Wen Tzu - Verse 16

from Verse Sixteen

If the sky were not steady, the sun and moon would have nowhere to ride. If the earth were not steady, plants and trees would have nowhere to stand. If the body is not steady, right and wrong have nowhere to form.

Therefore there is real knowledge only when there are real people.

~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~

For all this talk about losing one's ego and sense of self, Lao Tzu does understand (Chuang Tzu even more so) that people live in society in the so-called "real world". So, while meditation and stillness do have their merits, he also acknowledges that our bodies must be strong and healthy.

When the body is sick, it affects the mind and spirit. It's far more difficult for people to find their center when they are wracked by pain, hunger, thirst and disease. Liberation theologists understood this principle in their work with the poor in Central America. You can't genuinely expect believers to be pious and to embrace the golden rule when their bellies are empty. So, you feed them first, then try to work in religious doctrine.

In this same vein, it can be near impossible for some to prepare themselves to meditate when the body is malnourished or injured. So, the body must be taken care of -- steadied -- in order to provide a platform for the spirit to seek Tao.

This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.