The Application of the Way of Nature in Daily Life
Xuefeng
Nov. 2, 2022
What is the way of nature? Let us gain inspiration and understanding from the natural world.
Take a corn seed, plant it in moist soil, and within one day, the embryo germinates. After about one week, a small shoot emerges from the ground. Around 27 days later, it starts to grow new leaves. After 52 days, it develops corn silk, and male pollen appears at the top. Around 90 days later, the corn cob matures. In about 100 days, the corn will be ready for harvest.
The corn grain takes 100 days from entering the soil to maturing, and this is the way of nature.
An egg hatches into a chicken in around 21 days under normal conditions, and this is also the way of nature.
Water freezes into solid at zero degrees, melts into liquid above zero degrees, and evaporates into gas at 100 degrees. Temperature changes lead to variations in the water's molecular state, and this is the way of nature.
Water flows naturally, and when the melon is ripe, it falls off the vine. These are powerful proofs of the way of nature.
Looking at the vast world, apart from many phenomena caused by human activities, all other phenomena change and evolve according to the way of nature. It can be said that all things in the world follow the way of nature.
Humans are one species in nature and are also bound by the laws of the way of nature. For example, aging and death are inevitable, but humans have subjectivity and thinking, so they have the tendency and ability to deviate from the way of nature.
When we summarize the disasters in human society and the causes of individual troubles and suffering, we find that they are caused precisely by violating the way of nature. Conversely, when society is stable, the weather is favorable, and people live happily and contentedly, it is a result of adhering to and following the way of nature.
Therefore, we can conclude that when people obey and follow the way of nature, society becomes harmonious and stable, and people live in harmony and happiness. On the other hand, when they go against and disrupt the way of nature, society becomes turbulent and unstable, and people suffer and endure hardships.
So how do we obey the way of nature? Let me explain through some everyday phenomena.
The Phenomenon of Sudden Wealth
Analyzing the 100-day maturity process of corn seeds after entering the soil, we can see that the phenomenon of sudden wealth goes against the way of nature. Wealth and prosperity should be accumulated little by little, day by day, following the natural course of events. Instant wealth is not in accordance with the way of nature, and its result is catastrophic. It leads to extreme and distorted psychological activities, dramatic changes in language, gestures, and even physiological functions. The attitudes and demands of others towards the individual change, often leading to contradictions and conflicts. In such cases, the phenomenon of sudden wealth results in inflated desires, strained relationships, an imbalanced normal life order, and twisted and distorted mental states. In short, it increases troubles, suffering, anxiety, and fear.
Many people love gambling, playing the stock market for speculation, and engaging in betting. All of these are the psychological outcomes that go against the principles of the way of nature. Similarly, corruption, borrowing money for business ventures, to quickly get the “first bucket of gold,” to live in a luxurious mansion, drive luxury cars, and so on—all ideas and actions aimed at getting rich quickly go against the Way of Nature. This is like sowing corn seeds and expecting a harvest after just three to five days. The result will undoubtedly bring numerous troubles, sufferings, anxiety, and worries.
Therefore, everything cannot be rushed. Any mentality or action that seeks quick success violates the way of nature, and the result is undoubtedly contrary to one's wishes. By going against the way of nature, any self-satisfied success will bring countless hidden dangers. These hidden dangers will gradually be exposed or erupt in the individual's future life. For example, corrupt officials who are smug and self-satisfied may end up in prison or get kidnapped or murdered in their future life journey.
The Fear of Death
Ninety-nine percent of people have a fear of death, which is a very irrational mentality. Death is the most natural and just thing, as everything in the world ultimately leads to death. Even the heaven and the earth will have a day of extinction. How could humans be an exception?
To eliminate the fear of death, one must understand the principles of the way of nature. Once understood, one can face death calmly without disturbance. Death is not an accidental event; it is an inevitable trend that cannot be avoided. Therefore, the best mentality is to embrace death with a smile.
Whether in fear or smiling, death is inevitable. Fear makes people timid and fearful, while smiling makes people live a relaxed, free, and enjoyable life. Why not embrace death with a smile and live a life full of romance?
In fact, those who understand the mysteries of LIFE and time are the least afraid of death because death opens another door for the journey of LIFE. Perhaps the scenery after death is even more fascinating and pleasant. Thus, those who understand the way of nature and walk on its path will never fear death. If one still fears death, it means they are on a path that deviates from the way of nature.
