Of all the famous Chinese philosophers in history, Lao Tzu is one of the most well-known and respected of all. He was born in 601 BC, after which time he grew to become one of the most influential people in Ancient China. He even founded the Taoist religion when he wrote the Tao Te Ching.
During his lifetime, he taught a lot of things that are still relevant to do this day. Here are 6 important lessons you can learn from Ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu.
1. You Can Be Free When You Let Go
Things will happen when you allow them to. You can’t force anything to appear in your life. Once you can accept that, you can let go of all your expectations and stress. Then, letting go will show you the world in a whole new light. You will be able to act without really doing anything and to learn simply by being present.
2. Good Will Always Triumph
The world is full of both light and dark, both kind people and malicious people. No matter how strong evil may be, however, it can never win out against kindness. So, be kind to others and treat them in the same way that you’d like them to treat you. Along with that, give to others. Both kindness and giving will create more love in the world and protect you from all its evils.
3. Change is Inevitable
Everything changes. Plants grow and die, the sun rises and falls, and the Earth continues to spin. Just as everything in life changes, so does life itself – one day your consciousness will transform, and you will pass from this world. Once you accept that change will always happen and you can’t do anything about it, you will lose all your fears of the unknown.
4. Ego Will Destroy You
If you constantly define yourself, you will never give yourself the chance to unravel the truth of who you really are. In addition to that, if you try to control others you will lose the ability to empower yourself. If you want to find true happiness in life, you need to let go of the ego that’s holding you back.
5. Humility Breeds Wisdom
Some people believe that they know everything – they are the people who will forever be ignorant. Knowing that you don’t know some things gives you the power to educate yourself. It gives you the opportunity to learn more and to fill your life knowledge. That in itself will make you wise.
6. Always Be Yourself
Caring about what other people think about you will only ever serve to make you a prisoner. To be truly happy in life, you need to learn to be content with who you are and to never compare yourself with anymore. Likewise, you shouldn’t feel the need to compete with anyone either. More than anything, you need to accept who you are and be unafraid to show it.
These lessons may be ancient by age, but they are still some of the most important things that you could learn today. So, listen to Lao Tzu’s advice. Follow his teachings and understand what it truly means to live by his words. If you do, you may even find true happiness and peace because of it.
Share this article with friends and family who you think could benefit from Lao Tzu’s teachings.
If you have any questions or would like to ask for advice on the topics that we write about, please send an email to [email protected] with your question.
