Born Again Taoist

How many of us realize the role that instinct plays in our lives? Long ago, our ancestors dreamed up elitist myths that elevated our species from other living things. We are told, “Don’t be an animal” and that Mankind was created in God’s image. One way or another, every culture has a spiritual superiority story.

The irony is that by placing humanity on a spiritual pedestal, such stories disconnect us from the natural whole. We can’t feel truly connected to nature if we see ourselves as endowed with the power to transcend our “lowly” animal reality. From a symptoms point of view such stories reflect a dilemma caused by the human intellect. As chapter 18 observes, When intelligence increases, there exists great falseness. Again, as chapter 16 cautions, Not knowing the constant, rash actions lead to ominous results. The rash action here is creating a story that divides us from nature. All this adds up to the disease chapter 71 identifies, Realizing I don’t know is better; not knowing this knowing is disease.

Instinct Liberates

I was going to name this post “Instinct Liberates”, but “Born Again Taoist” had a nicer ring to it. Even so, some may feel my instinct rules point of view demeans humankind. Yet, what could be more spiritually uplifting than feeling at one with Mother Earth’s whole biosphere? Instinct moves all animals to do what they do. This plays out cognitively in us as well in the neurological processes that create our brain’s mind. The false knowledge that we are different from other animals disconnects us cognitively — hence our disease. While often helpful, no amount of “God loves you” can bridge that divide and cure the disease.

Then, and only then, reaching great conformity.

Much of life’s stresses arise from how we think we or others should behave. Such stories are an insidious poison fabricated from the ideals of what we could be if only we (__fill in the blank__). We carry this mental baggage around throughout life ⁽¹⁾. These ideals often leave us feeling unbalanced and disconnected — diseased. Realizing how every aspect of human nature is the direct result of primal instinct helps reconnect us to all life on Earth. The idea that we’re all in the same boat, invites us to feel as natural as the day we were born — to be a born again Taoist.

In Free Willers Anonymous (p.420) I said, “Wouldn’t admitting we are instinctive free willers—powerless over core emotions—be a realistic first step in returning to our innate nature”. This simple shift in perspective, like seeing the cup half-full instead of half-empty, helps bring our ideal self and real self into closer alignment. By way of such great conformity, we can naturally contend less with the way things are and live life more gracefully. Chapter 65 helps describe this journey.

Of ancients adept in the way, none ever use it to enlighten people,
They will use it in order to fool them.
People are difficult to govern because they are too intelligent.
Therefore, using intelligence to govern the country injures the country.
Not using intelligence to govern the country blesses the country.
Know these both and investigate their patterns.
Always investigate the patterns.
That is called profound moral character.
Moral character, profound indeed, distant indeed!
To the outside world, contrary indeed.
Then, and only then, reaching great conformity.

⁽¹⁾ Our idealistic baggage arises from instinct as well, so we need not beat ourselves up over this… even if it messes life up. Our dependence on ideals has its roots in primal survival instinct. This genetic predisposition is similar to our innate attraction to calorie rich food, which served us well in the wild, but soon became a liability in civilized circumstance. Now, ‘less is more’ is the way to live in balance.

I don’t know if any particular ideal we harbor arises from a specific instinct or an emergent property (p.121) of deeper drives. But, who cares? The point is, it all arises from our innate nature. Nature is efficient and employs basic elements in myriad emergent ways to fulfill its dynamic role in creation. Exactly what and how are good questions for science to answer. Yet in the end, the final answer is the same… it is Nature’s way.

A final irony is how cleaving to ideals maintains our “illusion of self” (ego), especially as it relates to Anatta. In Buddhism, the term anattā refers to the doctrine of “non-self”, that there is no unchanging, permanent self, soul or essence in phenomena.