Causes of Illness

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) believes that the vitality of spirit is influenced by 7 emotions - joy, anger, pensiveness, worry, sorrow, shock, and fear. Since emotions are closely related to the energetics and functions of the organs, any prolonged excessive emotional state can cause disease in the organ systems. It is stated in the Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic that "excessive anger damages the liver, excessive joy damages the heart, excessive pensiveness damages the spleen, excessive sorrow damages the lungs, and excessive fear damages the kidneys." Also, "excessive anger causes qi to rise, excessive joy causes qi to retard, excessive sorrow causes qi to diminish, excessive fear causes qi to fall, excessive shack causes qi to scatter, and excessive pensiveness causes qi to stagnate." In TCM, the emphasis is placed more on the various physiological functions of an organ, rather than on its anatomical structure, because one of the main causes of disease is that of emotional trauma, which results in a malfunctioning of the internal organs.

Emotional trauma is considered an internal cause of disease. It falls under on of the three categories of the causes of disease: the exogenous (external), the endogenous (internal), and those that are neither exogenous nor endogenous. The exogenous causes of disease refer mainly to excessive atmospheric influences; namely the wind, cold, summer heat, dampness, dryness, and fire. That is, if our body can't effectively adapt to the changing seasons, our body's energy flow will be unbalanced and illness can result. The endogenous causes of disease refer mainly to excessive emotional trauma; namely the excesses of joy, anger, pensiveness, worry, sorrow, fear, and shock. The third cause of disease refers to diseases that are form neither external nor internal influences, such as overworking, excessive drinking, overeating, and unregulated sexual activities. Excesses of any of the pathogens can influence the circulation of qi and blood to the internal organs and can cause disease.

The Roots of Illness - Jing, Qi, and Shen

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses the terms jing (essence-of-life), qi (energy), and shen (spirit) to theorize and explain the human physiological system. It is believed that these three treasures (jing, qi, and shen) are the fundamentals for all facets of life and its many variations. Deficiency in any of the three will influence the other and can result in illness if not replenished or corrected.

Jing or essence-of-life is the fundamental material that makes up the human body, the material foundation of life. It is further classified under two categories, innate-jing and acquired-jing. Innate-jing is that which we inherit from our parents. Acquired-jing is from food and water converted by the stomach and spleen, with the excess stored in the kidneys along with innate-jing. Therefore, what you eat can significantly affect the jing in your body which in turn affects your qi and vitality. Innate-jing and acquired-jing are not separate parts stored in the kidneys. They mutually utilize and promote each other. When we are born, innate-jing already exists, providing the foundation for acquired-jing. After birth, acquired-jing is continually nurtured by the innate-jing to maintain and develop its functions.

Innate-jing includes reproductive essence or semen, the original substance needed for the construction of the human body. The jing stored in the kidneys is also closely related to reproduction and sexual function. Acquired-jing from food and water, is the essential substance needed for all human bodily activities and metabolism. Jing is continually being used and is also continually being replenished with food and water. Under normal condition the surplus of jing is stored in the kidneys. When jing is abundant, then your vitality will be strong and your adaptability to environmental changes will be adequate, to prevent illness. When jing is deficient, then your vitality will be weak and immunity to illness will be impaired.

Qi, generally speaking, is the intrinsic substance that makes up the cosmos, and produces all things through its movements and variations. The physiological definition of qi in TCM is the intrinsic substance that flows in the human body and is the impelling force for all activities. Qi includes the energy derived from the air, food, and water, as well as, the innate energy source we inherit from our parents. The existence of qi is felt indirectly and manifested as a result of the body's interactions within its integral parts and with its surroundings.

Qi in the human body is classified according to the source of the qi. Innate-qi comes from our parents. It is the energy source that we inherit from our parents when we are born. It is converted from innate-jing. Acquired-qi is converted from food, water, and air. The combination of innate-qi with acquired-qi is further classified as genuine-qi, serving as the dynamic force of all vital human functions. Because qi distributes in different parts of the body, it is further classified into different categories to explain the function of qi in different areas of the body.

The general term for these different types of qi, whether it is from innate-qi and/or acquired-qi sources, is called vital-qi. It is the cumulative term describing the human ability to defend against pathogenic influences that cause dis-ease. That is, the ability of the human body to ward off diseases depends on the abundance of lack of vital-qi in the body. The basic premise of qigong training is to remove stagnation and balance qi, and to build and strengthen vital-qi.

Qi is not visible to the untrained eye. Many gifted individuals and qigong practitioners are able to see a manifestation of qi as an aura. Even though most people are unable to see the qi, everyone can feel the qi. Qi can be felt as warmth, coolness, tingling and magnetic repulsion sensations.

