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LAO TZU: 7 Insegnamenti Per Liberare la Mente | Filosofia per dormire — Transcript

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0:00More than 2000 years ago, Lao Tzu wrote
0:03: "Those who flow as life flows know
0:06they need no other force." But what
0:10does it really mean to flow with life?
0:14Perhaps it means stopping, at least for
0:17a moment, trying to control everything,
0:20because we are often the ones who make
0:22life harder. We cling to the shore, we
0:26resist the current, we try to
0:29constantly decide where to go and what
0:32should happen. Taoism proposes another
0:36possibility: letting go of our grip and
0:39learning to trust the course of life.
0:43It doesn't mean giving up or stopping
0:45action, it means learning to move with
0:47the current instead of constantly
0:49fighting it. Today we will look at
0:52seven teachings of Taoism that can help
0:55us do that. Seven simple and profound
0:58ideas to live with more lightness,
1:01presence, and serenity. And while you
1:04listen, write to me in the comments
1:05where you are listening from. It is a
1:08nice way to break down distances and
1:10begin this journey together. Happy
1:13listening. Teaching number one, let go
1:20of the ego. Lao Tzu often said that our
1:25ego has a weakness. It is too easily
1:28enchanted by names, labels, and
1:31concepts. We fall in love with the
1:34titles printed on business cards, with
1:37definitions, with the ideas we build
1:39around ourselves to feel safe. But the
1:42truth is that these very things create
1:45a blindfold over our eyes, hiding an
1:47infinitely more beautiful reality.
1:51Everything that surrounds us is deeply
1:53connected, and we are part of a
1:55magnificent and much larger whole.
1:59Think for a moment about a sea wave. If
2:02the wave could speak, maybe it would
2:04define itself as high, strong, imposing
2:07, or perhaps small and fragile compared
2:09to the others. It could boast of its
2:13height or be afraid of crashing on the
2:15shore, but the truth is that the wave
2:17is nothing but water. In the same way,
2:21we are much more than the work we do,
2:24the salary we receive, or the image we
2:26see every morning in the mirror. Yet,
2:32almost without noticing, we slip into
2:34the mistake of defining who we are
2:36based on our social role, our
2:38professional title, or the expectations
2:41of others. It is as if, with our own
2:46hands, we built small transparent boxes
2:48around ourselves to lock ourselves in.
2:52At first, they seem like a shelter, but
2:55day after day those boxes become our
2:57prison. Because spending life
3:01constantly striving to live up to a
3:03label, proving we are always the
3:05successful manager, the perfect parent,
3:08or the person who always has everything
3:11under control, is not just tiring, it
3:13is a dull weight that drains our soul.
3:19The greatest risk is that if you end up
3:22identifying only with your career, your
3:24possessions, or material success, the
3:27moment life takes one of these things
3:29away, you feel lost, sinking into a
3:32void, believing you have lost your very
3:35essence. But you were not that thing,
3:39you never were. There is an old Zen
3:44story about a university professor who
3:46went to visit a Taoist master to ask
3:48for explanations about life. The master
3:52began to pour tea into the guest's cup.
3:56He poured and poured, and the cup
3:58filled up. But the master kept pouring
4:01until the tea started to overflow onto
4:03the table. The professor, unable to
4:07hold back any longer, exclaimed: "
4:10Master, the cup is full, it won't take
4:12any more." And the master smiled. Just
4:17like this cup, you are full of your
4:19opinions, your titles, and your
4:21concepts. How can I show you the truth
4:24if you don't first empty your cup? The
4:28Tao invites us to reflect on a very
4:30simple gesture. Every time we stick a
4:33label on a person, we stop seeing who
4:35they really are. If we say, for example
4:39, that that person is just a waiter,
4:41that another is a rich businessman, or
4:44that someone else is a failure, we stop
4:46perceiving their inner universe and
4:48start seeing them only through the
4:50filter of our expectations. And the
4:54saddest thing is that we do the exact
4:57same thing to ourselves, judging and
5:00limiting ourselves every single day.
5:04This does not mean at all that we
5:06should stop dreaming, working, having
5:08goals, or desiring beautiful things.
