interfere.
By action without deeds
May all live in peace."
-  Translated by Lin Yutang, 1955, Chapter 3  


"Si no se eleva a los hombres de mérito,
no habrá disputas entre el pueblo.
Si no se valoran los objetos difíciles de conseguir,
no existirán ladrones en el pueblo.
Si no se deja ver lo que puede provocar el deseo,
no se producirán disturbios populares.
Por eso el gobierno del sabio es:
vaciar la mente del pueblo,
y llenar su estómago;
debilitar su ambición,
y fortalecer sus huesos.
Hacer siempre que el pueblo no tenga conocimientos, ni deseos.
Hacer que los inteligentes no se atrevan (a gobernar);
no actuar, en una palabra,
y entonces reinará el orden universal."
-  Translated by Juan Ignacio Preciado, 1978, Tao Te Ching, Capítulo 3 


"When the superior are not exalted, envy will not be aroused.

Then there will be no rivalry or contention among people.
When wealth is not treasured, desire for possessions will not be stirred up.
Then people will not be tempted to rob one another.
By shutting that which is desirable out of sight, the heart will remain undisturbed.
Then there will be no confusion in the hearts of people.
The guidance of the Universal One of natural wholeness is therefore:
Empty your mind.
Enjoy good health.
Weaken your ambitions.
Strengthen your essence.
When people are free from cunning, desire, and artifice, everything will be well-ordered of its own accord."
-  Translated by Ni Hua-Ching, 1995, Chapter 3


"Bestowing honor breeds ambitions.
 Hoarding treasure invites thieves.
 Displaying objects of desire sows the seeds of discontent.
 Therefore the sage governs
 by emptying minds and filling bellies,
 by weakening wills and strengthening bones.
 He extols the virtue of desireless unknowing
 and keeps intellects off balance.
 When not-doing is accomplished,
 nothing remains undone."
 -  Translated by Bart Marshall, 2006, Chapter 3






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 or more different English language translations or interpolations for that Chapter, 5 or more 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. In 2020, I will be improving the indexing.


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. An electronic Concordance for all 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching is provided.


Chapter 3, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

Concordance for 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

One Old Daoist Druid's Final Journey

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons

Bear Frolics

 

Grizzly Bear, Art by Sue Coccia, from Edmunds, WA, Earth Art International

Bear Frolic, One of the Five Animal Frolics Exercise and Qigong Sets
By Michael P. Garofalo, 2009

Grizzly Bear blanket, Art by Sue Coccia, from Edmunds, WA,
 Earth Art International

Tao Te Ching, Chapter 2

Dao De Jing, Laozi   
Chapter 2


"When the world speaks of beauty as being beautiful, ugliness is at once defined.
When goodness is seen to be good, evil is at once apparent.
So do existence and non-existence mutually give rise to one another,
As that which is difficult and that which is easy, distant and near, high and low,
shrill and bass, preceding and following.
The Sage therefore is occupied only with that which is without prejudice.
He teaches without verbosity; he acts without effort; he produces with possessing,
he acts without regard to the fruit of action; he brings his work to perfection without assuming credit;
and claiming nothing as his own, he cannot at any time be said to lose."
-  Translated by Walter Gorn Old, 1904, Chapter 2  


"When all the people of the world know beauty as beauty,
There arises the recognition of ugliness.
When they all know the good as good,
There arises the recognition of evil.
Therefore: Being and non-being produce each other;
Difficult and easy complete each other;
Long and short contrast each other;
High and low distinguish each other;
Sound and voice harmonize each other;
Front and behind accompany each other.
Therefore the sage manages affairs without action
And spreads doctrines without words.
All things arise, and he does not turn away from them.
He produces them but does not take possession of them.
He acts but does not rely on his own ability.
He accomplishes his task but does not claim credit for it.
It is precisely because he does not claim credit that his accomplishment remains with him."
-  Translated by Wang Tsit Chan, 1963, Chapter 2 