Shen, loosely translates as spirit, is explained in TCM as mental faculties; and the expression of one's vitality of spirit. It is closely related to the function of the heart. It is the individual's expression of consciousness and living activities. Shen is derived form innate-jing, and relies on acquired-jing and qi for nourishment to maintain its function. It is the most important component of the human system. When shen is abundant, then the body will be strong, and the all the human systems will function harmoniously. When shen is scattered, then all the human functions will be debilitated. Shen is the cumulative term for the expression of one's vitality, as well as, the reflection or manifestation of the functions within the human body.

The condition of one's vitality of spirit, is also an expression of one's emotional state. Emotional disturbances can in turn cause energetic changes in the human body. One's vitality of spirit is an important factor that can influence one's health, recovery from disease, or can impede body functions. A stable emotional state and positive state of mind can maintain health and speed recovery. Whereas a low vitality of spirit and a constant bombardment of emotional disturbances will cause a scattering or stagnation of energy. Constant prolonged emotional disturbances manifest itself as physical dis-eases.

TAO TE CHING - True Words

81. True Words

True words are not beautiful.
Beautiful words are not truthful.
The good do not argue.
Those who argue are not good.
Those who know are not scholarly.
The scholarly do not know.

The wise do not hoard.
The more they give to others, the more they have.
The Way of heaven sharpens but does no harm.
The Way of the wise accomplishes without striving.

TAO TE CHING - Home is Comfortable

80. Home is Comfortable

In a small country with few people
machines that can work ten or a hundred times faster
are not needed.
People who care about death do not travel far.
Even if there are ships and carriages, no one takes them.
Even if there are armor and weapons, no one displays them.
People return to knotted rope for records.
Food is tasty; clothes are beautiful;
home is comfortable; customs are delightful.
Though neighboring communities see each other
and hear each other's cocks crowing and dogs barking,
they may grow old and die without going there.

TAO TE CHING - Stay with the Good

79. Stay with the Good

Compromising with great hatred surely leaves some hatred.
How can this be considered good?
Therefore the wise keep their part of an agreement
and do not blame the other party.
The good fulfill their obligations;
the bad exact obligations from others.
The Way of heaven is impartial.
It always stays with the good

TAO TE CHING - The Soft and Weak

78. The Soft and Weak

Nothing in the world is softer and weaker than water.
Yet nothing is better at attacking the hard and strong.
There is no substitute for it.
The weak overcomes the strong; the soft overcomes the hard.
Everyone knows this, but no one puts it into practice.

Therefore the wise say,
"Those who bear the humiliation of the people
are able to minister to them.
Those who take upon themselves the sins of the society
are able to lead the world."
Words of truth seem paradoxical.

TAO TE CHING - Taking and Giving

77. Taking and Giving

The Way of heaven is like bending a bow.
The high is lowered; the low is raised.
The excessive is reduced; the deficient is increased.
The Way of heaven takes from those who have too much
and gives to those who do not have enough.

The human way is different.
It takes from those who do not have enough
and gives to those who have too much.

Who has more than enough to give to the world?
Only the person of the Way.
Therefore the wise act but do not rely on their own ability.
They accomplish the task but claim no credit.
They have no desire to seem superior.

TAO TE CHING - Life Is Tender

76. Life Is Tender

When people are born, they are tender and supple.
At death they are stiff and hard.
All things, like plants and trees,
are tender and pliant while alive.
At death they are dried and withered.
Therefore the stiff and hard are companions of death.
The tender and supple are companions of life.
Thus strong arms do not win.
A stiff tree will break.
The hard and strong will fall.
The tender and supple will rise.

TAO TE CHING - Valuing Life

75. Valuing Life

People are hungry,
because rulers eat too much tax-grain.
That is why people are starving.

People are hard to govern,
because rulers interfere too much.
That is why they are hard to govern.

People do not care about death,
because rulers demand too much of life.
That is why they do not care about death.
Only those who do not interfere with living
are best at valuing life.

TAO TE CHING - Death

74. Death

People are not afraid to die.
So why threaten them with death?
If people were afraid of death,
and lawbreakers could be caught and put to death,
who would dare to do so?
There is the Lord of Death who executes.
Trying to do his job
is like trying to cut wood for the Master Carpenter.
Those who try to cut wood for the Master Carpenter
rarely escape injuring their own hands.

TAO TE CHING - The Way of Heaven

73. The Way of Heaven

Those brave in killing will be killed.
Those brave in not killing will live.
Of these two, one is good, and one is harmful.
Some are not favored by heaven. Who knows why?
Even the wise consider it a difficult question.

The Way of heaven does not strive; yet it wins easily.
It does not speak; yet it gets a good response.
It does not demand; yet all needs are met.
It is not anxious; yet it plans well.
The net of heaven is vast;
its meshes are wide, but nothing slips through.

