The Mind and the Ego

The Mind and the Ego

Your “thinking” mind is responsible for creating not only your so-called “realities” based on your perceptions of your life experiences, but also your personality, which also plays a pivotal role in your living in a world of depression.

It is your human nature to identify yourself with your thoughts created by your thinking mind. This identity begins to relate to more thoughts, both past and present, as well as their projections into the future as desires and expectations. These accumulative thoughts begin to take shape and form your ego-self. which all of us have, because it is the identity that separates and distinguishes us from others.

But is that ego-self for real? Or what exactly is the ego-self?

Simply look at yourself in front of a mirror. What do you see? A self reflection. Is it for real? Can you touch it? Not really; it is only a reflection of someone real—the real you in front of the mirror!

Your ego-self is your self-perceived personality. Just like the reflection in the mirror, it is not the real you.

Now, do something slightly different. Place a baby—if there is one immediately available—in front of the mirror. Now. see what happens. The baby may crawl towards the baby in the mirror. Why? It is because the baby in front of the mirror thinks that the baby in the mirror is another baby, and not his or her own reflection.

Likewise, your ego-self may look real to you, but it is not real  It is only a reflection of your own thoughts; that is, your ego self is what you think or even wish you were. The ego-self is gradually formed over the years, transforming you into someone else that you are not. Therefore, your only one true life obligation is to be the person standing in front of the mirror, and not the reflection of that person in the mirror.

Your ego-self, which is formed by your thoughts, often become your attachments. Too many attachments to your ego-self may become problematic, leading to depression.

According to Tao wisdom—the wisdom of the ancient Chinese sage, the author of the famous “Tao Te Ching”—the ego-self is the source of human miseries because it is the human ego that creates stress, leading to many human conflicts and problems.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© 2018 by Stephen Lau

Taoist Exercise to Overcome Insomnia

The Taoist Exercise

To overcome insomnia or get natural sleep, perform this simple Chinese Taoist exercise:

• Lie on your back. Bend both knees.
• Use both hands to pull your knees towards your chest, and breathe naturally.
• Hold for one to two minutes, and relax.
• Straighten your legs, putting your arms and hands at your sides. Relax for one to two minutes.
• Take a deep breath, and stretch both arms upwards above your head.
• Then, slowly bring your hands down while you breathe out.
• Massage your body from your chest to your abdomen for a few minutes.
• Bring both hands at your sides, and relax.
• Repeat as necessary until you feel drowsy and fall asleep.

This exercise is good not just for insomnia, but also for your lower back pain, if it is performed on a hard surface.

Stephen Lau  

Copyright© 2018 by Stephen Lau

Ancient Wisdom and Modern Living

Ancient Wisdom and Modern Living

Everybody wants to live not only a better but also a longer life. Living well is a common human pursuit, but it may often turn out to be only a carrot and stick-forever unattainable. Why? It is because living well is an art that requires profound ancient wisdom, not just the conventional wisdom of modern medicine, in order to live a disease-free life.

The human body has built-in body wisdom that keeps it young and healthy, that is, an innate awareness of its basic needs, as well as its warning signs and signals of internal disharmony that may lead to imminent disease and disorder. Therefore, wisdom is required to enhance this human consciousness to create a new environment in which the biochemistry of the body becomes the substance of awareness of beliefs, emotions, and thoughts, thereby instrumental in maintaining and sustaining the overall wellness of an individual to remain disease-free as much as and as long as possible.

Body wisdom is no more than everyday eating and living habits. Eating is a science, and living is an art; they complement each other, just as "yin" and "yang" do. Human wisdom is, essentially, the capability in creating and managing this art and science to live a better and a longer life.

Ancient wisdom, however, is not the same as contemporary wisdom. The former has more to do with the mind-how it thinks and perceives; the latter focuses more on knowledge acquisition, and its practical applications in life.

