Wen Tzu - Verse 8, Part I

from Verse Eight

Spiritual light is attainment of the inward. When people attain the inward, their internal organs are calm, their thoughts are even, their eyes and ears are clear, and their sinews and bones are strong. They are masterful but not contentious, firm and strong yet never exhausted. They are not too excessive in anything, nor are they inadequate in anything.

~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~

Think back to the last time you faced a perceived crisis of some kind. While your mind was racing and your thoughts were filled with anxiety, fearfulness or excitement, what was your body doing? In most cases, the body becomes fraught with tension. Your senses feel overwhelmed and your brain can seem overloaded. In a manner of speaking, most of us become a bundle of nerves!

Now think about the number of times during an average lifetime that most of us go through these histrionics. Is it any wonder that our bodies become delicate and frail, that our minds become forgetful and confused? Our excesses -- physical, emotional and spiritual -- lead our beings on a roller coaster of a life. All this expansion and contraction weakens our interrelated systems.

This is why Lao Tzu places so much emphasis on occupying the middle ground. When we are able to stay balanced, we cause far less friction and less friction equates to less stress and tension.

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