The Tao of Stress: How to Calm, Balance, and Simplify Your Life by Robert G. Santee

Author:Robert G. Santee [Santee, Robert G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Non-Fiction
ISBN: 9781608827800
Google: nAS_NAEACAAJ
Amazon: 1608827801
Goodreads: 16158299
Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
Published: 2013-11-01T04:00:00+00:00

Reducing Your Desires

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Chapter 6

Understanding Desires

From the time we get up in the morning until the time we go to bed at night, we are vulnerable to an onslaught of advertisements across all types of media telling us what we should desire and obtain in order to be happy, feel good about ourselves, and be accepted by others. In addition, friends, family members, acquaintances, colleagues, coworkers, and others also often tell us what we should desire, get, see, or watch, where and what we should eat, and so on in order for their desires— yes, their desires— to be met.

In a very real sense, and unfortunately, our self- worth often hinges on attaining what others tell us we should desire. If we don’t please them, we fear that they may not like or appreciate us. This is clearly a threat to our self- worth and leads to chronic stress.

If we haven’t attained the things that others say we should desire, we feel threatened and stressed until we obtain them. If we do attain these things, we still feel threatened because we’re afraid we’ll lose them or because we think they aren’t enough. As a result, we are still chronically stressed. This becomes an ongoing cycle in which we are never

satisfied.

We all have basic desires that are part of our evolutionary tool kit, such as for safety, security, shelter, food, a good income, companionship, sex, having children, being healthy, getting adequate movement or exercise, feeling good, being happy, being liked, and so on. All of these have an impact on how we think, feel, and behave. They are also natural.

In addition, we have desires driven by social expectations, such as for fame, status, wealth, power, longevity, or always looking good or being uncorrected proof

The Tao of Stress

youthful. These also have an impact on how we think, feel, and behave and are not inherently problematic.

However, when any of our desires, whether basic or socially driven, are continually excessive or deficient and lead to chronic stress, they become problematic. They cannot be satisfied. We don’t know when

enough is enough or how to stop indulging in or pursuing these desires.

The end result is the physical and psychological harm of chronic stress.

When traveling the Taoist path to removing chronic stress, it is

important to remember that desires, thoughts, beliefs, judgments, feelings, behavior, and environment are all intimately intertwined and interrelated. All have a bearing on your center and root and the free and natural flow of qi. When they are neither excessive nor deficient, your yin and yang are in harmony not only within yourself, but also with the environment around you.

Taoism and Desires

Across Taoist history and in numerous Taoist texts, excessive or deficient desires are viewed as a fundamental cause of fragmentation and separa-tion from Tao. Excessive or deficient desires result in disaster, misfortune, danger, vulnerability, illness, and tragedy. Excessive or deficient desires disrupt and agitate both the mind and the body. Because of our excessive or deficient desires, we are selfish, self- centered, and chronically stressed.

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