A classic example of ancient wisdom is that of Lao Tzu, an ancient sage in China some 2,600 years ago. He was the author of the immortal Chinese classic "Tao Te Ching," which is one of the most translated and extensively read books of all time. According to legend, Lao Tzu wanted to leave China for Tibet, but he was stopped at the city gate, where he was forced to put down his wisdom in writing before he could leave. Reluctantly, he expressed his profound and eternal wisdom in only 5,000 words, and that was how "Tao Te Ching" came into being..

How does Tao wisdom help in living a better and a longer life?

Lao Tzu's wisdom is unique in that it emphasizes "reverse" thinking of the human mind, instead of the "conditioned" contemporary mindset. In other words, one must, first and foremost, have an empty mind before one can even think out of the box, not to mention creating one's own box in thinking. To illustrate, Lao Tzu's focus on "under-doing" (as opposed to "over-doing" or "the more, the better" contemporary mindset), "living in the present" (as opposed to "multi-tasking" modern lifestyle), and "no expectation of result" (as opposed to "goal-oriented" or "goal-setting" attitude of this day and age) is conducive to creating internal peace and harmony, which is the essence of living a stress-free life. The essentials of Tao wisdom are fundamental to the art of living well and the science of healthy living without stress.

In addition, Lao Tzu believed that true wisdom lies in internalizing and self-intuiting eternal truths. Unlike contemporary wisdom, Tao wisdom has no blueprint for all-just as the health of an individual is based on the unique body chemistry of that individual; true wisdom, therefore, is acute awareness of the needs of the body, which is known exclusively only to that individual.

Another example of ancient wisdom is that of Hippocrates (377-460 BC), the "Father of Medicine." His basic principles of health and wellness are profound. For example, Hippocrates said: "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food." His wisdom is quite contrary to the conventional wisdom of modern medicine, which overtly emphasizes the use of drugs. The United States is the riches but also the sickest country in the world, and our healthcare costs have skyrocketed in recent decades.

Hippocrates also expressed his wisdom in the art of living: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." The wisdom of modern medicine focuses on cure through drugs and procedures, rather than prevention through a holistic approach to health and wellness of the body, the mind, and the spirit. The wisdom of modern medicine is simply on quick fixing the symptoms, instead of preventing their occurrence in the first place.

The wisdom of Hippocrates echoed that of Lao Tzu's "non-doing" or "under-doing" when he said: "To do nothing is sometimes a good remedy." According to Hippocrates, "everything in excess is opposed to nature" because of the presence of the innate body wisdom in self-healing. Unfortunately, modern medicine chooses to do just the opposite, and thus opening the Pandora's box, creating many more human diseases and disorders through toxic drugs and procedures.

The Bible is the Word of God. It provides the ancient wisdom of God for health and wellness in the form of principles for the body, the soul, and the spirit. For example, in the Old Testament (Genesis 1:19), God prescribed ancient Hebrews with instructions to eat plants and seeds. As a matter of fact, in Hebrew language, the word "meat" is essentially "food" and not animal protein. However, it does not mean that God would like the Hebrews to become vegetarians; rather, fruits, vegetables, and herbs would have to be their basic or first diet. The Bible, in many instances, reveals the ancient wisdom in healthy eating to maintain health and wellness.

To conclude, wisdom is about acute awareness and profound perception through the human eye to see things as they really are, without looking at them through colored spectacles. In Matthew 6:22, Jesus said: "The light of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye be single, your body will be full of light." True human wisdom is how we perceive and internalize our life experiences, based on an understanding of who we really are and what our essential roles are in this world, as well as of the natural laws of things. With this profound understanding, we will look at everything and everyone around us in perspective. One final word: without true human wisdom, it is difficult to understand the wisdom of God.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Why Understanding God's Wisdom Is Difficult

Why Understanding God’s Wisdom Is Difficult

Human wisdom is the first step in the journey of a thousand miles towards understanding God’s wisdom. Without human wisdom, God’s wisdom is even more unfathomable and forever unintelligible to many.

Many of us often overwhelm ourselves in our pursuit of God’s wisdom in the Bible with its many books such that after a while we may end up giving up reading it—and that is the result of more for less.