5:12The wisdom of the Tao does not ask you
5:14to give up action or live in apathy. It
5:18only asks for one thing: not to cling
5:20desperately to the ideas and identities
5:22we create for ourselves. Think about
5:26when you hold a handful of fine sand in
5:28your hand. If you leave your hand open
5:31and relaxed, the sand stays there, soft
5:34on your palm. But if fear of losing it
5:37takes hold and you clench your fist
5:39with all your might, the sand will slip
5:41through your fingers, leaving your hand
5:42empty. When we hold onto something too
5:48tightly, be it a job role, an old
5:50memory, or a finished relationship, we
5:53lose the ability to let it go when its
5:56cycle has ended. And so we start
6:00swimming desperately against the
6:02current, spending all our energy
6:04fighting against the natural course of
6:06events. How many people do you know who
6:10live defining themselves solely through
6:13their position? Perhaps for years they
6:16held a prestigious role, being
6:18respected and admired by everyone. Then
6:21, suddenly, retirement or an unexpected
6:24change arrives, and their entire world
6:26seems to shatter into a thousand pieces
6:29. They feel useless, but that only
6:32happens because for decades they
6:34reduced themselves to a simple line on
6:37a resume or a nameplate on a door,
6:39forgetting the wonder of everything
6:41around and within them. When we came
6:46into the world, we were light; we had
6:48no labels. Look at a small child
6:53playing in a park; they don't care
6:55about social class, clothing brands,
6:58religion, or the success of their
7:01playmate. They run, laugh, and look at
7:05the world with clear eyes, free and
7:07full of pure wonder. It is only as we
7:10grow up that we begin to collect these
7:12superstructures, ending up believing
7:14they define who we are. We divide
7:17ourselves into groups, raise barriers,
7:19and push away those who do not fit into
7:21our same patterns. But Laozi's message
7:25arrives like a carefree caress. Let go
7:28of rigidity, untie the knots of the
7:31mind, and let yourself be carried by
7:33the spontaneous rhythm of life.
7:37Everything you are desperately
7:39searching for out there—sincere love,
7:42deep serenity, peace of heart—is not
7:44found in a distant place, nor is it a
7:47trophy to be won by force or displayed.
7:51You are already connected to all of
7:53this. You just need to take a step back
7:56, breathe deeply, and rediscover your
7:58natural alignment. Laozi said that our
8:03task is not to add more weight to
8:05ourselves, but to patiently peel away
8:07every superfluous layer that covers us
8:09to rediscover our true nature. And he
8:13gave us these words. Listen carefully:
8:16when I let go of what I am, I become
8:19what I might be. When you finally find
8:23the courage to free yourself from the
8:25weight of the ego, from the
8:27expectations of others, and from false
8:29identities, something extraordinary
8:31happens. Stop fighting, open your arms,
8:34and you realize that everything you
8:37truly needed begins to flow into your
8:39life in a spontaneous, gentle, and
8:41infinitely light way. Teaching number
8:49two: do not insist on being first.
8:54Listen to this beautiful and powerful
8:56image that Laozi gave us over 2,500
8:58years ago. All streams flow to the sea
9:02because it knows how to place itself
9:04lower than them. It is precisely its
9:08humility that gives it this great,
9:10immense power. Along with compassion
9:15and simplicity, humility is one of the
9:17three most precious jewels of Taoism, a
9:20treasure that the great masters loved
9:22to summarize with a teaching of
9:24disarming simplicity. Never be in a
9:28hurry to be first. Think about it: the
9:31sea does not shout, does not climb
9:33mountains, and does not claim to be on
9:36top. By remaining at the lowest point,
9:40it welcomes the water of every river on
9:42the planet; it becomes immense without
9:44ever forcing anything. The wisdom of
9:49the Tao whispers a truth we often tend
9:52to forget. We are not islands separate
9:56from the world, but all part of one
9:58wonderful reality. Try to visualize it
10:03for a moment. We can imagine ourselves
10:06as many distinct little rivers. There
10:09is the rushing stream between rocks,
10:12the slow river crossing the plains.
10:17Each with its own winding path, its own
10:20curves and obstacles. At first glance,
10:25we seem divided, alone on our journey.
