Years ago, our Taoist group joked, “Be bored again”. This was the Taoist version of the Christian “Be born again” slogan. No wonder attendance was light! A fine line does exist between boredom and contentment. To be sure, I often slip back and forth across it playing the shakuhachi flute (google [Blowing Zen, One Mind One Breath]).
The curious thing about boredom is that we are tempted to blame ‘out there’ for causing the boredom we feel ‘in here’. One key step toward self-understanding took place when I realized the boredom I felt was my fault. That helped me contend less with reality, i.e., what is vs. what I want. Happily, accepting responsibility neutralizes blame. As chapter 8 observes, He alone does not contend, Hence, there is no blame. Nevertheless, biological instinct clamors denial… “It’s not my fault” we feel.
Biology induces us to flee boring contentment and seek greener grasses. Nature can’t afford to let animals in the wild feel what chapter 33 reveals… He who knows contentment is rich. Chapter 65 tells us Mother Nature’s secret, Of ancients adept in the way, none ever use it to enlighten people, They will use it in order to fool them. Who is more adept in the way than nature? She uses biology to fool us animals into feeling that more is always better. Yet, that’s only true in the wild. I can see through life’s con game better now that I know about nature’s bio-hoodwink. Fool me once; fool me twice… eventually I get it