1 00:00:01,910 --> 00:00:08,350 Lao Tzu, literally translated as ‘old master’ was an ancient Chinese philosopher and writer 2 00:00:08,350 --> 00:00:11,610 who is known to be the founder of Taoism. 3 00:00:11,610 --> 00:00:16,309 Taoism is a philosophy which emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao. 4 00:00:16,309 --> 00:00:22,470 The word “Tao” is defined as a path or way of virtuous conduct that, if followed, 5 00:00:22,470 --> 00:00:24,300 leads to a life of harmony. 6 00:00:24,300 --> 00:00:30,710 He is also credited as the writer of Taoism’s most sacred text, Tao Te Ching in which he 7 00:00:30,710 --> 00:00:36,670 spoke of four cardinal virtues that when embraced would reveal the truth of the universe. 8 00:00:36,670 --> 00:00:41,260 He believed that living and practicing these teachings can open you to higher wisdom and 9 00:00:41,260 --> 00:00:47,020 greater happiness and that they bring a closer connection to our innate spirituality. 10 00:00:47,020 --> 00:00:53,950 The old master’s teaching, even after 2500 years are world renowned, studied and practiced 11 00:00:53,950 --> 00:00:59,649 by millions around the world and in this video we will be talking about how to be spiritual 12 00:00:59,649 --> 00:01:06,160 by using Lao Tsu’s 4 cardinal virtues. 13 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,220 Reverence for life 14 00:01:08,220 --> 00:01:15,120 Lao Tzu says “Living in the moment brings you a sense of reverence for all of life’s 15 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,400 blessings” This virtue manifests as having unconditional 16 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:24,720 love and positive regard for all creatures in the universe, starting with ourselves, 17 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,460 this will then naturally flow out to all others. 18 00:01:28,460 --> 00:01:32,360 Taoist monks are said to have absolute reverence for life. 19 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:36,900 They refrain from taking any life, even the life of a cockroach. 20 00:01:36,900 --> 00:01:43,030 They believe that the killing of weaker, relatively insignificant creatures is a greater wrong. 21 00:01:43,030 --> 00:01:48,990 Unlike lions and tigers, small creatures have no ability to defend themselves, so we need 22 00:01:48,990 --> 00:01:52,460 to be even more compassionate toward them. 23 00:01:52,460 --> 00:01:57,750 This teaching holds that all life is sacred, so one must never kill or do any harm to any 24 00:01:57,750 --> 00:02:00,400 living being. 25 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:04,540 The world in which we live, often forces us to ignore this virtue. 26 00:02:04,540 --> 00:02:10,750 If there’s one word that defines our modern lives, it’s excess and in the name of profit 27 00:02:10,750 --> 00:02:15,410 and excessive consumption, we have not only been extremely cruel to all the other life 28 00:02:15,410 --> 00:02:19,560 forms on this planet, but we also have been stepping on our fellow humans for the sake 29 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,250 of our own selfish motives. 30 00:02:22,250 --> 00:02:27,580 We strive to be the very best and loving version of ourselves, the version that looks good 31 00:02:27,580 --> 00:02:29,110 on the surface. 32 00:02:29,110 --> 00:02:34,720 The one that makes for fast-paced, exciting, Instagrammable lives. 33 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:39,580 How often do we put up an image of our dog on instagram for likes, yet eat meat the very 34 00:02:39,580 --> 00:02:41,060 same night? 35 00:02:41,060 --> 00:02:45,970 How often do we pass homeless individuals on the street without acknowledgement? 36 00:02:45,970 --> 00:02:50,620 Between the business of our daily lives and going from one task to another, we forget 37 00:02:50,620 --> 00:02:53,500 the world around us and others in it. 38 00:02:53,500 --> 00:02:58,420 We must understand that we are dependent on other life forms for our sheer survival, and 39 00:02:58,420 --> 00:03:03,350 this means we must treat them with respect, kindness, and gratitude. 40 00:03:03,350 --> 00:03:08,130 Living in harmony with the natural world and thus respecting all forms of life is achieved 41 00:03:08,130 --> 00:03:12,050 through balancing our Yin and Yang energies. 42 00:03:12,050 --> 00:03:17,040 Put simply, Yin and Yang represent the opposite forces of the natural world. 43 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:20,600 Night and day, man and woman, birth and death. 44 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:26,350 In symbolic terms Yin is represented as feminine and yielding, while Yang is represented as 45 00:03:26,350 --> 00:03:28,910 masculine and more aggressive. 