Lao Tzu, on the other hand, shows us the importance of taking the first step, a small step, and one step at a time, along the Way, and human wisdom will slowly and subtly unfold itself to each and every one of us. So, beginning with less, we may get more in the long run.

“Accordingly, we do not rush into things.

We neither strain nor stress.

We let go of success and failure.

We patiently take the next necessary step,

a small step and one step at a time.”

(Chapter 64, Tao Te Ching)

According to Lao Tzu, less is more.

“Living our lives is like frying a small fish;

we neither over-season nor over-cook it.”

(Chapter 60, Tao Te Ching)

Reading the Bible may reveal the wisdom of God slowly; the knowledge of God will not be made available to us immediately. Prior to the revelation, God wants to show us the importance of a healthy relationship with Him based on “fear”—which is essentially reverent respect.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”  (Proverbs 9: 10)

So, be patient and persistent in your search for the wisdom of His Word.

Stephen Lau  

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

How Zen Can Heal

When it comes to self-healing, there is a close connection between the body, the mind, and the soul. You cannot heal the body without healing the mind or the soul. In other words, at different levels, religion, philosophy, and science all play a pivotal role in the healing process. And Zen can heal at all these levels.

Zen is a way of thinking that has been practiced in the Far East for thousands of years. It is not a religion, but it is spiritual. Zen encourages opening of your mind, and thus allows you to be more receptive to the spirituality of Zen. In this way, you may also become more open to the spiritual healing associated with Zen.

Zen is a philosophy of living. As such, it embraces eternal truths (e.g. the Eight Noble Truths), and intrinsic human values (e.g. compassion and loving-kindness). These truths and values form the foundation of emotional healing of the mind and wellness of the soul. When you are forgiving, loving, and compassionate, you heal your mind and your soul. Zen changes the way you look at yourself and others. Zen focuses on the present moment. Zen living may eliminate many of your everyday problems and the stress resulting from them, not by avoiding them but by accepting and dealing with them.

Zen focuses much on meditation. It is practical and easy to incorporate. Zen is easy to acquire and assimilate: all it requires of you is your willingness to open yourself to experience and to practice meditation consistently. Medical science has already vindicated the health benefits of medication and its salutary effects on the body, the mind, and the soul. Through meditation, Zen can heal the body, the mind, and the soul

To conclude, Zen can heal at the philosophical, spiritual, and scientific levels.

Start Zen:  Zen meditation is an invitation to a new life—a new life where you can appreciate yourself and others around you without the stresses of modern existence. Zen is a way of living, feeling and thinking that focuses your energies on the present, rather than your worries, anxieties, fears and anger.

Stephen Lau

Copyright © 2018 by Stephen Lau

Tao Wisdom to Live in 2018

Reflect on your current state of being, and see others as the same. They are not better or worse than you are, but just different in their own ways. There is no basis for you to be angry with them, or to be envious of them. There is no rhyme or reason for you to dwell on “what if” or “what should have”— they only prey on your mind, preventing you from living your 2018 as if everything is a miracle.

“Knowing your true self

is the pathway to enlightenment.

Knowing others is wisdom;

Knowing self is enlightenment.”

(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33)

As long as you know your real self and others, you can and will be better and happier in 2018, if you follow the wisdom of the ancient masters:.

“The ancient masters were

subtle, mysterious, profound, responsive.

The depth of their knowledge is unfathomable.

Because it is unfathomable,

All we can do is to describe their appearance.

Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream.

Alert, like men aware of danger.

Courteous, like visiting guests.

Yielding, like ice about to melt.

Simple, like uncarved blocks of wood.

Hollow, like caves.

Opaque, like muddy pools.

Who can wait quietly while the mud settles?

Who can remain still until the moment of action?

Observers of the Tao do not seek fulfillment.

Not seeking fulfillment,

they are not swayed by desire for change.”

