Welcome to this fourth episode of Daoist Wisdom.
We all recognize the symbol of the yin yang,
With its interlaced black and white shapes.
And we usually associate it with the idea of two opposing forces,
Darkness and light,
Good and evil.
But in Daoist philosophy,
The yin yang is rather the symbol of polarity,
Of complementarity.
It shows us how a pair of opposites gives rise to one another.
We can't have an up without a down,
Or a positive without a negative,
But also how one quality reinforces its opposite.
For example,
Our experience of a long period of solitude can make us appreciate our company even more,
And vice versa.
When we become aware of how our existence is bound to oscillate between opposite experiences,
Pain and pleasure,
Tiredness and vitality,
Sadness and joy,
We understand how useless it is to always be striving for one at the exclusion of the other.
One experience follows its opposite just as day changes into night,
And night into day.
Daoist wisdom consists in finding a profound serenity in this realization of the world's cyclicity.
To accept our present experience,
Whatever our circumstances,
And to maintain these opposites in a dynamic balance.
In our modern world that's so full of yang energy,
With all of its activity in noise,
It can be particularly beneficial to offer ourselves some yin by cultivating moments of stillness and silence.
That's what we will be doing in today's meditation.
Start by finding a comfortable seat,
And make sure you're in a posture that allows you to stay wakeful and balanced.
As you take a deep inhale,
Open your arms to your sides and raise them above you.
Then on the exhale,
Float them gently back down on your lap,
In the way that's most comfortable for you right now.
Bring your awareness to the way your body makes contact with your seat.
And take a moment to enjoy this feeling of stillness and stability.
To be grounded and tall,
Like a mountain.
Take a deep breath through your nostrils,
That opens your chest and inflates your belly,
And gently release it through your mouth.
With each new exhale,
Allow your shoulders to fall naturally to your sides.
Allow your body to relax even deeper in your seat,
And the muscles in your face to soften.
Before turning your attention inwards,
See if you can soften your gaze and bring a slight smile to your face.
That spreads a warm feeling in the area around your eyes and around your heart.
Gently close your eyes and let your breath find its natural rhythm.
Bring your attention to the area where you feel your breath the clearest.
And make an intention to use this sensation as an anchor to come back to the present moment whenever you notice that your mind has wandered.
Follow your breath throughout its entire cycle,
From the moment the air enters your body to the slight pause when your inhale transforms into your exhale,
Until the very end of your out breath.
To help with your focus,
You can count one on the inhale,
Two on the exhale,
Three on the inhale,
And so on.
When you notice your mind has drifted away from its anchor,
Start again at one on the inhale,
Always with patience and renewed alertness.
And then,
You can start again at one on the inhale,
Two on the exhale,
Three on the inhale,
And so on.
Inhale and exhale follow each other and transform into one another without you having to do anything about it.
Gently observe.
Gently let go of your focus and take a moment to notice how you're feeling.
You can even thank yourself for having chosen to nurture your mind and body with this moment of calm and stillness.
Before ending this meditation,
I'll read you a poem from the Tao Te Ching that illustrates this principle of yin-yang.
If you want to be whole,
Let yourself be broken.
If you want to be straight,
Let yourself be crooked.
If you want to become full,
Let yourself be empty.
If you want to be reborn,
Let yourself die.
If you want to be given everything,
Give everything up.
Only by being lived by the Tao can you truly be yourself.
I hope you enjoyed this meditation and I wish you to carry this wisdom of the yin-yang through your most difficult times.
I'll see you next time for a new meditation of Taoist wisdom.