"Recognize beauty and ugliness is born.
Recognize good and evil is born.
Is and Isn't produce each other.
Hard depends on easy,
Long is tested by short,
High is determined by low,
Sound is harmonized by voice,
After is followed by before.
Therefore the sage is devoted to non action,
Moves without teaching,
Creates ten thousand things without instruction,
Lives but does not own,
Acts but does not presume,
Accomplishes without taking credit.
When no credit is taken,
Accomplishment endures."
-  Translated by Stephen Addis, 1993, Chapter 2   


"When all in the world understand beauty to be beautiful, then ugliness exists.
When all understand goodness to be good, then evil exists.
Thus existence suggests non-existence;
Easy gives rise to difficult;
Short is derived from long by comparsion;
Low is derived from high by position;
Resonance harmonises sound;
After follows before.
Therefore the sage carries on his business without action, and gives his teaching without words."
-  Translated by Ch'u Ta-Kao, 1904, Chapter 2 



"It is the world of man that defines ugly by comparing it with that which man calls beautiful.
Skillful is considered such by comparison to that which is called 'without skill'.
Alive and non-alive are delineated by nature.
Difficult and easy are abstracted by our perception.
Long and short are defined by the one against the other.
High and low are reckoned so by the contrast of the one with the other.
Music is seen as pleasing if the notes and tones are recognized as being harmonious with each other.
One in front, and one behind are recognized as one following the other.
It is for this reason that the sage lives in the condition of wu-wei (unattached action, or; doing-not doing),
And teaches without words.
He knows that names and images are fleeting, and all things will transform.
One who seems to follow tonight might lead another time.
He sees all that is done as neither large nor small.
All things are neither grand nor miniscule.
Actions are neither difficult, nor done with ease. He acts without expectation.
Things spring up around him, and he accepts them, but does not possess them.
Things go away, and he recognizes their departure without grief or joy.
When the work is done he leaves it be.
Because he does not dwell in it, it will last."
-  Translated by Rivenrock, Chapter 2  

"Beauty becomes recognized as beauty,
As its difference from ugliness is seen.
Likewise,
Goodness and love become recognized,
As their difference from evil and hatred is felt.

The Relationship of:
- Being and non-being is known through life and growth.
- Difficult and easy is known through achievement and completion.
- Long and short is known through form and contrast.
- High and low is known through relationship and position.
- Sound and voice is known through amplitude and harmony.
- Front and behind is known through position and sequence.

Thus:
Wu-Wei graces the affairs of the Sage -
Teaching gracefully, Without words.
Receiving all happening as natural,
Without needing to judge or control.
Giving life and animation to all experience
Without needing to dominate.
Accomplishing, Without expecting reward.

In never assuming importance,
When the Sage's work is complete,
It remains, everlastingly."
-  Translated by Alan B. Taplow, 1982, Chapter 2  

天下皆知美之為美, 斯惡已.
皆知善之為善, 斯不善已.
故有無相生.
難易相成.
長短相較.
高下相傾.
音聲相和.
前後相隨.
是以聖人處無為之事.
行不言之教.
萬物作焉而不辭.
生而不有.
為而不恃.
功成而弗居.
夫唯弗居.
是以不去.-  Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 2 


t'ien hsia chieh chih mei chih wei mei, ssu wu yi.
chieh chih shan chih wei shan, ssu pu shan yi.
ku yu wu hsiang shêng.
nan yi hsiang ch'êng.
ch'ang tuan hsiang chiao.
kao hsia hsiang ch'ing.
yin shêng hsiang ho.
ch'ien hou hsiang sui.
shih yi shêng jen ch'u wu wei chih shih.
hsing pu yen chih chiao.
wan wu tso yen erh pu tz'u.
shêng erh pu yu.
wei erh pu shih.
kung ch'eng erh fu chü.
fu wei fu ch'u.
shih yi pu ch'ü
-  Wade-Giles Romanization, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 2 

