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“87. A clear mirror reflects all things in the world, whether they are judged as “unpleasant,” or “beautiful.” “Unpleasant” things do not damage mirrors. A mirror does not cling to the images it reflects, once something is out of view, no trace is left behind.”

“Herein lies a profound irony, the very faculties that distance us from nature also afford us the potential to rediscover it in new and meaningful ways. If human experience is folded into nature’s order, then so too must we regard our moral intuitions, our sense of beauty, and our quest for meaning as natural unfoldings. Might it be that through understanding and harmonizing these faculties, we may not only reconcile with nature but unlock deeper potentials?”

“If we are to presuppose that the universe is inherently material, that we are emergent organisms from this universe and by nature we seek and generate meaning, meaning itself becomes a substructure of the universe. To think otherwise is to dissociate ourself from the universe, which contradicts the latter belief”

“Zhuangzi might suggest, the true folly is not that they are greedy, but rather that they are not greedy enough. For why limit oneself to a single, fixed identity when one could, instead, embrace the boundless potential of becoming anything? As Zhuangzi puts it: “Without praises, without curses, now a dragon, now a snake, you transform together with the times, and never consent to be one thing alone.”

“To be in Dao is to primarily exist in the fertile expanse where time stands still. Time loses meaning because primary identity shifts into alignment with the timeless principle itself. Distance in space loses felt degrees of separation, because of deep interconnectivity in its undifferentiated formless state. Death loses significance because it is perceived and experienced as another transformation of the Dao. Anxiety from change dissipates, as it is simply seen as part of Dao’s process of equilibrium. The intolerance of uncertainty fades, as it gives way to the adventure of potential and possibility. It is, in essence, alongside chance, the requirement for freedom. The Dao is self-generating, meaning it is root and branch. It is complete fulfillment, so temptations surrender their grasp to Dao’s quiescence. In a sense, to be with Dao is to favor loss over gain.”

“First, we recognize that thoughts are options, not commands. Our heart pumps blood throughout the body, like how thoughts arise in relation to our brain activity. It is easy to be swayed by the illusion that you are just the content of your thoughts, but you are also the process that can transcend and guide them. They are options, just information to be considered, not who you are.”

“From another perspective, death is necessary to sustain the living. In our everyday lives, cells die; indeed, their death is necessary for life. Apoptosis, or selective cell death, is a developmental process that occurs throughout our lives especially in the initial stages. One of the primary risk factors of developing autism is the failure of apoptosis. This is also reflected psychologically; as we get older there are behaviors that must “die” before new psychological structures and behaviors can emerge. Alternatively, too much life can bring death. In adulthood, cells continue to proliferate, and when there is not the added component of death or apoptosis, cancer emerges.”

“When the conceptual world of the intellect acts as a gravity well, it collapses the present moment into duality, which is not the actual nature of experience. We start to live farther away from the facts, resulting in a narrowing of vision, further concealing truths that may not benefit from being hidden.”

“Artificial drugs or technological temptations hijack our natural reinforcement systems into believing we are meeting a goal that was important for survival. This deception increases their value and presence while reducing the importance of more beneficial interests. We can be like moths swarming an artificial light, believing it is the moon.”

“We only experience a fraction of the reality we are a part of. What if we turn our eyes toward the interior of reality? Is it possible that the interior follows the patterns of the exterior? Might our state of consciousness reflect only a fraction of what may be potentially experienced?”

“The objective world around us extends far beyond what we can sense and perceive. Only a sliver of information is received and understood, and not passively so; in fact, we do so rather actively. That sliver of information is transformed and filtered through non- conscious processes that actively select what we end up perceiving consciously. We are always more than we are aware of and there is always more happening than we can be conscious of.”