46 00:03:28,910 --> 00:03:33,850 In order to live with reverence towards nature, both men and women must balance their Yin 47 00:03:33,850 --> 00:03:35,790 and Yang energies. 48 00:03:35,790 --> 00:03:41,120 The integration of these two conflicted forces makes for a healthy soul, since there is no 49 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:45,680 Yin without Yang just like there’s no shadow without Sun. 50 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:50,020 This means that if we want to live in harmony and show love and respect to others and other 51 00:03:50,020 --> 00:03:56,690 forms of life, we must learn to make a conscious effort to love and respect ourselves first. 52 00:03:56,690 --> 00:04:01,970 When we come to see ourselves as the pure, wonderful and unique creations we are, we 53 00:04:01,970 --> 00:04:05,430 find it difficult to ignore this purity in others. 54 00:04:05,430 --> 00:04:11,930 Further to this, we seek to understand and appreciate them rather than judge and criticise. 55 00:04:11,930 --> 00:04:18,250 In doing so, you will find you can show unconditional positive regard not only to people you like 56 00:04:18,250 --> 00:04:23,160 but also to those you find irritating or people you don’t deem to be deserving of your love 57 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:24,680 or respect. 58 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:29,900 All living creatures are equally important, and they require equal respect. 59 00:04:29,900 --> 00:04:34,400 Trying to dominate and control all life only leads you away from enlightenment and you 60 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:40,370 won’t find peace in the midst of a struggle for control and furthermore, a truly spiritual 61 00:04:40,370 --> 00:04:47,880 perspective would tell us that love is freedom. 62 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:52,870 Natural Sincerity In the words of Lao Tzu “When pure sincerity 63 00:04:52,870 --> 00:04:57,990 forms within, it is outwardly realized in other people’s hearts” 64 00:04:57,990 --> 00:05:04,350 This particular virtue manifests itself as honesty, simplicity, and authenticity. 65 00:05:04,350 --> 00:05:09,600 It basically states to stay true to who you really are, and not to allow outside forces 66 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:11,340 to sway you. 67 00:05:11,340 --> 00:05:16,050 Lao Tzu suggests that the only way to live harmoniously with the Universe is to tell 68 00:05:16,050 --> 00:05:19,900 the truth which can be anything but pleasant. 69 00:05:19,900 --> 00:05:25,400 In our modern world, we are often so caught up in the daily grind, that we tend to easily 70 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:27,150 disconnect from our true selves. 71 00:05:27,150 --> 00:05:33,080 It is very easy to get emotionally deprived in this fast paced society with a lifestyle 72 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:38,180 that leaves very little time for making truly deep emotional bonds. 73 00:05:38,180 --> 00:05:42,760 In order to fill this gap, we tend to go around pleasing people while losing ourselves in 74 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:44,250 that process. 75 00:05:44,250 --> 00:05:49,010 This is the exact situation in which some of Lao Tzu’s wisdom can truly help us grow 76 00:05:49,010 --> 00:05:50,860 and heal. 77 00:05:50,860 --> 00:05:55,870 Being true to yourself means making choices that reflect a respect and affection for your 78 00:05:55,870 --> 00:05:56,870 nature. 79 00:05:56,870 --> 00:06:01,639 We often make choices that do not honor our nature, which Is the real you. 80 00:06:01,639 --> 00:06:04,790 In Taoism, these are called dishonest choices. 81 00:06:04,790 --> 00:06:09,480 It’s easy to go with what others think or want as opposed to what you feel you should 82 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:10,480 be doing. 83 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:16,000 However, as soon as you make a dishonest choice, you start to feel an inner discomfort and 84 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:20,449 before long, you are worried, anxious and resentful. 85 00:06:20,449 --> 00:06:25,580 This is because caring too much about what other people think of you goes directly against 86 00:06:25,580 --> 00:06:26,990 the flow. 87 00:06:26,990 --> 00:06:31,949 By doing that we are trying to bargain with the sacred universe by forcefully and perhaps 88 00:06:31,949 --> 00:06:36,760 subconsciously trying to manipulate others into liking us, so we can get our emotional 89 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:38,320 needs met. 90 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:43,610 The only right way to go about things is by being sincerely able to walk the walk and 91 00:06:43,610 --> 00:06:48,260 talk the talk, meaning being able to live out what you believe in with your speech and 92 00:06:48,260 --> 00:06:49,630 your actions. 