"When everyone knows what beauty is,
There must also be ugliness.
When everybody knows what goodness is,
Then evil must also exist.
Therefore, the haves and the have-nots coexist.
Easy and hard become complementary.
Long and short differ in length.
High and low contrast in height.
Tone and pitch harmonise with each other.
The past is followed by the present.
Hence, the sage manages his affairs with non-action,
Teaches without utterance,
And lets everything develop without any interference.
Dao procreates but does not possess.
It facilitates development but does not gloat.
When it accomplishes his task, it does not claim credit.
As the sage does not claim credit for his success,
The credit cannot be taken away from him."
-  Translated by Han Hiong Tan, Chapter 2  

"Cuando se reconoce la Belleza en el Mundo
Se aprende lo que es la Fealdad;
Cuando se reconoce la Bondad en el Mundo
Se aprende lo que es la Maldad.

De este modo:
Vida y muerte son abstracciones del crecimiento;
Dificultad y facilidad son abstracciones del progreso;
Cerca y lejos son abstracciones de la posición;
Fuerza y debilidad son abstracciones del control;
Música y habla son abstracciones de la armonía;
Antes y después son abstracciones de la secuencia.

El sabio controla sin autoridad,
Y enseña sin palabras;
Él deja que todas las cosas asciendan y caigan,
Nutre, pero no interfiere,
Dá sin pedirle,
Y está satisfecho."
-  Translated by Antonio Rivas Gonzálvez, 2004, Capítulo 2

"The whole world knows: when beauty tries to be beautiful it changes into ugliness by that very fact.
The whole world knows: when kindness tries to appear kind it changes into unkindness by that very fact.
So close are Being and Non-Being that one arises from the other.
So suddenly easy becomes difficult short becomes long high becomes low loud becomes soundless the first becomes the last.
That is why the Sage strives to act without action to teach without speaking.
He lets things happen and does not try to stay them.
He labors and is not greedy.
He acts and does not demand anything.
He receives and does not retain anything."
-  Translated by K.O. Schmidt, 1975, Chapter 2  

"Because the world recognized beauty as beauty, ugliness is known to be ugly.
Everyone knows goodness to be goodness, and to know this is to know what is not good.
Similarly, existence implies non-existence;
The hard and the easy complement each other; We recognize what is long by comparison with what is short;
High by comparison with low;
The shrill by comparison with the sonorous.
Before and after, earlier and later, back and front -
All these complement one another.
Therefore the Sage, the self-controlled man, dwells in action-less activity, poised between contraries.
He teaches without employing words.
He beholds al things that have been made - he does not turn his back on them.
He achieves, but does not claim merit;
He does not call attention to what he does, not claim success.
Regarding nothing as his own, he loses nothing that is his."
-  Translated by Herman Ould, 1946, Chapter 2 

"When people see things as beautiful,
ugliness is created.
When people see things as good,
evil is created.

Being and non-being produce each other.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low oppose each other.
Fore and aft follow each other.

Therefore the Master
can act without doing anything
and teach without saying a word.
Things come her way and she does not stop them;
things leave and she lets them go.
She has without possessing,
and acts without any expectations.
When her work is done, she take no credit.
hat is why it will last forever."
-  Translated by John H. McDonald, 1996, Chapter 2   



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 or more different English language translations or interpolations for that Chapter, 5 or more 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.  In 2020, I will be improving the indexing.  

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.  An electronic Concordance for all 81 Chapters of the  Tao Te Ching is provided.   