TAO TE CHING - Do Not Suppress

72. Do Not Suppress

When people lack a sense of awe,
then something awful will happen.
Do not constrict people's living space.
Do not suppress their livelihoods.
If you do not harass them, they will not harass you.

Therefore the wise know themselves
but do not display themselves.
They love themselves but do not exalt themselves.
They let go of one and accept the other.

Symbols of the Solstice

Burning the Yule Log
The term Yule stems from the Anglo-Saxon "yula" or "wheel" of the year. In ancient pagan ritual, the Yule Log was lit on the eve of Winter Solstice and burned for twelve hours. By lighting a fire, the ancients were acknowledging the return of the sun, warmth and light, which was marked by the lengthening of days and the promise of the coming spring. In pagan belief, for good luck, the Log should be lit on the first try.

Later, the Log was replaced by the Yule Tree, but instead of being burned, it was adorned with burning candles.

Mistletoe
Holly with Berries a common Winter Solstice Symbol known as the "kissing bush" actually was one of a group of evergreens such as holly, rosemary, pine and yew. Since these and other coniferous plants flourished during the winter months, they became symbols that life continued its cycle even in the coldest and shortest of days.

The custom of kissing under the mistletoe actually seems to have its origins in the late 18th century; interestingly, the actual bough could have been holly or some other evergreen as well as mistletoe. Ultimately, however, it was the bright berries and rich green color that could withstand the harshness of winter that made mistletoe the favorite.

Candles
As with most belief systems, the use of candles by the ancients symbolized light, focused the spirit and marked the belief that those beings of light, warmth and new life, God and Goddess, would again turn the Great Wheel and the spring would come again.

The Feast
Food has been associated with winter celebrations, Saturnalia of the Romans, the Solstice, or Christmas dinner, since time out of mind. In those distant times, the winter would have meant lean months when subsistence meant surviving on the last of the crops and meat harvested during the fall. To partake from this larder in honor of the run of the sun was to reaffirm the faith in God and Goddess to return light and warmth to the world.

The Winter solstice

As the Earth travels around the Sun in its orbit, the north-south position of the Sun changes over the course of the year due to the changing orientation of the Earth's tilted rotation axes with respect to the Sun.

In the northern hemisphere, the Winter solstice is day of the year (near December 22) when the Sun is farthest south. However, in the southern hemisphere, winter and summer solstices are exchanged so that the winter solstice is the day on which the Sun is farthest north. The winter solstice marks the first day of the season of winter. The declination of the Sun on the (northern) winter solstice is known as the tropic of capricorn (-23° 27').

To the ancients, it appeared as if the Sun and Moon stopped in their flight across the sky, this is the longest night of the year and was a time of both anticipation and rejoicing at the Sun's rebirth.

The Sun's representation as the male divinity, or celestial ruler, predates Christianity. As with other rituals and celebrations, the Church felt that by assimilating this holiday into the Christian beliefs, it would help convert those who still followed other Beliefs.

Symbols of the Winter Solstice and Relationship to Christmas
The selection of December 25th as a Christian holiday was first recorded in scholarly texts dating to 325 A.D., although the actual practice was first decreed in 274 A.D. by the Emperor Aurelian. Since the non-Christians viewed this time as the rebirth of the sun, it made sense for the Church to also mark this period as the celebration of the nativity of Christ. Curiously, the selection of the day appears arbitrary although mankind had long known how to calculate the solstices. One can only guess that, rather than shift the celebration each year, a regularly scheduled event was preferable, the old Roman desire for order never quite left the new faith.

The Winter Solstice marks a crucial part of the natural cycle. In a real sense, the sun begins anew its journey toward longer days, times of new growth and renewal of the world once again. In a spiritual sense, it is a reminder that in order for a new path to begin, the old one must end and that spring will come again.

TAO TE CHING - A Disease

71. A Disease

To know that you do not know is the best.
To think you know when you do not is a disease.
Recognizing this disease as a disease is to be free of it.
The wise are free of disease,
because they recognize the disease as a disease.
Therefore they are free of disease.

TAO TE CHING - My Ideas Are Easy

70. My Ideas Are Easy

My ideas are easy to understand and easy to practice.
Yet no one understands them or practices them.
My ideas have a source; my actions have a master.
Because people do not understand this, they do not know me.
Since few know me, I am very precious.
Therefore the wise wear coarse clothes
and keep the jewel inside.

TAO TE CHING - The Kind Win

69. The Kind Win

The strategists say,
"Do not be the aggressor but the defender.
Do not advance an inch, but retreat a foot instead."
This is movement without moving,
stretching the arm without showing it,
confronting enemies with the idea there is no enemy,
holding in the hand no weapons.
No disaster is greater than underestimating the enemy.
Underestimating the enemy will destroy my treasures.
Thus when the battle is joined,
it is the kind who will win.