93 00:06:49,630 --> 00:06:54,460 Being sincere and telling the truth might not get you many friends, but it will get 94 00:06:54,460 --> 00:07:00,320 you the real ones, and only real friends can satisfy your emotional needs for belonging 95 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:01,820 and intimacy. 96 00:07:01,820 --> 00:07:07,009 Lao Tsu also thought of sincerity as the most important attributes of leadership. 97 00:07:07,009 --> 00:07:11,690 He thinks that if the leader of the people is sincere and truthful, it will reflect in 98 00:07:11,690 --> 00:07:13,460 all of the community. 99 00:07:13,460 --> 00:07:17,740 He thinks that if the people disobey their leaders and rebel against them, it is purely 100 00:07:17,740 --> 00:07:21,000 because their leadership is not sincere enough. 101 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:27,759 A good leader preserves the ultimate reality, embraces the Tao and thus promotes sincerity, 102 00:07:27,759 --> 00:07:30,600 and so the whole world follows him joyfully. 103 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:35,740 The inspiring leader doesn’t tyrannically impose orders, but he rather clarifies the 104 00:07:35,740 --> 00:07:41,750 instructions on how to act to reach a common goal that serves the greater good. 105 00:07:41,750 --> 00:07:45,050 The goal of Taoism is to be true to yourself. 106 00:07:45,050 --> 00:07:49,930 By accepting the truth about ourselves and others, we not only find peace in this life, 107 00:07:49,930 --> 00:07:53,930 but we can help others along their paths as well. 108 00:07:53,930 --> 00:07:55,770 3. 109 00:07:55,770 --> 00:08:00,880 Gentleness To quote Lao Tzu “The first is gentleness; 110 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:07,240 the second is economy; and the third is shrinking from taking precedence over others.” 111 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:12,710 Gentleness means simply being kind to all life, and not coming from a place of egotistical 112 00:08:12,710 --> 00:08:13,750 desires. 113 00:08:13,750 --> 00:08:18,970 When we practice gentleness, we give up the need to be right, because being kind is more 114 00:08:18,970 --> 00:08:21,280 important than being correct. 115 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:26,440 Lao Tsu put gentleness before everything else and thought that a spiritual person is the 116 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:30,070 one that does not interfere with the natural flow of the Tao. 117 00:08:30,070 --> 00:08:36,070 To understand this natural flow, Taoists often use the metaphor of water to observe its effortless 118 00:08:36,070 --> 00:08:41,779 capacity for following its own pathway, formlessly and shapelessly adjusting to whatever it meets 119 00:08:41,779 --> 00:08:43,699 along the way. 120 00:08:43,699 --> 00:08:46,360 Water also sustains life. 121 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:52,059 For humans and animals alike, water has a cooling effect on the body, dissolving impurities, 122 00:08:52,059 --> 00:08:56,949 driving nutrients and waste around the body, replenishing the balance within its energy 123 00:08:56,949 --> 00:08:59,579 systems and its reserves. 124 00:08:59,579 --> 00:09:06,300 Similarly, gentle people are often therapeutic people, less punishing of others, more empathetic, 125 00:09:06,300 --> 00:09:08,550 flexible and adaptive. 126 00:09:08,550 --> 00:09:12,699 As with flowing water, they can preserve their own character. 127 00:09:12,699 --> 00:09:17,829 On the other hand if you have been going against the flow, acting on ego and trying to fight 128 00:09:17,829 --> 00:09:23,129 the will of the universe, then you will most probably find yourself in a very dark corner 129 00:09:23,129 --> 00:09:26,249 feeling desperate and depressed. 130 00:09:26,249 --> 00:09:30,690 Since there is no happiness without sorrow, as the Taoist principle of Yin and Yang would 131 00:09:30,690 --> 00:09:36,649 suggest, Lao Tzu emphasized that every spirited individual who has come out of the dark period 132 00:09:36,649 --> 00:09:41,899 has embraced the Tao and as a result has the capacity to understand other people that are 133 00:09:41,899 --> 00:09:47,579 stuck in their own trials, hence the gentleness arises as the core virtue in relation to other 134 00:09:47,579 --> 00:09:48,910 people. 135 00:09:48,910 --> 00:09:54,550 If you scour the writings of Lao Tzu and Taoist monks, you will come to a conclusion that 136 00:09:54,550 --> 00:10:00,249 gentleness is the umbrella term that encompasses forgiveness, acceptance and love. 137 00:10:00,249 --> 00:10:06,149 As an individual who accepted the ways of the universe through your own trials and tribulations, 138 00:10:06,149 --> 00:10:11,110 you will be much more ready to forgive because you understand the suffering of others. 