Chapter 2, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

Concordance for 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

One Old Daoist Druid's Final Journey  

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons

   

   

Advice about Getting Older

"The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for." - Will Rogers

"As we grow older, we become like old cars – more and more repairs and replacements are necessary." - C.S. Lewis

"Old age comes at a really bad time." – Sam Banducci

"Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened." - Jennifer Yane

"Old age is like a plane flying through a storm. Once you are aboard there is nothing you can do about it." - Golda Meir

"I’m so old that my blood type is discontinued." - Bill Dane

"The older I get, the more clearly I remember things that never happened. - Mark Twain

"Wisdom doesn’t necessarily come with age. Sometimes, age just shows up all by itself." - Tom Wilson

"I’m at that age where my back goes out more than I do." - Phyllis Diller

"Is it nice to be here? Heck, at my age it’s nice to be anywhere." – George Burns

"Don't let aging get you down. It's too hard to get back up." - John Wagner

“Aging seems to be the only available way to live a long life.” - Kitty O’Neill Collins

“Older people shouldn’t eat health foods. They need all the preservatives they can get.” – Robert Orben

"Middle age is when you’re sitting at home on Saturday night and when the telephone rings and you hope it isn’t for you." - Ogden Nash

"It’s important to have a twinkle in your wrinkle." – Unknown

“I have successfully completed the 30-year transition from wanting to stay up late to just wanting to go to bed." – Unknown

"At age 20, we worry about what others think of us… at age 40, we don’t care what they think of us… at age 60, we discover they haven’t been thinking of us at all." - Ann Landers

"When I was young, I was called a rugged individualist. When I was in my fifties, I was called eccentric. Here I am doing and saying the exact same things I did back then, and now they label me senile." - George Burns

"I complain that the years fly past, but then I look in a mirror and see that very few of them actually got past." - Robert Brault

“Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.” - Larry Lorenzon

“The older I get, the better I used to be.” – Lee Trevino

"I was thinking about how the older they get, people seem to read the bible a lot more, and then it dawned on me—they’re cramming for their final exam."- George Carlin

"I don’t feel old. I don’t feel anything until noon. Then it’s time for my nap." - Bob Hope

"I’m 59 and people call me middle-aged. Tell me how many 118-year-old men do you know?"- Barry Cryer

"I don't drink alcohol anymore—I get the same effect just standing up fast." – Anonymous

“By the time you’re 80 years old you’ve learned just about everything. The trick is in remembering it.” - George Burns

“Old age isn’t that bad when you consider the alternative.” – Maurice Chevalier

"Getting older. I used to be able to run a 4-minute mile, bench press 300 pounds..., and tell the truth." - Conan O’Brien

"Grandchildren don’t make a man feel old, it’s the knowledge that he’s married to a grandmother that does." - J. Norman Collie

"You know you're getting old when everything hurts, and what doesn’t hurt doesn’t work." - Hy Gardner

"When your friends begin to flatter you on how young you look, it’s a sure sign you’re getting old." - Mark Twain

"There’s one advantage to being 100, there’s no peer pressure." - Dennis Wolfberg

"I've never known a person who lives past 100 who is remarkable for anything else." —Josh Billings

"At my age ‘getting lucky’ means walking into a room and remembering what I went in there for." – Unknown

"The idea is to die young as late as possible." - Ashley Montagu

"People ask me what I’d most appreciate getting for my eighty-seventh birthday. I tell them, a paternity suit." - George Burns

"Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician." - Anonymous

"It’s paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn’t appeal to anyone.” -  Andy Rooney 

Aging Well
By Michael P.  Garofalo

Campfires Smoking

 Campfires Smoking

I sit by my simple yurt by the sea,
and light a campfire at dawn,
against the cold,
and just be.

Sitka Spruce Forest
all around—
smoking campfire
on cold wet ground.

Do the pines daydream?
     feeding logs
     into the campfire flames.

Splitting dry kindling,
damp December day—
     wind chimes tinkling.

Wet pine logs—
     campfire smoke
     in our eyes

Gathered around
the campfire's light—
     very chilly night.

Crackling campfire
pops and sparks—
     keeping ghosts away 

Campfire embers,
fading reds—
    time for bed.