(Chapter 15, Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu)

Based on the above, just about anyone who has an empty mind can attain the profound wisdom of Lao Tzu to live 2018 as if everything is a miracle.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

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A Better and Happier You in 2018

A Better and Happier You in 2018

There is an old Latin axiom: “nemo dat quod non habet” — meaning, one cannot give what one does not have.

If you don’t have the wisdom to know your real self, you won’t have the wisdom to understand others, especially who they are and what they need. In order to understand others to have better human relationships, you must first and foremost have the wisdom attained through asking self-intuitive questions throughout your life.

Then, with mindfulness, you observe with a nonjudgmental mind what is happening to you, as well as around you. Gradually, you will be able to see things as what they really are, and not as what they may seem to you: anything and everything in life follows its own natural cycle, just as the day becomes night, and the night transformed into dawn. With that wisdom, you may become enlightened, which means you begin to know your true self—what you have and what you don’t have, and you were created to be who you are, and not what you wish you were or want to become. Knowing what you have, you can then give it to others. It is the giving, rather than the receiving, that will make you become a better and happier you in 2018.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Wisdom in Living

Wisdom in Living

This is a completely updated website on how to live your life as if everything is a miracle.

The journey of life is long and unpredictable. We all need wisdom to guide us along the way so that we will not get lost; even if we do, we may still find out way back to where it will eventually lead us to our final destination.

This new website may provide you with wisdom as your compass and roadmap on your life journey.

Wisdom in living comprises seeking God's wisdom through understanding human wisdom in order to live a meaningful and purposeful life, even in the golden years. The ancient wisdom of Tao holds the key to applying these principles of life and living in this modern world.

Stephen Lau

Another FREE Book to Improve Vision

EYE EXERCISES FOR BETTER VISION

By Stephen Lau

This is a book on using eye exercises to overcome bad vision habits that lead to poor vision. The author explains that the eye is an organ of the body, which is controlled by the mind, vision health is holistic health of the body and the mind. 

Good vision is determined by the flexibility of eye muscles. If you exercise your body, there is no rhyme or reason why you should not exercise your eyes for better vision.

The author himself has poor vision due to his myasthenia gravis, which is an autoimmune disease affecting his eye muscles. He is sharing his own experience to use eye exercises for better vision.

Get this book for FREE. Click here to go to the page for your FREE download.

Stephen Lau

FREE Book for Holistic Weight Loss!

TAO wisdom is all about balance and harmony, which is also a holistic approach to weight loss and management. Download this book  FREE to lose a few extra pounds without any diet or medication!

All-Round Weight Loss

by Stephen Lau

Everybody wants to lose some weight; some even want to lose a lot more. But almost everybody gains back all the pounds that have been lost, and then some.

Why is that? Because weight loss is not just about eating less—after all, everybody wants to eat more, not less. Weight loss is about everything, just as Oprah Winfrey once said: “My greatest failure was in believing that the weight issue was just about weight.” Oprah was right. Weight loss is all-round; that is, it involves the body, the mind, and the spirit. To illustrate, weight loss is also about the thinking mind; it is the thoughts that make you fat, more than anything else. According to Esther and Jerry Hicks' bestseller "Money and the Law of Attraction," people not only want the food but also believe that the food will make them fat, and thus have created that which they do not want; unfortunately, their thoughts attract what they do not want, so their bodies respond to the thinking mind, and gain instead of losing weight.

Therefore, going on a fad diet, abstaining from certain types of food, reducing calorie consumption-all these only contribute to the weight-loss hype that sustains the billion-dollar weight-loss industry. The consumers forever lose in the battle of the bulge.

ALL-ROUND WEIGHT LOSS is holistic weight management in that it covers every aspect of weight loss, beginning with the mind, the body, and then the spirit, to make weight loss natural and permanent. Only holistic weight management guarantees lasting weight loss. Do not waste money on diets, and weight-loss products and programs that do not work. Follow the author's simple but comprehensive holistic approach to wellness and weight management. Remember, if you are healthy in body, mind, and soul, you will not have any weight problem.

Click here to go to the page to get your book ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Stephen Lau