| Feature Article
The Importance of Harmony between Man
and Nature
–
Chief Instructor Brett Wagland
“Mankind
follows the ways of the earth,
The earth
follows the ways of heaven,
Heaven follows the ways of Tao,
And Tao follows the ways of Nature”
(Man-jan
Cheng, Lao-Tzu : ‘My Words are Easy to Understand’, p.93
Berkeley,
California : North Atlantic Books, 1981)
On our previous trips to China, we have been privileged
to visit some of the sacred mountains of China. These mountains
are breathtakingly beautiful. We all felt the energy that was
generated on the mountains was spe cial.
They were and still are the abode of Taoists and Buddhists. Both
Taoism and Buddhism have a deep respect for nature. Humans are
born from nature and depend on her for survival and development.
Taoism sees nature as our mother. Our relationship
with her should be one of respect and care. Nature provides us
with everything we need. Once we abuse this relationship by taking
more than we need and giving nothing back, we can expect problems.
When we practise Tai Chi, we are learning to balance our
inner energies through a focused, quiet mind and gentle movements. This
begins with recognising and respecting the body-mind relationship. We
must realise the importance of good health and a balanced state of
mind. Looking after ourselves involves self love and self discipline.
We need to pay attention to the signals of the body. We have to know
when to rest and what to eat. Once we neglect ourselves physically,
emotionally, mentally and spiritually, our health and well being will
suffer. If we fail to look after ourselves, how will we be able to care
for others? Caring for the environment would be out of the question.
In Taoism, there are many rules governing a novice’s
training. They adjust their lifestyles and training according to the
seasons. In summer, they rise early and retire to bed early. Taoists
gained inspiration from nature when developing their teachings. Tai Chi
also follows the principles of nature, such as, flowing like water,
being as firm as a mountain and as resilient as bamboo. When our
training has matured, our form looks natural and flowing, and our energy
is smooth and continuous. Finally, we understand what it means for the
body-mind to be natural.
About 3,000 years ago when parts of China were
experiencing drought conditions, the emperor offered a reward to anyone
who could bring rain. Many people tried and failed. Eventually, a
Taoist came and took up the challenge. He meditated for a week. Then,
he summoned his internal energy and finally, dark clouds appeared and it
rained. When asked how he achieved this miracle, he replied, “When I
first came to this area, I could feel that the people’s hearts were
hardened and they had lost their harmony and balance. So for the first
week, I had to strengthen and stabilise my own energy and it gradually
affected the local people. Once their energy was harmonised, the
natural environment became balanced and the cycle of the seasons
returned.”
The above story may seem somewhat incredible. However,
we can all relate to feeling our energies drained after listening to
people who always talk negatively. Yet, we know that we feel good when
we are with people who are positive and enthusiastic about life.
Ancient cultures have long recognised the importance of the relationship
between humans and nature. We all need to respect ourselves, others and
our environment. This is the key to happiness and good health.
“In truth, we are not
protecting Nature; Nature is protecting us. For example, trees and
plants are necessary for the purification of our vital energy. When
Nature graciously protects and serves human beings, it is our
responsibility to reciprocate.”
–
Amma, the Hugging Saint, “2006 Green Friends Calendar”, October page
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