139 00:10:11,110 --> 00:10:12,339 You have been there! 140 00:10:12,339 --> 00:10:17,429 You will learn to accept the differences and treat every person as the messenger that conveys 141 00:10:17,429 --> 00:10:23,180 a spiritual message with their own mission in life and treat them with respect they deserve. 142 00:10:23,180 --> 00:10:29,970 In today’s world we get so easily carried away with our own ego and desires that we 143 00:10:29,970 --> 00:10:34,079 forget to be gentle and attuned to other people’s needs. 144 00:10:34,079 --> 00:10:39,310 With all of the social media attention we get, we turn into mini false celebrities each 145 00:10:39,310 --> 00:10:45,279 with our own spotlight that allows us to broadcast our idealized phantom selves, while losing 146 00:10:45,279 --> 00:10:49,759 touch with real life and continuing to inflate our own egos. 147 00:10:49,759 --> 00:10:54,860 Since power, influence and number of followers, or Facebook friends is the currency we respect 148 00:10:54,860 --> 00:11:01,139 and the language we understand, we can oh-so-easily forget to tune in into other people’s needs 149 00:11:01,139 --> 00:11:04,399 because we are encouraged to be so self-centered. 150 00:11:04,399 --> 00:11:09,980 To be truly emotionally healthy and happy you need to form close bonds with good people 151 00:11:09,980 --> 00:11:15,040 and the best way to do that is to be gentle and understanding of other people’s needs, 152 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:17,300 struggles and tribulations. 153 00:11:17,300 --> 00:11:23,339 We as modern people are also often guilty of thinking that gentleness is weakness since 154 00:11:23,339 --> 00:11:28,899 we do not grasp the concept of sensitivity the way we should do but we need to understand 155 00:11:28,899 --> 00:11:33,879 that the key to true strength, the one that dissolves the limitations of our own ego is 156 00:11:33,879 --> 00:11:35,600 sensitivity itself. 157 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:41,199 Again, as the staple of Taoist ideas, the Yin Yang symbol would suggest, there is no 158 00:11:41,199 --> 00:11:46,579 night without a dawn, so therefore, to be truly strong you need to be vulnerable and 159 00:11:46,579 --> 00:11:52,079 sensitive first and without all those qualities integrated, we cannot be truly spiritually 160 00:11:52,079 --> 00:11:53,259 healthy. 161 00:11:53,259 --> 00:11:59,670 The key to global change begins with the individual, so start with your own life and surroundings. 162 00:11:59,670 --> 00:12:04,299 Be gentle to the planet, recycle all of the plastics we use in our daily life. 163 00:12:04,299 --> 00:12:08,920 Go and donate some of your less used clothes to the people in need. 164 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:13,949 Instead of fulfilling your superfluous consumerist desires, go and donate some money for a good 165 00:12:13,949 --> 00:12:15,049 cause. 166 00:12:15,049 --> 00:12:17,970 But first, start with the small steps. 167 00:12:17,970 --> 00:12:20,509 Be gentle to yourself and your loved ones. 168 00:12:20,509 --> 00:12:24,790 If you happen to get in an argument, do remember that kindness is more important than being 169 00:12:24,790 --> 00:12:30,040 right and when you remind yourself of this, you will no longer have a strong ego-inspired 170 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:34,299 desire to dominate or control others, which will allow you to move into a rhythm with 171 00:12:34,299 --> 00:12:36,420 the universe. 172 00:12:36,420 --> 00:12:38,490 4. 173 00:12:38,490 --> 00:12:42,809 Supportiveness As we learn from Lao Tzu “Giving to others 174 00:12:42,809 --> 00:12:47,689 selflessly and anonymously, radiating light throughout the world and illuminating your 175 00:12:47,689 --> 00:12:54,029 own darkness, your virtue becomes a sanctuary for yourself and all beings” 176 00:12:54,029 --> 00:13:00,129 This virtue manifests in your life as service to others without any expectation of reward. 177 00:13:00,129 --> 00:13:04,970 This virtue is the basic tenet of humanity as it is about cultivating the spirit of service 178 00:13:04,970 --> 00:13:06,389 to others. 179 00:13:06,389 --> 00:13:10,720 Instead of thinking only of one’s own good, supportiveness is about channeling all the 180 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:15,690 good things you find within yourself and sharing them to other people so you make their lives 181 00:13:15,690 --> 00:13:16,749 better. 182 00:13:16,749 --> 00:13:21,019 Our modern lifestyle and our connections are often represented as a ‘’rat race’’ 183 00:13:21,019 --> 00:13:22,019 in pop culture. 