“Recognizing this disease as a disease is to be free of it.” – Lao Tzu
I think you’ll like this one…
Below is a master list of Taoist guidelines for “knowing if you are sick”…
(shared by Master Hua-Ching Ni, and attributed to Lao Tzu)
…But before we jump in, note the difference between the Taoist view of “sickness” and that of Western medicine:
In Western medicine, sickness means you’re, well, sick — feverish, nauseous, bedridden, etc — while the Taoists take a much more nuanced view.
Take a look, and I’ll meet you on the other side to discuss.
***
Lao Tzu’s guidelines to know if you are “sick”
To be moody and fussy and play the victim is sick.
To be greedy is sick.
To cling to worldly objects is sick.
To hate others is sick.
To overindulge in something that you like is sick.
To defame the reputations of others is sick.
To boast of your own goodness is sick.
To rejoice in the misfortune of others is sick.
To pass rumours is sick.
To hold a narrow view is sick.
To make false statements is sick.
To brag about your own achievements is sick.
To overpower others is sick.
To lie and cheat is sick.
To meddle in the business of others is sick.
To disclose the secrets of others is sick.
To look into the activities of others without their knowledge and approval is sick.
To take from others when they do not have the strength to resist is sick.
To bend your own virtuous principles for popular interests is sick.
To be jealous of another’s virtues and capabilities is sick.
To allure and entice the naive is sick.
To exaggerate in emotions and speech is sick.
To pride yourself on your own intelligence and to use this sarcastically against others is sick.
To use social power to threaten others is sick.
To borrow and not return is sick.
To take pride in your wealth is sick.
To take pride in your honor and glory is sick.
To envy those who become prosperous is sick.
To please others with flattery is sick.
To be pleased by flattery is sick.
To take pride in your own high virtue is sick.
To obstruct another from accomplishments is sick.
To be dualistic in thinking and unfaithful to your true nature is sick.
***
Disease = dis-ease; out of harmony with nature.
That is the Taoist definition of sickness, and it appears on all levels:
Not just physically (as per Western medicine)…
…But energetically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
Bring yourself into harmony with nature — your own and that of the greater whole — and health, happiness, and high performance is the result.
Fall out of harmony, and dis-ease is the result.
I hope this sparked some insight for you.
– T
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