TAO TE CHING - The Power of Not Striving

68. The Power of Not Striving

The best soldier is not violent.
The best fighter is not angry.
The best winner is not contentious.
The best employer is humble.
This is known as the power of not striving,
as ability in human relations,
and as being in accord with heaven.

TAO TE CHING - Three Treasures

67. Three Treasures

Everyone says the Way is great and beyond comparison.
Because it is great, it cannot be compared.
If it were compared, it already would have seemed small.

I have three treasures to be maintained and cherished:
the first is love;
the second is frugality;
the third is not pushing oneself ahead of others.

From love comes courage;
from frugality comes generosity;
from not pushing oneself ahead of others comes leadership.

Now courage without love, generosity without frugality,
and leadership by pushing oneself ahead of others are fatal.
For love wins all battles and is the strongest defense.
Heaven gives love to save and protect.

TAO TE CHING - Leading from Behind

66. Leading from Behind

Great rivers and seas are lords of all mountain streams,
because they are good at staying below them.
Therefore they are lords of the streams.
Thus the wise in watching over the people
speak humbly from below the people,
and in leading the people get behind them.
In this way the wise watch over the people
but do not oppress them;
they lead the people but do not block them.
Thus everyone happily goes along without getting tired.
Because they do not compete,
the world cannot compete with them.

TAO TE CHING - Know the Eternal Standard

65. Know the Eternal Standard

The ancients who ruled skillfully
did not try to enlighten people but kept them in the dark.
People are hard to lead when they are too clever.
Those who lead with cleverness rob the country.
Those who lead without cleverness bless the country.
Understanding these two is to know the eternal standard.
Knowing the eternal standard is mystical power.
Mystical power is deep and far-reaching,
leading all things to return to perfect harmony.

TAO TE CHING - Do Not Grab

64. Do Not Grab

What stays still is easy to hold.
Without omens it is easy to plan.
The brittle is easy to shatter.
The minute is easy to scatter.
Handle things before they appear.
Organize things before there is confusion.
A tree as big as a person's embrace grows from a tiny shoot.
A tower nine stories high begins with a mound of earth.
A journey of a thousand miles begins under one's feet.

To act is to fail.
To grab is to lose.
Therefore the wise do not act and do not fail.
They do not grab and do not lose.
In handling things people usually fail
when they are about to succeed.
Be as careful at the end as at the beginning,
and there will be no failure.

Therefore the wise desire to have no desires.
They do not value rare treasures.
They learn what is unknown,
returning to what many have missed
so that all things may be natural without interference.

TAO TE CHIBG - The Wise Never Strive

63. The Wise Never Strive

Act without interfering.
Work without doing.
Taste the tasteless.
Large or small, many or few, repay injury with goodness.

Handle the difficult while it is still easy.
Handle the big while it is still small.
Difficult tasks begin with what is easy.
Great accomplishments begin with what is small.

Therefore the wise never strive for the great
and thus achieve greatness.
Rash promises inspire little trust.
Taking things too lightly results in much difficulty.
Thus the wise always confront difficulties
and therefore have no difficulty.

TAO TE CHING - The Way is Valued

62. The Way is Valued

The Way is sacred to all things.
It is treasure for the good and sanctuary for the bad.
Fine words can buy honor.
Good deeds can gain respect.
Though there be bad people, why reject them?

Therefore at the crowning of the emperor
or at the installation of the three ministers,
instead of sending gifts of jade and a team of four horses,
remain still and send the Way.

Why did the ancients prize this Way?
Did they not say, "Seek, and you will find;
let go, and you will be forgiven."
Therefore the Way is valued by the world.

TAO TE CHING - Large and Small Countries

61. Large and Small Countries

A large country is like low land where rivers flow,
a place where everything comes together, the female of all.
The female overcomes the male with tranquillity.
Tranquillity is underneath.
A large country wins over a small country
by placing itself below the small country.
A small country wins over a large country
by placing itself below the large country.

Thus some win by placing themselves below,
and others win by being below.
A large country wants to protect people,
and a small country wants to join and serve.
Thus both get what they want.
It is best for the large country to place itself below.

The Fourteenth Dalai Lama

Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth and present Dalai Lama, was born Lhamo Dhondrub on July 6th, 1935 in the village of Takster in Amdo near the monastery of Kumbum in northeastern Tibet to a peasant family. At the age of three, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. Much mysticism surrounded the discovery of the new Dalai Lama. While the body of Thupten Gyatso still lay in state at the Potala, it is said that his face turned to face northeast. Soon thereafter, a vision of the house where the next Dalai Lama would be found appeared to Reting Rinpoche, a Tibetan regent, as he gazed into Lake Lhamo Latso in southern Tibet. He saw the letters Ah, Ka, Ma, along with the image of a monastery with a jade green roof, and a humble house with a turquoise roof and unusual gutters.

