One of the debates I regularly have is about Taoist philosophy of ‘Oneness’: ‘We are connected to the Universe and everything in it, we are part of the whole (the source). In fact we are the whole’.

Sometimes this concept can be very difficult to except as we believe that our unique, sometimes trumatic individual life events have set us apart, made us different or ’special’. So therefore the Universal rules that apply to everyone else do not fully apply to us.

This misunderstanding of the Universal way or rule is normally subtlety reinforced simply by the words we use on a daily basis.

Based on words, feelings, comments or events that have been used about or to us through our adolescence. Or the general environment we were raised in.

So thinking about what meaning, understanding and power we attribute to words we use, especially to and about ourselves is vital.

We can reinforce a misunderstanding by continually repeating negative ‘Ego’ words, almost as a manta or as if we are negativly programming ourselves.

So therefore understanding and ‘owning’ that everyone and everything within the Universe is interconnected in someway. Everything has a inter relationship, even if it is not immediately obvious. Or even if the current events brings that concept into question

So it follows, if everything is interrelated and interconnected. We cannot be separate, apart or special we to have to be part of the whole. Part of the Universe, and rules have to apply to us, as they do to everyone else.

So we have to understand the Universal rules…

I believe that we all do.. I call that knowledge, your authentic self, inner voice, intuition, gut feeling. We all know that inner truth. Unfortunately we sometimes we act contra

We come from and return to the source, just to same as another natural phenomenon, water. It also completes a cycle. Everyone and everything is on the same journey completing the cycle back to the source.

There is no ‘I’, we cannot be apart, we are indeed unique, but not special or apart from anything or anyone. There are no special rules for any individual. Irrespective of what has happen during our lifetime.

This is very simple and unquestionable this is one of the Universal truths you have to understand and totally accept before you can achieve a healthily, balanced, happy, authentic life.

You are responsible to make your journey as unique and wonderful as you can, as you stretch out to reach your own greatness (potential) .

The Taoist concept of Yin and Yang helps your understanding of this statement. Again, this law applies to the whole and every part of it.

Yin and Yang and the movement and the momentum within that balance is the driving force of the Universe, that momentum is what the Chinese Taoist call Qi, Japanese call Ki, We, in the West (strangely enough) do not have a direct name or label for this force, hence it is difficult to teach in the West about this.

We normally call it something like Energy, although this can extremely misleading and leads to many misunderstandings.

This Qi force is expressed in many of our other terminology, such as, Love, positive intention, positive thoughts or feelings, life force, gut feelings, intuition .

As the two, balanced, ever moving, intermingling, sides of the Universe and life interact, this movement, momentum interaction is what I call Qi.

Qi movement never stops…. It cannot… It can change form or power in the same way as water can change form to: Mist, hail, ice, vapour etc. all of these are different forms of water. Or change from a raging storm to a gentle stream.

Or it can change or move direction, like a fork in the road or river, or a crossroads. But it can not stop dead, when it feels like it has, if fact it’s going round and round in a circle, similar to a river eddy, this is a what I call a stagnation or block.

But the Qi itself can not stop it‘s flow.

Yin and Yang and the movement and inner movement, flow and counter flow effects every part of our lives, relationships, love, work…everything.

This concept is in every part of our life, for instance, for century’s in China, Auricular acupuncture has been treating the whole body through the Ear. The same principle for foot reflexology, treating the whole body through the feet, everything is connected and inter connected.

This is the way (Tao) of the Universe and the correct understanding of Yin Yang and the Universal flow. So therefore there always has to be movement and momentum, it’s part of being whole. There are NO exceptions!

When we are out of balance in thoughts or feelings, not being authentic, or misunderstanding, or going against the Universal rules, That is opposite, to the Universal authentic way.

To describe this ‘unbalanced’ state of being is what I call the ‘Ego‘.

Therefore in my model the Universe way is in direct opposition to the Ego way. Yin and Yang.

It is NOT good and evil… This is the interpretation or perception we put on a situation. But this movement is necessary and if the Universe is whole (which it is !) this is the way of the whole, the way of the universe, Yin and Yang, you cannot have one without the other.

 As a coin has two sides, or as the early Taoist taught; that as the sun shone on one side of the mountain the other is in shade.

So for instance, the Ego way, would feel like an inner voice trying to convince you the opposite to the Universal principle of being part of the whole, it will try and convince you that you are special, apart, not part of the whole.

The Universal rules do not apply to you in this case and that you are on your own, cannot trust anyone, isolated, etc…. it can use several methods to reinforce this misunderstanding, including the feeling of fear (FOF) and/or metal or emotional illusion.

For instance, it may feel to you like it’s working away at what this society calls, your self esteem or self belief. Basically it’s making you feel: different, inadequate, apart, not good enough, weak etc…

Or of course, the opposite, invincible, untouchable, unbeatable. Remember it’s authentic self out of balance. All of these make you feel special, apart, different, and you have to suppose and believe that the Universal rules do not apply to you !

It will also feel like it’s trying convince you that you are blocked and stagnated, stuck, or the opposite, nothing can stagnate or block you.

This is a misunderstanding.

What is actually happening is you are moving around an Ego circle, like a eddy in a river. Never moving on, just going round and round.

