Do You Have a Pillar of Stability?

Xuefeng

February 14, 2022

Are you feeling dazed? Is your mind unsettled? Do you see no clear path ahead? Are you anxious and restless? Do you feel as if no one answers when you call out to heaven or earth? If so, the issue lies with your pillar of stability.

In Journey to the West, it is said that when Sun Wukong "borrowed" the Ruyi Jingu Bang (the Golden Cudgel) from the Dragon King of the East Sea and pulled it out, the entire East Sea—especially the Dragon Palace—shook. Why? Because the Ruyi Jingu Bang was the pillar of stability for the sea. With it, the waters remained calm; without it, they surged into chaos.

Why has the United States remained stable for over 200 years? Because it has a pillar of stability—the separation of legislative, executive, and judicial powers, combined with media oversight. Without this pillar, America would not be what it is today; it might have turned into another Zimbabwe or Venezuela.

Why was China, despite its poverty, relatively stable in terms of people's mental and emotional state from 1949 to 1976? Because China had a pillar of stability—Mao Zedong. Regardless of how history ultimately judges him, one fact remains: as long as Mao was in power, China remained stable.

Historically, why did many royal courts delay announcing the death of an emperor? Because once the news got out, various interest groups would begin to stir, and chaos would erupt. This confirms that emperors were the pillar of stability in their time.

Of course, we can call the U.S. Constitution a pillar of national stability, and we can refer to Mao Zedong and certain emperors as pillars of the nation. But now, I want to highlight another type of pillar—the pillar of the heart or pillar of the mind, which can also be called a pillar of stability.

So, do you have a pillar of stability?

For devout Christians, Jesus Christ is their pillar of stability. For Buddhists, Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) is their pillar of stability. But for some people, money is their pillar of stability. As long as they have wealth, they feel secure, but once they lose it, their emotions and mental state become chaotic. For others, power and status serve as their pillar of stability—without them, they feel lost and unanchored. Some find their pillar of stability in their careers; they stay busy and fulfilled in their daily work, striving toward a goal. But if their career suffers setbacks or even collapses, their entire spiritual foundation crumbles.

With a pillar of stability, the mind remains steady—it can be said that "effort has direction, and striving has a future." But without it, the mind becomes disoriented—"effort lacks a goal, and progress has no direction."

Now, let’s reflect: what should a person take as their pillar of stability?

If you see your spouse as your pillar of stability, then any change in them will shake your emotional world.

If you see your profession as your pillar of stability, then losing your job will feel like the sky is falling.

If you see wealth as your pillar of stability, then losing money will leave you completely unmoored.

If you see your current career as your pillar of stability, then as times change and circumstances shift, any setback or business failure will leave your world shrouded in darkness.

If you see your teacher as your pillar of stability, then if something happens to them, your worldview, values, and understanding of life and LIFE will be shaken.

If you see your country’s president as your pillar of stability, then if they fall, your life will become chaotic and directionless.

From this, we can conclude: the longer-lasting your chosen pillar of stability, the better. The shorter its lifespan, the more unreliable it will be.

So, what is your pillar of stability? Do you have one?