For the letter Ah, a search party was sent to Amdo in the northeastern province of Tibet, and then to the Karma Rolpai Dorje monastery in Kumbum, with its turquoise roof, for the letters Ka and Ma. There they found the house with the unusual gutters. A search of the surrounding villages revealed a house with an ancient juniper bush on the roof, where they sought lodging for the night. There they found an infant boy named Lhamo among the members of the household. The leader of the search party, pretending to be an ordinary servant, played with the child, who took to him instantly and called him Sera Lama, for the name of the monastery where the lama had once been a disciple. A few days later, the party returned with a collection of personal artifacts that had belonged to Thupten Gyatso, the former Dalai Lama, including rosaries, drums and walking sticks. When presented to the child along with other items that had not belonged to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, the boy Lhamo claimed all the correct items as his own. Convinced that the child was the true reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, he was taken to Lhasa, but only after paying a substantial ransom to the Chinese provincial governor for his release.

Tenzin Gyatso was enthroned on February 22, 1940 in the Potala Palace at Lhasa at age four. His eighteen-year spiritual training began at the age of six, and was completed when he received his Ph.D. in Buddhist Philosophy at age 25. In October 1950 however, in the midst of his training, The People's Liberation Army of China invaded Tibet, and Tenzin Gyatso assumed full power as the Fourteenth Dalai Lama on November 17, at the age of fifteen. Political unrest continued to escalate, and by 1959, the Dalai Lama was forced to flee Tibet for India with nearly 80,000 followers. On March 17, 1959, the Dalai Lama escaped from the summer palace at Norbulinka with his family. For nearly five decades, from his headquarters at Dharamsala, India Tenzin Gyatso has worked relentlessly to restore the sovereignty of Tibet through peaceful, non-violent means, and to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of the Tibetan people. On December 10, 1989, Tenzin Gyatso was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.

TAO TE CHING - Spirits

60. Spirits

Leading a large country is like cooking a small fish.
When the world is led in accord with the Way,
spirits lose their powers.
It is not that they lose their powers,
but that their powers no longer harm people.
Not only do the spirits not harm people,
but the wise also do not harm people.
Not harming each other, spiritual power grows.

TAO TE CHING - Be Frugal

59. Be Frugal

In leading people and serving heaven
it is best to be frugal.
Being frugal is to be prepared from the start.
Being prepared from the start is to build up power.
By building up power nothing is impossible.
If nothing is impossible, then there are no limits.
Those without limits are capable of leading a country.
Those with maternal leadership can long endure.
This is to be deeply rooted in a firm foundation,
the way of long life and eternal vision.

The Thirteenth Dalai Lama

Thupten Gyatso (1876-1933) was the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, and the second to be given the added title of 'Great'. Born in 1876, it was under his leadership that the nation of Tibet made the transition into the 20th century during a time of great political upheaval. Political ties were strengthening between China and Britain, in which unauthorized permission was granted by China for Britain to make expeditions into Tibet. Tibetan authorities refused to allow entry to the British, however British troops invaded Tibet in 1904, ostensibly to prevent the spread of Russian influence in Asia. At this time, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Thupten Gyatso assumed power from the regent Choekyi Gyaltsen Kundeling at age 19.

Soon after the British invasion, Thupten Gyatso fled to Mongolia. While in exile, he received a message from the Emperor in Peking requesting him to visit. The Dalai Lama agreed, in hopes of convincing emperor to withdraw his troops. However, when the Dalai Lama returned to Tibet, he found Chinese troops acting on orders of the Chinese government to depose him.

Thupten Gyatso fled once again, this time to India, where he appealed to the British military forces to help Tibet defend itself against China. The British chose to remain neutral, and in 1911, the Imperial rule of China was toppled by a rebellion. This turn of events led to the downfall of Chinese military forces in Lhasa, who were driven out by the renewed Tibetan army in 1912. Soon thereafter, Thupten Gyatso the Thirteenth Dalai Lama declared Tibetan independence from China. In the remaining twenty years of his reign, Thupten Gyatso set about the task of shepherding Tibet into the modern age. He engaged in international relations, installed postal, telephone and telegraph systems, introduced paper currency, constructed a network of roads for automobiles, and provided electric power.

Despite his restoration of monastic discipline, he was met with controversy and criticism from conservative Buddhists. Near the end of his life, he spoke of a prophetic vision of Tibet once again losing its sovereignty to China. Thupten Gyatso died on December 17, 1933.