Which mirrors the Universal nature of flow and expansion, but very restrictive, which is against the Universe.

Once the Ego has achieved this ‘eddy’, the ‘negative’ momentum or movement in your life, the misunderstanding is in place.

Even thought authentically you know it to be wrong and not helpful to your life, through; fear, habit, stubbornness, illusion or misunderstanding you continue, round and round. Because this forms a habit, you tend not to challenge the reasons that took you into the ‘eddy’.

This can and does effect you in many ways, for instance: when you encounter difficult or fearful situations in your life, instead of confronting the feeling of the fear (FOF) in the correct authentic way you avoid and then have to justify the avoidance of what you perceive to be the difficult or fearful obstacle.

In fact you never get to deal with the actual fear of the situation, because the Ego has set up, an illusion in your mind and psyche a chain effect that affects your physical feelings in such a way that it‘s impossible to use a powerful enough adjective to describe it.

This feeling or sensation is so powerful and all consuming, almost like an alien force that is outside of your control and cannot be beaten by mere human effort! Almost like a demon or devil ! The Buddhists call facing the Tiger !

This is what I call the ‘Fear Of The Fear’ (FOF) .

This FOF must never be underestimated, because it is the opposite feeling and sensation to Love (Yin/Yang). It is one of the most powerful forces we experience, coupled with the other trait’s the Ego employs, illusion etc.

It convinces you that you cannot beat it, no one could. So you avoid the whole situation, This then feels unbalanced to your authentic self. So you then have to give yourself a justification to negatively rebalance yourself.

This avoidance can happen in many and all parts of your life. When you are in this inauthentic Ego state you will more likely to make inauthentic, unbalanced decisions that you know will be harmful to you and those you love.

But the Ego convinces you that is the only alternative. Because you cannot beat the FOF.

You can justify your avoidance of the FOF by saying something to yourself that basically is….. You are inadequate, that gives you the justification to avoid the FOF. And continue on the Ego circle. On and on….

So on one level you believe that the situation has been resolved because you have achieved momentum or movement, the Ego circle ….But unfortunately the problem is that the movement is not ‘positive’ momentum, it is a ‘negative’ movement round and round the Ego circle.

Returning periodically to FOF, by which time avoidance is the habit and the justification is in place and not challenged or even questioned. So round and around you go and that becomes your ‘norm’.

Then other Ego out of balance traits come into play, such as stubbornness, inadequateness to continue the circle.

It is impossible to be inadequate. That is being judgemental (Ego). It cannot be an authentic judgement, because you are not in a position to judge everyone in the world to enable you to come a conclusion that you are inadequate against them.

There is a world of difference between making an (authentic) judgement and being judgmental (Ego).

The wisdom of authentic spirituality is to understand ; Balance, harmony, listening to your inner authentic voice. The Ego would counter this by convincing you that this is boring, mundane not an exciting way to live your life.

Once we understand, commit and totally accept the concept of ‘ONE’ and live within that principal the applications are infinite. Not boring at all in fact the opposite, the most fulfilling, exciting and spiritually rewarding life that is your destiny (reaching your greatness) !

So again for instance, if that is your destiny the Ego will operate in counter to that destiny….It has to, that’s the way of the universe. (Yin & Yang)

The Ego confuses us so much that we lose sight of our own greatness. In fact we can even become fearful of what we could achieve. Fearful on many levels but that causes a block, which in turn creates the ‘Ego circle’

Because the Ego can effect out physical feelings (In the same way as love does !) we move into the FOF and avoid. Then we hamper our development and greatness of our own character and potential.

Because this this feels unbalanced we then have to justify with a Ego statement we then move into the Ego circle.

Have the courage to make mistakes, learn and grow, unfortunately the Ego will brand this as ‘failure’. But only from learning will we gain the momentum to move forward positively.

There is no such thing as success and failure, this is judgmental.

We can only learn by our experiences and authentic understandings…

Having the fortune to get it right the first time, is just the same as getting it wrong the first time. The Universe does not know the difference ! Only our Ego’s are judgemental.

There is no one ‘out there’ to get you !

The Universe is not against you ! ( Sorry….. Your not that special !) nor is it for you ! It just is, and when we understand the way (Tao) of the universe we stand a better change of living in harmony and peace with it and ourselves.

Because we are part of the ONE, everything that applies to the Universe, applies to us.

Sometimes when we are trying to bring ourselves into balance it seems like the biggest battle of your life, and the Ego will try and convince you that it is a battle you cannot win.

But you must understand that this is normal and natural. In fact this is life, and something that you have been doing since you where in the womb.

If you understand the way, the ‘battle’ does not stop. Real insight is to understand that it is not even a battle, just the way of things (Tao). You are just better equipped to understand it on your journey to the source.

Someone once said to me that it’s a pity we are not born with an instruction book on life !! … In fact we are !! The instruction are engraved into every atom of our being. Those instructions are what I call your authentic self.

Because of the confusion and illusion the Ego crates it is difficult to connect to those instructions. Also following those instructions in our adolescent may have cause us some misunderstanding.

One of the main instructions we have is to please our parents and other influential people in our life (Grandparents, teachers etc.).

The problems arise when the teaching from those sources are not authentic or correct.