The Importance of Money Wisdom

You are living in a world wanting wisdom. The majority of people experience the lack and not the abundance, while only a small number of people feel both the affluence and the wealth. Surviving and navigating in this world of money disparity require profound wisdom—the perspectives of human wisdom, Biblical wisdom, and the TAO wisdom from ancient China.

So, always ask yourself many questions regarding your money wisdom, given that money always plays a pivotal role in this world of both abundance and lack.

Charles Proteus Steinmetz, a German-born American mathematician and electrical engineer, once said: “There are no foolish questions and no one becomes a fool until he has stopped asking questions.”

So, continue your life journey asking yourself many self-intuitive questions with respect to your money wisdom. The spirit of wisdom demands you to ask as many questions as possible on how you view the world today based on your past and present life experiences. Your money wisdom is your individual need to think more about your money. Do not bury your head in the sand! Just be wise on all your money matters!

Asking-questions-and-seeking-answers may give you your money wisdom. Your own life experiences are often responsible for your judgmental attitudes, your bias prejudices, and your assumptive presumptions—they may prevent you from knowing your real self, as well as from separating the truths from the half-truths or the myths about your money wisdom.

The truth of the matter is that your money wisdom is all based on your own perceptions and interpretations of your life experiences. That is why your money wisdom is uniquely yours.

Your money journey in this world is forever filled with missteps and detours, irrespective of your abundance or lack. Even if it may seem to be a bed of roses to you because of your abundance, it is always filled with some thorns. So, you need your spiritual wisdom to give you hope and guidance on your money journey.

To attain that spiritual wisdom, you need your faith—which is your trust and obedience to your Creator. According to Saint Augustine, faith is to believe in what you do not see, and you will then see what you believe. So, if you believe in your money wisdom, you will then see your security in every aspect of your life, whether you have abundance or lack..

To apply your money wisdom in the material world you are living in, you need the wisdom of the TAO—which is the humility to detach yourself from all attachments that you think define who you are. With no ego, you may then become self-enlightened: perceiving the “nothingness” of all things, as well as self-intuiting your “connectedness” to anything and everyone in the world. So, you are in balance and harmony with anyone and everyone, and you are no longer at war within yourself with your fear of insecurity—that is ultimately your money wisdom.

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NORA WISE

Copyright © Nora Wise

Oneness with All Life

Oneness with All Life

With both human wisdom and spiritual wisdom, you may see anything is everything not just for yourself but also for others as well. In other words, you may intuit the wisdom of oneness with all life, which is your interconnection with others, not just with those who are close to you,  but also with those  who are  distant and unrelated to you. Life is all about anything and everything.

No man is an island

According to John Donne, the famous English poet, “no man is an island”; that is, every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. Therefore, we are all interconnected with, as well as inter-dependent on, one another in many different ways.

Connectedness

Oneness is the law of nature: what we do to others, we also do to ourselves, either consciously or unconsciously. It is the unity of all life—life is what we all have, and what empowers all of us, giving us the enlightening experiences and the holistic ways of living.

The Bible has repeatedly stated the significance of oneness of God’s creation and salvation to all.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

(John 1: 1)

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1: 16)

For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles,  slave or free—and we  were all

given the one Spirit to drink.

(1 Corinthians 12:13)

According to Lao Tzu, the ancient Chinese sage, one of the reasons why nature has continued to exist for thousands and thousands of years is that all forms of life in nature have their presence, which depends on one another for their co-existence. Just think about that: everything in nature does not exist just for itself, and that is why it can last forever.

Each and every being in the universe.

is an expression of the Creator.

We are all shaped and perfected by Him.

(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 51)

Blessed is he who has no ego-self.

He will be rewarded with humility to connect with the Creator.

(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 9)

So, always focus on others, instead of just on yourself all the time. Focusing on others also initiates your connection with the Creator, providing you with spiritual wisdom to guide you along the rest of your life journey.

According to Buddha, “Nothing ever exists entirely alone. Everything is in relation to everything else.”  What Buddha means is that it is not uncommon for humans to blame their problems on all the things outside themselves—other people and circumstances that are beyond their control. But the connectedness with all life contradicts that common but erroneous belief; the reality is that what we see in others and in our own circumstances is a reflection of our inner life, of what we believe in—which is the main source of all human  miseries  and sufferings.  The truth  is that  all humans suffer because they do not see the miseries and sufferings in others, except in themselves.