Memories of Pacific Coast Places
Snapshots and Snippets
Highway 101 and 1
By Michael P. Garofalo 

Is Your Vessel of Life Full?

 

"A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.

The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was

Full.

They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.

Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full..

The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed..

'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car..

The sand is everything else---the small stuff.

'If you put

The sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Spend time with your children.

Spend time with your parents.

Visit with grandparents.

Take your spouse out to dinner.

Play another 18.

There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.

Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter.

Set your priorities.

The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented.

The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.'

The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of Beers with a friend."

~ from 'The Idealist'

Lessons from Paulo Coelho

 I found this information about Paulo Coelho on a recent post to Facebook.  Since I have not read this book, I am unsure as to the correctness of this post.  However, it does fit with the messages of positive psychology and practical philosophy that I have studied by other authors.  

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons
Compiled by Michael P. Garofalo

 

 

10 Top Lessons
From he Book The Alchemist

A book by Paulo Coelho

1. Fear is a bigger obstacle than the obstacle itself

"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.

And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams."

Any new pursuit requires entering uncharted territory -- that's scary. But with any great risk comes great reward.

The experiences you gain in pursuing your dream will make it all worthwhile.

2. What is "true" will always endure

"If what one finds is made of pure matter, it will never spoil. And one can always come back.

If what you had found was only a moment of light, like the explosion of a star, you would find nothing on your return."

~ Truth cannot be veiled by smoke and mirrors -- it will always stand firm.

~ When you're searching for the "right" decision, it will be the one that withstands the tests of time and the weight of scrutiny.

3. Break the monotony

"When each day is the same as the next, it's because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises."

~ Gratitude is the practice of finding the good in each day.

~ Life can easily become stagnant, mundane, and monotonous, but that changes depending on what we choose to see.

~ There's always a silver lining, if you look for it.

4. Embrace the present

"Because I don't live in either my past or my future. I'm interested only in the present.

If you can concentrate always on the present, you'll be a happy man."

~ There's no point dwelling in the past and letting it define you, nor getting lost and anxious about the future. But in the present moment, you're in the field of possibility

~ How you engage with the present moment will direct your life.

5. Your success has a ripple-effect

"That's what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too."

~ Growth, change, and evolution are weaved into the fabric of reality.

~ Becoming a better version of yourself creates a ripple effect that benefits everything around you: your lifestyle, your family, your friends, your community.

6. Make the decision

"When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he has never dreamed of when he first made the decision."

~ It's easy to get overwhelmed by the unknowns and finer details of your dreams.

~ Actions will flow out of having confidence in your decision; sitting on the fence will get you nowhere.

7. Be unrealistic

"I see the world in terms of what I would like to see happen, not what actually does."

~ Some of the greatest inventions would not have happened if people chose to accept the world as it is.

~ Great achievements and innovations begin with a mindset that ignores the impossible.

8. Keep getting back up

"The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times."

Because the eighth time could be your breakthrough.

Some of the greatest novels in history were published after receiving hundreds of rejections. Thankfully, those authors never gave up.

9. Focus on your own journey

"If someone isn't what others want them to be, the others become angry.

Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own."

~ It's easy to be influenced by others, but you'll be miserable if you end up living someone else's life.

~ There's nothing wrong with taking advice and learning from others, but make sure it aligns with your desires and passions.

10. Always take action

"There is only one way to learn. It's through action. 

 

Heart-Mind Boxing

"Dragon Body - This imaginary beast is common in Chinese fables and folklore. The dragon could fly high, riding the mists, contracting and twisting it's body like a snake through the clouds. Xingyi places high importance on this for every transitional movement in the art should embody the spirit of the dragon, expanding and contracting, striking out with mystical prowess.

Chicken Leg - This is one of the most basic fundamentals of the art of Xingyiquan. A chicken can run very quickly and stop suddenly, keeping it's weight on one leg, ready to peck. Xingyi's five elements all encompass this theory by stepping forward onto one leg before it issues it's strike much like a chicken does. By mastering this, you can advance, retreat, turn and change forms very quickly because the weight is always ready to transfer.