TAO TE CHING - Results of Process

58. Results of Process

When the government is relaxed, people are happy.
When the government is strict, people are anxious.
Good fortune leans on bad fortune;
bad fortune hides behind good fortune.
Who knows the results of process?
Is there no justice?
When the just become unjust, goodness becomes evil.
People have been deluded for a long time.
Therefore the wise are square but not cornered,
sharp but not cutting, straight but not strained,
brilliant but not dazzling.

The Twelfth Dalai Lama

Thinle Gyatso (1857-1875) was born in Olga in South Tibet on January 26, 1857. His short reign was a time of great unrest in the surrounding territories. He ascended the throned as the Twelfth Dalai Lama on August 18, 1860, and when he assumed full power three years later on March 11, 1873 at the young age of 16, the crumbling Qing dynasty was no longer able to offer political or military support, and England persisted in its attempts to colonize Tibet. Another important development during his short reign was the treaty of1860 between China, England, France, Russia and the United which granted free passage of Christian missionaries in the Manchu empire. At this time however, Tibet still prohibited the entry of all foreigners. However, since the treaty did not distinguish Tibet from China as a sovereign nation, Christian missionaries set up a camp at Bongo near the Mekong and Salween rivers in 1865. Tibetan authorities converged upon the mission and renounced the treaty as well as the authority of the Manchu government.

Another turbulent development during the reign of Thinle Gyatso was the series of wars fought between the British and the kingdoms of the Sikkim in 1860, and Bhutan in 1864. As a consequence, the Tibetan government banned all Europeans from entry into Tibet.

In 1874, Thinle Gyatso visited the monastery at the mystical Lake Chhokhorgyal. He died soon thereafter,on April 25, 1875 at the young age of 19.

TAO TE CHING - Love Peace

57. Love Peace

States are governed by justice.
Wars are waged by violations.
The world is mastered by nonintervention.
How do I know this? By this:
The more restrictions there are, the poorer the people.
The more sharp weapons, the more trouble in the state.
The more clever cunning, the more contrivances.
The more rules and regulations, the more thieves and robbers.

Therefore the wise say,
"Do not interfere, and people transform themselves.
Love peace, and people do what is right.
Do not intervene, and people prosper.
Have no desires, and people live simply."

The Eleventh Dalai Lama

Khendrup Gyatso (1838-1856), the Eleventh Dalai Lama, was the third in a series of Dalai Lamas who died at an early age. He was born on December 19, 1838 at Teling, near Gerthar, Kham, coincidentally the same location where the Kelsang Gyatso, the Seventh Dalai Lama was discovered and later founded a monastery. Khendrup Gyatso ascended the throne as the Eleventh Dalai Lama on May 25, 1842. In a break with tradition, he assumed his full power at the young age of 17 on March 1, 1855 at the request of his government. He died mysteriously eleven months later. During his short reign, Tibet fought a war with Jammu, China's influence in Tibet was weakened by the Opium War and the Taiping Rebellion, and Tibet continued its conflict with the kingdoms of Nepal and Ladakh.

The Tenth Dalai Lama

Not much is known of the Tenth Dalai Lama, Tsultrim Gyatso (1816-1837). He was born in Lithang, coincidentally in the same village where the Seventh Dalai Lama was discovered. Tsultrim Gyatso was enthroned at the Potala Palace as in 1822. And although he officially assumed his full power as the Tenth Dalai Lama, he suffered from continual illness and died suddenly in 1837, at age 21 without performing any deeds of historical significance. During his brief life, Tibet continued to isolate itself from the rest of Asia and Europe, while keeping a watchful eye on its borders.

TAO TE CHING - Mystical Unity

56. Mystical Unity

Those who know do not speak.
Those who speak do not know.
Close the mouth; shut the doors.
Smooth the sharpness; untie the tangles.
Dim the glare; calm the turmoil.
This is mystical unity.
Those achieving it are detached from friends and enemies,
from benefit and harm, from honor and disgrace.
Therefore they are the most valuable people in the world.

Qigong for Your Health

If you were to visit a doctor of Chinese medicine for any number of ailments-fatigue, arthritis, anxiety, osteoporosis, asthma, or
menstrual problems, for example-it's likely that a key component of her prescription would be chi exercises, holistic workouts that
simultaneously develop body and spirit, promoting overall health and vitality. Practiced by millions of Chinese for millennia, chi exercises are now gaining popularity throughout the world for their health benefits.

According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, chi (pronounced "chee") is the universal life force, or energy, which is
circulated throughout the body along invisible energy channels knows as meridians. When chi circulates in a dynamic and harmonious flow, we feel healthy and invigorated, both mentally and physically. Illness results when energy flow is blocked or inhibited, causing imbalance and dysfunction in our bodies' systems. To improve health, we must work to free the circulation of chi-and that's where chi exercises come in.