Martin Luther King, Jr., Baptist minister, and leader in the civil rights movement, once said: “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.” So, your connectedness to others plays a pivotal role in helping you become your true self, instead of who you wish you were.

Even John Lennon in his famous hit song “Imagine” says: “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope one day you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.” That the world will live as one may indeed become a reality, and not just a dream.

To get your paperback copy of Anything Is Everything! Everything Is Nothing! Nothing Is Everything!, click here; to get your e-book, click here.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Anything Is Everything

Anything Is Everything

Living in this material world is all about struggling and surviving. The good news is that it is a human race in which there are really no real winners and losers in the end. But no matter what, we all have to finish that race somehow, with no exception. Just do your very best, and let the Creator do the rest to help you finish your own race with grace and dignity. The wisdom of your body, your mind, and your spirit may awaken and rejuvenate you along the rest of your life journey.

Living is always a discovery process. Life is a journey of self-discovery—finding who you are, why you are here, what you really need, and how you may meet your basic needs, so that you, like every one else, can fulfill some of your life goals and purposes that are exclusively designed for you. But to do just that, you need profound human wisdom and spiritual wisdom to continue that journey as if everything is a miracle.

Albert Einstein once said: “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as if nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle.”

Indeed, life is a miracle in itself. Being alive is a miracle. Having your breaths is already a miracle. Everything in life is a miracle.

To truly believe and appreciate the miracle of life, you need the wisdom to grasp the full meaning of anything is everything, everything is nothing, and nothing is everything—they may all ultimately lead to your self-awakening, without which you will continue to live as if nothing is a miracle.

What is meant by “anything is everything”? It may have different meanings and different interpretations to different individuals.

First of all, human perceptions are subjective and individualized: they are affected not only by the five senses, but also by the unique experiences of an individual, as well as by the indelible memories of those experiences retained in the mind of that individual. Therefore, what is important to you may not be as important to others, and vice-versa. For this reason, anything could be everything to you, but not to others.

An illustration

Near the end of 2016, a road rage occurred in Arkansas that ended in the tragic death of a 3-year-old child. 

A woman, with her 3-year-old grandson sitting at the back of her car, stopped at a stop sign. A man in the car right behind honked her for not starting her car immediately, but the woman honked back; thus the road rage began with the man firing a gun shot at the back of the woman’s car.

Stopping too long at a stop sign,  or wanting to get to a place on time might be everything to the man. Having the right to remain where she was might also be everything to the woman, so she naturally honked back.  

Unfortunately, that anything-is-everything incident ended in tragedy—the death of the woman’s three-year-old grandson being shot dead while sitting at the back of her car.

In real life, anything could be everything to real people—it all depends on their respective perspectives of anything is everything.

A frog in a well

In many ways, many of us are just like a frog in a well, looking up at the limited sky above, in that we see only ourselves, and no one else, and therefore anything is everything to us. In other words, we see only our own needs and desires that have to be fulfilled and gratified no matter how, but without seeing those in others.

Just like the man in the car rage who saw only his own need to get going, but without even considering why the woman might be stalling her car at the stop sign and not moving ahead right away.

To get your paperback copy, click here; to get your e-book, click here.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

How to Avoid a Dysfunctional Mind

The Awakening and Letting Go

                      

Letting go is the natural surrender of the human mind to any involuntary reactivity aimed at removing anything that might threaten or undermine the ego-self. Letting go should be a natural instinct, and not a technique that one has to learn and master; it is simply a spontaneous human ability to give up all human attachments that create the unreal ego-self.

According to the TAO, the wisdom of Lao Tzu, the ancient sage from China, it is the letting go, and not the holding on, that makes us strong because it overcomes the fear of the unknown and the unpredictable. Let go of yesterday to live in today as if everything is a miracle; let go of the world to have the universe. That is the only path to awakening of the mind.

Lao Tzu believes that the entire universe with everything in it flows with a mysterious force that not only controls but also maintains the natural order of all things. That ultimate reality is nondescript and paradoxical; all humans can know is that it is not only within and outside them, but also everywhere and nowhere.

“The Way to the Creator existed

before the universe was created.

Its essence is formless and unchanging.

It is present wherever we turn,

providing compassion to all beings.

It comes from the Creator of the universe,

who has no name.

To identify him, call him the Creator.

He can also be called the Great Mystery,

from whom we come, in whom we live, and to whom we return.”

(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 25)

Accordingly, Lao Tzu’s emphasis is on being, rather than on doing.

