Love Advice from a 13th Century Taoist

“There are people who are serene and free, following natural reality, whom others consider lazy, but I consider at peace. There are people who conduct themselves simply and have very stable personalities, whom others consider uncultured, but I consider unspoiled. To those who want to know the way to deal with the world, I suggest, Love People.”
― Chang San-Feng

Love heals, as the 13th c Taoist master quoted above understood. It’s a fact: our loving, patient, compassionate (to self and others) thoughts and beliefs have a measurable effect on our immune system as well as our ability to manage life with ease, grace, and appreciation.

As a teacher (and a human) I am often reminded how self-critical we are. We too often expect quick results, instant mastery, and no mistakes. But what if we all took a loving break from those fierce expectations of perfection? What if we practiced self-compassion each time we did something incorrectly, or sat in confusion over the computer, or felt pissed off by lousy drivers on the highway? Qigong is a laboratory for cultivating compassion. We learn to slow down, first by slowing and deepening our breath. We’re not being lazy, or uncultured, as Chang wrote, but peaceful. Peacefulness enables us to better connect to nature, to others, and to ourselves. That, along with laughter, play, gratitude, and enjoying the activities, people, and places that matter to us, helps to keep our heart energy strong.  Happy Valentine’s Day, Qi-sters!