The Power of Qigong
Qigong (pronounced "chee gong"), or chi kung, is a collective term used for various energy arts that aim to promote the uninhibited flow of chi. There are hundreds if not thousands of types of qiqong, says James MacRitchie, author of The Chi Kung Way (HarperCollins, 1997) and founder of the National Qigong (Chi Gung) Association and the Boulder, Colorado-based Chi Kung School at the Body-Energy Center. Tai chi, which has become popular in this country in recent years, is a form of qigong.

Literally meaning "the skill of attracting vital energy," qigong seeks to restore balance, break down blockages, and stimulate flow of chi through various physical exercises and meditations. "Qigong can translate as 'working with energy,'" says MacRitchie, "But if you consider the phrase 'more energy, more life,' qigong can also translate as 'cultivating life.'" Thus, qigong isn't merely a set of exercises we do to feel better, says MacRitchie; it's also "the main centering focus of the life within us."

Adherents of traditional Chinese medicine maintain that the practice of qigong results in myriad physical and emotional benefits, including lowered blood pressure, reduced heart rate, increased oxygenation of tissues, improved circulation, increased immunity, and improved mood. Although critics point to a lack of rigorous, large clinical trials to support qigong's health benefits, most agree that practicing qigong can at least lead to enhanced fitness and greater relaxation.

Getting Started
Due to qigong's increasing popularity, you can teach yourself qigong by following instructions in one of the numerous videotapes and books available on the subject. Living Arts' Chi Series includes three easy-to-follow videotapes-A.M. Chi for Beginners, Energy Chi for Beginners, and P.M. Chi for Beginners-that serve as good starting points. You may want to supplement your videotape practice with the real thing, however. In-person professional instruction will ensure you're practicing proper technique. Individual and group classes are available at many fitness clubs, community centers, YMCAs, and hospitals. The National Qigong (Chi Kung) Association provides information on qigong instructors nationwide.

When suiting up for qigong, keep it simple. Your clothing should be comfortable and non-binding. A simple t-shirt and loose-fitting pants such as Tao Pants, which feature an elastic drawstring waist, will suffice. Your feet should be swaddled in comfortable, flexible, rubber-soled shoes such as Tao Shoes.

Work Your Chi
If you normally take to high-speed activities such as biking and running, be prepared to shift into a lower gear. Qigong exercises are
generally practiced in a much more deliberate manner. A typical qigong exercise is "Piercing the Cloud", which is featured in Energy Chi for Beginners:
1. Starting with your feet together, slowly step forward into a lunge position.
2. Bring your hands together, palms touching in front of your abdomen; slowly, yet powerfully, push your hands out in front of you as you exhale and shift your weight onto your front foot.
3. At the farthest point of your push, exhale and turn palms outward; move arms in an arc back toward your shoulders, as if you were doing the breaststroke.
4. Drop hands back down to your abdomen, and repeat the move three or four times.
5. Change feet, and repeat on the other side.

Like any practice, traditional chi movements take time to learn and master. You may notice some of the benefits immediately; others will become apparent over time. Your patience and persistence will ultimately be rewarded. "Once you know qigong, everything changes, you're understanding of what you are, who you are, and what's possible. It moves up to another level."

TAO TE CHING - Know Harmony

55. Know Harmony

Those filled with power are like new-born children.
Poisonous insects will not sting them;
ferocious beasts will not pounce upon them;
predatory birds will not swoop down on them.
Their bones are pliable, their muscles tender,
but their grip is firm.
They have never known the union of man and woman,
but the organ is fully formed,
meaning that the vital essence is strong.
They may cry all day without getting hoarse,
meaning that the harmony is perfect.
To know harmony is to be in accord with the eternal.
To know the eternal is to be enlightened.

To try to force life is ominous.
To force the vital essence with the mind is violence.
The prime is past, and decay follows,
meaning that it is contrary to the Way.
Whatever is contrary to the Way will soon perish.

The Ninth Dalai Lama

Lungtok Gyatso, the Ninth Dalai Lama (1806-1815), born in the village Den Chhokhor, Kham, on January 20, 1806 was the shortest lived of them all. Although he ascended the throne as the Ninth Dalai Lama on November 10, 1808, his life ended at age nine, before he even had a chance to mature and come into his own reign. He reportedly died of pneumonia on March 26, 1815. However, given the fragile nature of Tibetan sovereignty, with the Qing Dynasty crumbling before their very eyes, and Britain licking its chops at the prospect of colonizing this keystone Asian nation, it has also been conjectured that he may have been assassinated by his regent and court ministers, so that they might continue on with the status quo. To further support this theory, it is noted that the three subsequent Dalai Lamas also died very young, and under mysterious circumstances. One notable event in the life of the Ninth Dalai Lama was the arrival of the first Englishman to visit Lhasa, writer Thomas Manning, who was granted audience with the young Dalai Lama in 1811.