This is how the human mind may have become distorted, delusional, and dysfunctional:

·       In the beginning, man did not know things existed, and so he had perfect knowledge.

·       Later, he found out things existed, but made no distinctions between them.

·       Then, he began to make some distinctions, but expressed no judgment about right and wrong.

·       Now, he makes his own judgments of right and wrong, and that leads to his own preferences of likes and dislikes, and thus creating his desires and expectations—the sources of his sufferings. In short, the human mind is like an unbridled horse: it makes judgments, making what does not exist, exist, and what does exist, does not exist. In the process, illusions and self-deceptions are created, and they become the attachments or substances of the ego-self.

THE TAO OF LIVING LONGER

THE TAO OF LIVING FOR LIFE

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

A Simple Lifestyle

Living longer means you may live to a ripe old age, if you just don’t die. Is this really a blessing? Well, that depends on your state of mind, which is essentially your own perception of your life experiences. As aging continues, everything in your life begins to disintegrate and disappear, whether you like it or not. The reality is that you must learn to let go of everything. Take the example of Ann Russell Miller.

Ann Russell Miller was a celebrated socialite from San Francisco, also known as Sister Mary Joseph, She, who had ten children and nineteen grandchildren, had grown up in luxury and privilege, and had been living a life of incredible wealth. Instead of shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue, and decorating herself with jewelry from Tiffany, she suddenly and surprisingly decided to give up everything, and became a nun devoted to living in poverty for the rest of her life.

That unbelievable event happened more than two decades ago, and was then widely reported in the media across the country. Why did she make such a drastic and incredible change in her life? She said she had a calling, a true vocation that was hard to understand for the general public, even for the close members of her family.

Ann Russell Miller just wanted to live a simple lifestyle, deleting all the trimmings of life and living, as well as all the attachments that she wanted to let go ot.

Do you have a lot of attachments to the material world you are living in right now? Take a look at your garage and basement. If they are packed full and loaded with many disposables, then probably you still have many attachments you are unwilling to let go of. Attachments are clutters that bring memories you are unwilling to let go of—memories that are reminiscent of your past accomplishments.

If you wish to be happy in your golden years, just live a simple lifestyle.  

Epicurus, the famous Greek philosopher, had this advice on how to lead a happy life: avoiding luxuries, and living simply. The explanation is that luxurious living may make you into a “needy” person whose happiness always depends on things that are impermanent and easily lost. When they are lost —because nothing is permanent—you naturally become unhappy and even depressed.

Stephen Lau      

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Spirituality in Aging

SPIRITUALITY IN AGING

What is spirituality?

Spirituality, as opposed to materiality, is always invisible, immeasurable, and lasting. Spirituality is like the wind—it is invisible and yet palpable. It provides guidance, direction, and understanding to the mind or the soul. Spirituality takes the form of love, joy, and peace, and it is often expressed in human action and behavior. Materiality, on the other hand, is always visible, measurable, and transient. Humans need both spirituality and materiality: the former to understand the self, and the latter to understand the world and the universe. However, as aging continues, materiality often gives way to spirituality. Therefore, spirituality plays a pivotal role in the golden years.

Spirituality not only energizes the body but also inspires the mind—a body-mind connection necessary for holistic wellness and well-being in the golden years.

Spirituality provides the rites of passage from adulthood to the golden years. But this transition can be painful and even devastating, such as from the orderly to the disorderly, or from the familiar to the unfamiliar. Without the separation from the comfort zones, there will be no enlightenment leading to the ultimate transformation of self, which is essential in the golden years.

Spirituality, at a deeper level, means a desire to have a personal relationship with God.

How to believe in spirituality or discover your own spirituality?

According to St. Augustine, the Bishop of Hippo (354-430 A.D.), in life there are certain things we do not believe unless we understand them, and there are other things that we do not understand unless we believe them. According to St. Augustine, believing is not opposed to understanding, nor is it independent of understanding. His famous “faith seeking understanding” is a conscious act of believing first, without which unbelief closes the door to further understanding.

So, begin to believe in order to understand more. To begin your journey of seeking spirituality in your golden years, you must, first and foremost, believe in seeking knowledge to understand your spirituality. Do not close that door to further understanding.

Many people do not believe in spirituality because they cannot see it with their own eyes: they believe that “seeing is believing.”

According to Lao Tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher, seeing is not believing, but believing is the beginning of seeing:

“The more we look, the less we see.