Eagle Claw - While the hands are relaxed and held in gentle curves when in transitional movements, when striking, they must become like the fearless bird of prey's attacking talons, digging and grasping with an iron grip. This is especially seen in the beginning movement of Pi Quan when the hands draw down towards the Dan Tian. This is also very important in Xingyi, for many of the art's applications consist of grabbing with one hand while simultaneously striking with the other.

Bear Shoulders - Bears are large animals that can can generate a great deal of power from their great rounded shoulders. The Xingyi practitioner must mimic this to obtain maximum power in his art. By rounding the shoulders and hollowing the chest, the body actually "gets behind" the arms and hands, so when you strike, the power doesn't come from the arms, but from the whole body.

Tiger's Head Embrace - The tiger is a very regal beast. They are powerful and strong animals that exude the finest and most fearsome aspects of nature. In Xingyi, the head must be held erect and slightly back, but spiritually, it must also capture the imposing manner of the tiger, letting it's blank cunning show in your eyes and it's ability to pounce.

- Xonghua Xinyiquan

Xing Yi Quan (Hsing I Chuan): Bibliography, Links, Resources, Quotes, Notes. By Mike Garofalo.


Xing Yi Quan Xue: The Study of Form-Mind Boxing.   By Sun Lu Tang.  Translated by Albert Liu.  Compiled and edited by Dan Miller.  Burbank, CA, Unique Publications, 2000.  ISBN: 0865681856.  312 pages.  Includes a biography of Sun Lu Tang (pp.1-41) by Dan Miller.  The work was encouraged and supported by Sun Jian Yun, and an interview with her is included.  Translations by Tim Cartmell, Gu Feng Mei, and Huang Guo Qi.  This original book was first published in 1915.  It was the first book ever published that integrated Chinese martial arts with Chinese philosophy and Daoist Qi cultivation  theories.  The book includes many photographs of Sun Lu Tang.  








"Of the three internal arts, Xing Yi is probably the most straightforward to understand in terms of practical fighting applications. Grandmaster Sun, however, believed that the most important reason to practice martial arts was the improvement of one's health; developing fighting ability was merely of secondary importance. Sun himself certainly benefited in both respects. In 1933, at the age of 73 and shortly before his death, Sun was examined by a physician and found to have the body of a 40-year old. Furthermore, throughout his life he was an awesome fighter: He worked as a professional bodyguard, taught martial arts at the Presidential Palace, and never lost a challenge match.
Certain health benefits of Xing Yi training are obvious. It is a low-impact exercise requiring little jumping, few low stances, and smooth rather than ballistic movements. As Sun notes in his book, it can be practiced by anyone, both the young and old, and the sick and infirm. Healthy people will grow stronger, while those with a disease will recover their health. However, in addition to the external physical benefits, Xing Yi practice offers a sophisticated system of internal energy training that stimulates the major energetic pathways within the body.At the core of Sun Lu Tang's Xing Yi Quan system is the 12 animals set. This set consists of 12 lines of movements, each emulating the fighting techniques of the 12 animals that come from heaven and earth. These are the Dragon, Tiger, Monkey, Horse, Water Lizard, Chicken, Sparrow Hawk, Swallow, Snake, Tai Bird, Eagle, and Bear. Regular practice of the 12 animals set benefits the practitioner both externally and internally. Externally, one learns the physical characteristics of each animal-the explosive power of the tiger, or the strength of the bear, for example. Internally, each animal form stimulates the internal energy, or Qi, in a particular and beneficial manner. The remainder of this article describes both the energetic work and the fighting applications of four of the animal forms: the Dragon, Tiger, Eagle, and Bear."
-  Justin Liu,  Cultivation and Combat: The Fighting Animals of Xing Yi Quan.