The Phenomenon of Poverty
Have you noticed that the more impoverished and backward a place is, the more likely it is to suffer from natural disasters and human-made calamities? Similarly, impoverished people tend to have narrow, conservative, stubborn, short-sighted, selfish, and harmful thinking patterns. There seems to be a hidden spell that says, "The more they have, the more they are given, and the less they have, the more they stay impoverished."
I used to be puzzled by why places in poverty are more prone to disasters and why impoverished people tend to be conservative, stubborn, and harmful. After repeatedly studying the book without words, I finally discovered that the root cause lies in violating the way of nature.
When we observe birds, whether eagles or sparrows, migratory or resident birds, they are always busy surviving. However, impoverished regions and individuals living in poverty are not as busy as birds. This indicates that they are not walking on the path of the way of nature.
The way of nature tells us that the more accommodating a place is to various species, the easier it is to survive on this place. Similarly, for humans, those who have an open mind and embrace diverse ideas and lifestyles are more likely to avoid disasters and move towards prosperity and happiness. As the saying goes, "The one who steals will not become wealthy, and the one who treats guests well will not be poor." If a person's home always has guests from all over, it will not be a place of poverty. Take the United States, for example; it is prosperous, strong, civilized, and free. Why? Because the United States embraces the largest number of multi-ethnic, multi-faith, multi-group, and multi-lingual immigrants in the world. Immigrants make up 15.3% of the total population in the United States. It is not difficult to understand from this point that in the past, present, and future, the United States has been prosperous and powerful. Conversely, when we look at poor and underdeveloped countries, most of them are closed and exclude foreigners. Biodiversity is a sign of prosperity, which aligns with the way of nature. A place that closes itself off and excludes outsiders goes against the way of nature, leading to inevitable poverty.
Regarding individuals, those who refuse to accept new ideas, cultures, concepts, and lifestyles will inevitably become conservative, stubborn, and fall into poverty and decline.
Phenomenon of Disease:
Disease is a sign of violating the way of nature. Following the natural way of rising with the sun and resting with the sunset is in accordance with the way of nature. Those who violate it will eventually fall ill. Regular routines in daily life and moderation in diet are in harmony with the Way of Nature. Violations of these principles will lead to illness. Negative mental states such as anger, comparison, envy, greed, aggressiveness, belligerence, selfishness, and the pursuit of pleasure and so on, also violate the way of nature, leading to illness.
Here, I propose a "Goldbach Conjecture" regarding diseases. I encourage readers to gather, summarize, analyze, and reason to verify it. The conjecture is: Anyone who has a disease must have violated the way of nature; and anyone without a disease must be following the way of nature.
Phenomenon of Seeking Immediate Gain and Profits:
First of all, let me tell you that 99% of humanity seeks immediate gain and profits.
Any phenomenon of seeking immediate gain and profits is a violation of the way of nature. From forcing children to abandon play for studying to commercial endeavors seeking the "first bucket of gold," bribery and corruption in the business world, or "cutting corners" to get ahead, all these attempts to gain benefits by violating natural laws and even in the realm of spiritual cultivation, many people barely scratch the surface of cultivating themselves but wish to become immortals or enlightened beings. Moreover, many people lack even basic knowledge of how to be a decent human being. Yet, having learned only a few pieces of patchwork jargon related to spiritual cultivation, they audaciously present themselves as "masters," attempting to propagate their teachings and mislead others. Many people show a lack of diligence in their studies, resort to deception and trickery in their work, fail to contemplate deeply in their thoughts, and neglect serious academic inquiry. Yet, they constantly harbor the desire to achieve rapid success and prosperity. But where can such success come so easily and effortlessly? Once they achieve their wishes too effortlessly, without a doubt, they step into a trap and plant hidden dangers.
Planned Economy and Market Economy:
Planned economy violates the way of nature, while market economy aligns with the way of nature.
When we observe nature, no human intervention is required for management. Species naturally reproduce and their populations self-regulate. Over billions of years, nature proceeds orderly without disorder. However, once humans intervene, disrupting the natural course, disruptions occur, and calamities like droughts, floods, pest infestations, fires, extreme heat, and extreme cold emerge.
Similarly, looking at countries, those with market economies prosper, while those with planned economies will inevitably be poor and underdeveloped. The more government intervention, the worse the situation becomes. Conversely, the less government intervention, the healthier and more prosperous the economy becomes.
The application of the way of nature in daily life is discussed through the above-mentioned phenomena. In human society, there are countless occurrences of deviating from the way of nature. I hope everyone can take the examples I provided as a starting point and extend their understanding to other situations, gradually realizing the benefits of following the way of nature.
I can clearly tell you that the way of nature is the way of the Greatest Creator.
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