The more we hear, the less we listen.”

(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 12)

 “When a wise man hears of the Creator,

he immediately begins to do some soul-searching.

When an average man hears of the Creator,

he half believes him, and half doubts him.

When a foolish man hears of the Creator,

he laughs out loud.

If he did not laugh,

there would be no Creator.”

(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 41)

“The more we look, the less we see.

The more we hear, the less we listen.”

(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 12)

According to Lao Tzu, you must reverse the conventional mindset of “seeing is believing”; do not just think out of the box but create your own box to “believe in order to see.” That is to say, you must demonstrate the intent not only to believe in and also to seek spirituality in your golden years.

With the intent, come your awareness of your inner longings and your consciousness of an inner voice speaking to you.

Then you must persist and persevere in your search and pursuit of spirituality, such as daily prayers and acts of compassion.

Finally, down the road, life crises and problems may further awaken you to your own innate spirituality.

To sum up, spirituality is awareness of your true self with the desire to become wholesome, connecting your body and your spirit through your mind. Spirituality is also a deep longing to have a closer contact with the Creator to receive His divine guidance in your everyday living throughout your golden years.

Believing in spirituality may help you believing in yourself once again as well as believing in your own spirituality in your golden years.

YOUR GOLDEN YEARS

TAO: THE WAY TOBIBLICAL WISDOM

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

TAO Wisdom Is Daily Living Wisdom

Wisdom is an important aspect of living because we need it not so much to make a success of living as to live well. In order to live well, understanding the ancient Tao wisdom plays a pivotal role, especially in its application in contemporary living. Understanding the ancient Tao wisdom is to live well.

What Is Tao Wisdom?

Tao wisdom is the ancient wisdom from China based on the the sage Lao Tzu who was born a few centuries before Christ.

Lao Tzu was the author of the immortal ancient classic "Tao Te Ching" which has become one of the most translated works in world literature. The word "tao" literally means "way" or "pathway", and hence "the Way" referring to Tao wisdom, which is the wisdom of Lao Tzu. It must be pointed out that Lao Tzu was reluctant to write "Tao Te Ching" because he believed that true wisdom must be intuited and therefore could never be expressed in words. But he was told explicitly that he would be permitted to leave China for Tibet until he had finished his book. Very much against his will, he deliberately put down his wisdom in exactly 5,000 words, without any punctuation mark. As a result, his profound wisdom was concise, intriguing, and even controversial.

Tao wisdom plays a pivotal role in wisdom in living. For one thing, Tao wisdom enables you to live a stress-free life, which is almost impossible in this day and age. For another, it shows you how to have an empty mind, giving clarity of thinking without any conditioned mindset. The essentials of Tao wisdom provide a blueprint for living a life of balance and harmony, which is the prerequisite of self-healing or recovery from any autoimmune disease.

The Book of Life and Living is a 190-page book on wisdom in living, based on the integration of conventional wisdom, the ancient wisdom of Tao from China, and the spiritual wisdom. The art of living well is holistic living with harmony of the body, the mind, and the spirit.  Life is short. Make the best and the most out of your life. Learn how to use your mind to control your thoughts to live the life you want.

Also, visit my website: Wisdom in Living.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

The Right Mindset for Living Longer

Getting old is a new experience: it is quite different from what you imagined when you were young. You don’t know what getting old is really like until you have become old. To explain getting old to someone who is still young is like a bird explaining to a fish the sensation of flight.

Physically, you may have backache, short breath, and a host of other health problems. Emotionally and mentally, you may be preoccupied with the challenging thought that everything will not continue the way it is indefinitely: your health may deteriorate, and with its deterioration, everything in your life may fall apart. It is this challenging thought of unwelcome changes arriving suddenly and without warning that unnerves you. Another challenging thought of getting old is retirement, which may not be for everybody. There is a saying: “The more of a somebody you once were, the more difficult it is to revert to being a nobody.” Retirement may be rude awakening for many.

In life, you have opened as many doors as you have closed. You may have the challenging thought that this may be the one final door you will open, and then it will be closed on you for good.

Whatever problems you may encounter, you have to look at them in perspective. Remember, life is full of problems—at any age. Having the right mindset is critically important. It is all in the mind, and is always mind over matter. Use the mind to control your body to bring about self-healing, to deal with your emotions resulting from daily stress and challenge, and to enlighten your soul to find peace of mind.

Stephen Lau

Copyright © by Stephen Lau