I can summarise in five words the benefits that I draw from Taoism: a strong sense of direction. The Tao Te Ching enables me to make fast and accurate decisions in complex situations. I would be at a loss on many occasions if I could not rely on the insights gained from Lao-Tzu, Yang-Tzu and Chuang-Tzu.
How does Taoism deliver this strong sense of direction? By advocating for balance and harmony in all circumstances. The virtues of balance and harmony help us make decisions under time pressure, especially when we do not have full visibility of the details. Let us see how those Taoist virtues can improve our lives.
Chapter 44 of the Tao Te Ching promises happiness to all those who have learned to be content with what they have and with the circumstances they are in. If we learn to do that, Lao-Tzu promises that “we will always be happy.”
The Tao Te Ching reinforces this principle in its Chapter 46 by stating that, once we have learned that enough is enough, “we will always have enough.”
Nonetheless, we should not interpret the Tao Te Ching as a call for passivity and resignation. Taoism does not advocate for blind conformity, but for balance and harmony.
Lao-Tzu’s call for harmony and balance
When facing adversity, the Stoic will argue that nothing can be done about it, and that complaining is a waste of time. Lao-Tzu teaches us a different approach.
When things turn south, Taoism encourages us to look for a silver lining and maintain our equanimity, while we look for a chance to turn the situation around. In other words, it calls for harmony and balance even in the worst situations imaginable.
The Taoist virtues of balance and harmony are tactical and strategic. They serve the practical purpose of staying cool even if everybody else has long given up all hope.
Lao-Tzu’s call for balance and harmony doesn’t correspond to the acceptance preached by the ancient Greek and Roman Stoics. While Stoicism leads to making do with what we have, Taoism calls for calmly looking for better alternatives.
Zeno of Citium (334-262 BC), Cleanthes (330-230 BC), Chrysippus (279-206 BC) and Seneca (4 BC-65 AD) failed to grasp the practical advantages of keeping a cool head. The goal should not be to suffer in silence, but to use our reason to find quick solutions that solve the pressing problems.
While Stoicism is suspicion of all ambitions, Lao-Tzu gives us warnings only against excessive ambition. Chapter 46 of the Tao Te Ching refers to our learning “when enough is enough,” but does not say that we should accept poverty and deprivation as a way of life.
Taoism compared to George Eliot’s novels
The Taoist principle of seeking balance and harmony in all circumstances is virtually unknown in Western philosophy and literature. In fact, most Western literature goes in the opposite direction, that is, it calls for ambition and advancement.
George Eliot (1819-1890), one of the most popular English authors of the nineteenth century, illustrates the abdication of balance and harmony. Under the pseudonym “George Eliot,” Mary Ann Evans portrayed in her novels fictional characters driven by thousand ambitions that often led them to disaster.
Her novels epitomise the antithesis of Taoism, in particular “Middlemarch,” published in 1871. Dorothea Brook, the lead female character, is driven by foolish passion into a disastrous marriage, which she only escapes when her husband dies.
The other characters in “Middlemarch” also struggle to find the enlightened path because they have no conception of balance and harmony. The handsome Rosamund brings herself into trouble due to her short-sighted ambitions, and Lydgate borrows sums that he cannot repay without major sacrifices.
The benefits of the Tao Te Ching remain beyond the reach of George Eliot’s characters because they cannot even conceive of choosing serenity over short-lived, potentially catastrophic pleasures.
Chuang-Tzu and the non-action principle
Chapter 9 of the Tao Te Ching warns us against the disasters that will likely ensue if we pursue wealth and fame in excess. If we go beyond reasonable limits, warns Lao-Tzu, we’ll place ourselves in a situation that cannot be defended.
The Taoist looks for a quiet, smooth, inconspicuous lifestyle that keeps him out of the limelight. Thieves will not stalk him because he looks destitute. Neighbours will notice the modesty of his household and befriend him instead of envying him. His commitment to balance and harmony help him keep problems at bay.
Chuang-Tzu’s philosophy presents the non-action principle, which I regard as a prerequisite of balance and harmony. We should “allow things to follow their own course” and don’t put excessive pressure on ourselves.
Taoism encourages us to seize opportunities when they arise organically, but do not overexert our energies. In the Tao Te Ching, Chapter 24 predicts that, if we rush forward too fast, we will not go very far.
While George Eliot’s characters experience setbacks, fatigue and exhaustion, Taoists will take a step back, re-examine the situation, and ask themselves the right questions. Are we doing things smoothly and harmoniously? Are we staying alert day in and day out, looking for fresh opportunities?
Lao-Tzu affirms in Chapter 29 of the Tao Te Ching that “the universe cannot be improved.” He means that we cannot create opportunities where there aren’t any, nor impose our ideas on other people. We will do much better if we identify promising situations that have emerged organically.
Taoists have little appreciation for the anxieties experienced by George Eliot’s characters. For Lao-Tzu, unbridled passions and short-sighted ambitions are signs of philosophical errors. If we remain aligned with the Tao, we can steer away from those and maintain our balance and harmony.
If you are interested in applying effective ideas to all sorts of situations, I recommend my book “Consistency: The key to permanent stress relief.”