Peace and blessings to all the freewriters out there~
I would like to share a refreshing perspective on how ancient scholars of Daoism saw human body.
Let me briefly introduce the book I will be translating in this post:
Book title: Baopuzi (抱朴子)
Translated as “One Who Embraces Simplicity” (It is also the author's pen name)
The author was a Daoist scholar of medicine and alchemy who lived during Eastern Jin dynasty (283-343 CE).
The book describes the law of attaining immortality according to Daoism, as well as the role of politics to govern a society.
一人之身一國之象也.
Each human body resembles a nation.
胸腹之位
The position of chest and abdomen
猶宮室也.
Is akin to a royal palace.
四肢之別
The division of four limbs
猶郊境也.
Is akin to outskirts (of the nation).
骨節之分
Demarcations of each joint
猶百官也.
Is akin to all the government officials (in the nation).
神猶君也.
The spirit is akin to the monarch.
血猶臣也.
The blood is akin to statesmen.
氣猶民也.
The energy is akin to its citizens.
知治身則
Knowing how to govern one’s body
能治國矣.
Enables one to govern a nation.
夫愛其民, 所以安其國,
Just as loving the citizens is the reason why a country is at ease,
惜其氣所以全其身.
Cherishing the energy is the reason why the body remains whole.
民散則國亡,
Just as the citizens fleeing leads to the nation’s collapse,
氣竭則身死.
Energy depletion leads to the death of one’s body.
死者不可生也,
Just as the deceased cannot be brought back to life,
亡者不可全也.
The collapsed nation cannot be intact.
是以至人消未起之患,
So, sages eliminate worries before they appear,
治未病之疾,
Treat illnesses before the pain,
醫之於無事之前,
Uses medicine to prevent any harm
不追於旣逝之後.
And they do not chase the behind of what has already left.
夫人難養
We find it difficult to nurture (ourselves),
而易危.
But easily put ourselves in danger.
氣難淸而易濁.
Energy is difficult to be clear but easy to be turbid.
故能審威德
Thus, being capable of examining one’s authority and virtue
所以保社稷.
Is the reason why a nation is secure.
In Oriental Holistic Medicine (OHM), the spirit resides in the heart (chest) and governs our consciousness. The wise beings have always attuned themselves to their genuine hearts.
Consequently, they have no worries, stay healthy, and do not dwell on the past.
Likewise, wise rulers prevent calamities and crises before they appear and do not dwell on past glory nor humiliation. They constantly assess the situation and values of the nation. Ultimately,
protecting a nation comes from knowing how to wield one’s power conscientiously.
We can apply this mindset to take care of our health because preventing illnesses comes from knowing the status quo of our body and building it towards a better harmony.
Well, that's the hard part.
Like all aspects of life, it is difficult to nurture but easy to let go of.
Stay disciplined and keep walking the path.
We got this!
Thank you for reading,
energidoctor
eternal student of life
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