Studio Tainan - a gathering place for creating the world that wants us to be healthy. Simply. And it’s easier together.Imagined conversation me (JEL) and them - a person curious about the line, above.
them Q: How?
JEL A: The short answer is 正心，自在。All the way to simple.them
Q: Huh? What’s 正心，自在?
JEL A: It’s a way of saying to rest in our full aware selves which is like being fully embodied, fully present. This is an ongoing practice. It’s easier together.
them Q: What about that part saying “all the way to simple?”
JEL A: There are very natural ways to get all the way to simple with any puzzling situation. It’s a basic human capacity. It can become a conscious practice. People have given parts of this many names.
them Q: What are the names?
JEL A: It’s probably an infinite list. Nowadays more people have heard of the Chinese words “qi” and “dao.” Let’s say the way is “dao” and it’s all about awareness of “qi” moving or getting stuck, and how we can work with whatever’s happening with qi in any situation. Hum? I’ve got an unrest as I feel it’s already getting too complicated.
JEL Q: Is it OK if I return us to simple?
them A: Please.them Q: But first, can you sum all that name stuff up for me?
JEL A: Sure. Dao is about natural process. It’s just nature flowing everywhere all the time, except when it doesn’t. When it doesn’t flow, it hurts. That makes it easier to notice. After you have your own sense of all this stuff I’m challenged to say clearly, I’ll listen for your own words and use them. After that, I’m happy to share some of the other names other people use. The summary is that the names of IT aren’t IT. It’s it. <smile!>
them Q: I’m still confused. So we have to take all these abstract concepts on trust?
JEL A: Goodness no! I say these words so that later if they show up in our shared space I can start to point them out, and you can begin to see them in a grounded concrete way. They actually have no meaning until you’ve experienced them for yourself and find your own ways and words to express what you’ve learned as real.
them Q: OK, then. But how does it start?
JEL A: We are well started now.
JEL Q: What do I mean by that?
JEL A: You are connecting. You are curious and asking great questions. I’m doing my best this moment to answer them as simply and truthfully as I can. Enough of me! Maybe you want to apply these ideas and notice what you notice. I can accompany you, guiding us in a simple 正心，自在 way. I’m up for that relationship.
JEL Q: You?
them A: Well, … I’m still not clear, but it sounds OK. I mean, this is kind of intriguing and I’ve not really agreed to anything yet, but this conversation.
them Q: So, what happens next?
JEL A: Hmm. Good question. Maybe we could sortof check-in now, to answer your question together.
US Q: Where are we now?
JEL Q: Can I show you a simple process that allows us to answer that question together?
them A: Sure.
JEL A: OK. This thing called check-in can take as short as a minute or two. There are 5 prompts. We look at them, and each say whatever we want in response. We usually set a time agreement to keep it simple and connected. So I suggest we do it so within 5 minutes or less we’ll know the answer together to “Where are we now?”
So here are the 5 prompts. (1) What’s our name? (2) How do we feel right now? (3) Do we have any random thoughts that need to be spoken now? (4) What attracts us about that shared question we named?
We have about a minute each. When we’re done with our part we say “I check in.” That way the other person knows it’s their turn.
… [the connected world of me and anyone starts something like this]