Traditions Legends and Lore - December 2

Bodh Gaya (India)- Honoring Gaya- The ancient First Tree of Buddha. The world's oldest and most sacred tree was planted in the year 282 B.C.. It is believed to be an offshoot of the Bodhi or Bo-tree that the Buddha sat under when he achieved enlightenment. It is honored annually on this date by Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims with prayers, chants, and brightly colored flags.

Hari Kugo (Japan)- Annual Festival honoring all Patron Goddesses of Craftswomen. Hari Kugo (translated as: Broken Needles) takes place in the city of Tokyo. It commemorates women's crafts and is dedicated to all patron goddesses of Japanese craftswomen.

TAO TE CHING - Power

54. Power

What is well established cannot be uprooted.
What is firmly held cannot slip away.
The power of sacrifice continues on
from generation to generation.

Cultivated in the person, power becomes real.
Cultivated in the family, power becomes abundant.
Cultivated in the community, power endures.
Cultivated in the nation, power flourishes.
Cultivated in the world, power becomes universal.

Therefore see the person as a person,
the family as a family, the community as a community,
the nation as a nation, and the world as universal.
How do I know that the world is like this?
By this.

The Eighth Dalai Lama

Jamphel Gyatso, the Eighth Dalai Lama of Tibet (1758-1804) was born in Tobgyal, Upper Tsang, on July 29, 1758 and ascended the throne as the Eighth Dalai Lama on August 29, 1762, although he did not assume full power until 1781. Much like his predecessor, he allowed the affairs of Tibet to be handled exclusively by his regent, Ngawang Tsulthim, who spent much of his time retained in Peking, while the Chinese 'amban' rulers acted in his place. During the reign of Jamphel Gyatso, Tibet fought in the Bhutan-Koch Bihar war of 1772 between Bhutan and the English East Company of Calcutta, the Nepal-Sikkim war of 1775, and the Nepal-Tibet wars of 1789 and 1792, based largely upon conflict over inequities in the exchange of gold and silver currency. Tibet also became the focus of much attention from Great Britain, due to its strategic location on the Asian continent. As a result, the Tibetan government began to restrict the passage of foreign visitors. Jamphel Gyatso died in 1804 at the age of 46.

TAO TE CHING - Leaders in Robbery

53. Leaders in Robbery

Those with even a scrap of sense
walk on the main way and fear only straying from the path.
The main way is smooth and easy,
but people like to be side-tracked.

While the courts are arrayed in splendor,
the fields are full of weeds,
and the granaries are empty.
Yet some wear embroidered clothes, carry sharp swords,
over-indulge themselves with food and drink,
and have more possessions than they can use.
They are leaders in robbery.
This is not the Way.

The Seventh Dalai Lama

Kelzang Gyatso, the Seventh Dalai Lama, (1708-1757), was prophesied in a poem by his predecessor, Tsangyang Gyatso.

White crane!
Lend me your wings
I will not fly far
I will return near Litang

Soon after Tsangyang Gyatso's disappearance, Kelsang Gyatso, the child believed to be the true reincarnation of the Sixth Dalai Lama was discovered in Lithang, as foreshadowed in Tsangyang Gyatso's poem. The Mongol chieftain Lhazang Khan sent scouts to find and capture the child, however, Dzungar Mongol sympathizers sheltered him from harm and took him to the kingdom of Derge, where he was given asylum by the royal family. While a bloody battle raged on in Lhasa, the Kelsang Gyatso was later given safe haven at Kubum monastery, under the protection of Emperor K'ang Hsi's Manchu empire. When Emperor K'ang Hsi invaded Tibet, he gave his blessings for Kelsang Gyatso, the Seventh Dalai Lama, to ascended the throne at the Potala Palace.

In 1729 however, due to a series of rebellious uprisings in Tibet, Yung Cheng, the third Manchu emperor accused the Dalai Lama of bowing to the influence of his father and several advisors. The Dalai Lama and his father were exiled to their hometown of Garthar and power over Lhasa was seized by Sonam Tobgye Pholha, with the support of the Manchu army. A series of subsequent uprisings toppled the Manchu government in Tibet. When Ch'ien Lung, the fourth Manchu emperor sent a military force from Szechwan to Lhasa to restore Manchu authority, the Dalai Lama was restored to the throne, where he ruled until his death in 1757, at age 49.

While in exile, Kelsang Gyatso founded the Teling Monastery near his native village of Gethar. He also visited Chhokhorgyal several times, as well as the Yarlung Valley, the cradle of Tibetan civilization. The Seventh Dalai Lama was both a scholar and a poet, who left the affairs of Tibet to his ministers. He was in close contact with the common folk, and it is said that he would even leave the Potala at times to travel incognito as a wandering monk.