184 00:13:22,019 --> 00:13:27,399 We are all guilty of going our own way without much care for our fellow man. 185 00:13:27,399 --> 00:13:32,839 For the first time ever, we have developed enough technology and scientific solutions 186 00:13:32,839 --> 00:13:37,839 that we generally have more leisure time and options than ever before, but despite all 187 00:13:37,839 --> 00:13:44,259 of the superabundant goods we have at our disposal, in doing so we have sunk into selfishness 188 00:13:44,259 --> 00:13:51,920 and self-centeredness, resulting in a counterintuitively large amount of people reporting feeling depressed. 189 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:56,949 Through the lens of Taoist teachings, the problem is quite simple to define. 190 00:13:56,949 --> 00:14:01,459 In search of their greedy wishes, the people have turned against each other. 191 00:14:01,459 --> 00:14:05,779 This whole civilization was built upon human interaction and cooperation. 192 00:14:05,779 --> 00:14:11,389 Nowadays, that very pillar of our society is crumbling and people feel more and more 193 00:14:11,389 --> 00:14:13,889 desperate and alienated. 194 00:14:13,889 --> 00:14:16,449 The diagnosis is very clear. 195 00:14:16,449 --> 00:14:21,009 Instead of letting excuses or selfishness like I’ don’t have enough money, I am 196 00:14:21,009 --> 00:14:26,269 too tired, I don’t have time or what will I get back in return dominate our life, we 197 00:14:26,269 --> 00:14:31,829 need to shift our attention off of ourselves by asking this one simple question: How may 198 00:14:31,829 --> 00:14:33,369 I serve? 199 00:14:33,369 --> 00:14:38,079 When you do so, the message you’re sending is: I’m not thinking about myself and what 200 00:14:38,079 --> 00:14:40,290 I can or can’t have. 201 00:14:40,290 --> 00:14:44,839 Your attention is on making someone else feel better. 202 00:14:44,839 --> 00:14:47,579 Supportiveness is not just related to giving away your money. 203 00:14:47,579 --> 00:14:53,420 It is also about simple gestures like being there for someone, listening to somebody’s 204 00:14:53,420 --> 00:14:56,939 problems, or donating things that you no longer need. 205 00:14:56,939 --> 00:15:02,790 The very thing that fuels our goal-getting Yang energy is the nice feeling of belonging 206 00:15:02,790 --> 00:15:03,790 and togetherness. 207 00:15:03,790 --> 00:15:08,199 There is no better way to belong than to be supportive of your fellow man. 208 00:15:08,199 --> 00:15:13,779 There are many ways you can connect with people in order to work for a greater non-profit 209 00:15:13,779 --> 00:15:15,240 cause. 210 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:20,059 Regardless of your religious beliefs or political ideology, there is certain common ground we 211 00:15:20,059 --> 00:15:21,600 can all agree upon. 212 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:27,619 For instance, there is a very low probability of finding someone that disagrees that something 213 00:15:27,619 --> 00:15:32,410 must be done in order to preserve our natural world, and that it has been compromised for 214 00:15:32,410 --> 00:15:34,239 quite a long time now. 215 00:15:34,239 --> 00:15:38,899 As a result, there are now many eco-activist groups in the world, known for being a great 216 00:15:38,899 --> 00:15:44,540 source of adventure and bonding time, while doing it under a flag of a great cause. 217 00:15:44,540 --> 00:15:48,689 When you concentrate on what good you can do to others without thinking of getting anything 218 00:15:48,689 --> 00:15:52,540 in return, you will find joy in serving other people. 219 00:15:52,540 --> 00:15:57,160 Sometimes, just being there for other people, is already enough for them. 220 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:02,750 The basic need of human kind is to be spiritually healthy and you cannot be spiritually healthy 221 00:16:02,750 --> 00:16:07,040 without relying on others and therefore supporting others. 222 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:11,829 These four virtues, if fully embraced, will bring much happiness to your life. 223 00:16:11,829 --> 00:16:17,040 Each one of them brings a powerful way of being that illumines a path to happiness. 224 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:22,230 The four cardinal virtues are a road map to the simple truth of the universe. 225 00:16:22,230 --> 00:16:27,269 So, if you enjoyed this video, please do make sure to check out the full Philosophies for 226 00:16:27,269 --> 00:16:32,649 Life channel and for more videos to help you find success and happiness using ancient philosophical 227 00:16:32,649 --> 00:16:35,100 wisdom, don’t forget to subscribe. 228 00:16:35,100 --> 00:16:37,369 Thank you so much for watching.