10:29Yet, at the end of the road, we all
10:32dive into the same vast and boundless
10:36ocean. We are all connected from the
10:39start to the same source, the Tao. And
10:44just like those rivers traveling to the
10:47sea, we are supported and guided by the
10:49same universal life energy. Sadly, in
10:54the frantic race of modern society, in
10:57this constant competition we are
10:59immersed in daily, we completely forget
11:02this profound truth. We live with the
11:07anxiety of having to outdo others, to
11:09push to reach the top, not realizing
11:11that in doing so, we are just swimming
11:13desperately against the current. It is
11:18a massive effort that drains our soul
11:20and only ends up generating anxiety,
11:22resentment, and useless walls between
11:24us and those around us. It is a bit
11:28like a violinist in a symphony
11:30orchestra. If the performer, driven by
11:33ego, decided to play louder than
11:35everyone else to be noticed, they
11:37wouldn't create better music; they
11:39would destroy the harmony of the entire
11:41piece. The beauty of the symphony
11:46arises when every instrument respects
11:48the others and plays in tune with the
11:50whole. The more we struggle, breathless
11:55, to reach an individual goal, the more
11:57we risk giving that milestone an
11:59enormous, disproportionate, almost sick
12:01value. We start fixating on social
12:07status, labels, career titles, or the
12:09amount of money we accumulate. And the
12:14moment we finally get what we wanted,
12:16ego takes over, whispering the illusion
12:19of superiority and pushing us to look
12:22down on those left behind. But the
12:27reality, if we stop to breathe for a
12:29second, is completely different. No
12:32matter how hard you fought, worked, and
12:35made your way, no one in this world is
12:38truly self-made. There is an ancient
12:43story about a great king who boasted of
12:45his majestic marble palace, telling
12:47everyone he built it solely through the
12:50strength of his power. One day, an old
12:54sage led him to the construction sites
12:56and showed him the cut-filled hands of
12:58the stonemasons, the bent backs of the
13:01laborers, and the work of the
13:02carpenters who carved the wood. "Your
13:06Majesty," the wise man said, "you gave
13:08the order, but it was a thousand
13:10invisible hands that placed every
13:12single stone protecting you from the
13:14rain." Try to stop for a moment and ask
13:19yourself with sincere honesty how much
13:21of your life you have truly earned
13:23solely through your own efforts. Think
13:28about it carefully; when you arrived on
13:30this planet, you were just a helpless
13:33infant, fragile and unable to survive
13:35on your own. There were parents or
13:38loved ones who fed you, kept you warm,
13:41protected you, and looked after you
13:43night after night. Did you earn that?
13:48No, it was a pure act of love, a gift.
13:53Growing up, you met mentors and
13:55teachers who took you by the hand to
13:57teach you how to read and write. There
14:01were people who cultivated and prepared
14:04the food you eat every day. An entire
14:08community that built the roads you walk
14:09on, the houses where you take shelter,
14:11the music that moves you. As a teenager
14:16, there was still someone taking care
14:19of you, washing your clothes and
14:21allowing you to study and grow up. So
14:26today, now that you are an adult, how
14:27much of who you are did you create
14:29entirely on your own? According to the
14:33OTSU, the answer is nothing. Your
14:36existence is an immense and continuous
14:38gift given to you by everyone who has
14:40crossed your path. You are exactly
14:44where you are today thanks to the time,
14:46care, patience, and generosity of an
14:48infinite number of people. That is why
14:52we cannot and must never look at those
14:55less fortunate than us, thinking they
14:57deserve their struggles or that we
14:59deserve to be on a higher pedestal.
15:03None of us lives by pure personal merit
15:06. Humility is not a sign of weakness,
15:09it is not a sense of submission, and it
15:11is not a trick to appear good in the
15:13eyes of others. Humility is simply the
15:17most authentic, clear, and realistic
15:19view of life. A gentle and profound way
15:24to practice this awareness is to treat
15:26yourself to an evening walk. As you
15:30walk at a slow pace, try to turn your
15:32thoughts to the people who fill your
15:35life, your family, your dearest friends
15:37, your neighbors, the colleagues with
15:39whom you share your days. Try to
15:44ideally strip them of their job titles,
15:46their economic means, or the social
15:49role they occupy. Look beyond the
15:53surface and consider the invisible
15:55battles that each of them might be
15:56fighting in silence. A marriage going
16:00through a crisis, a financial worry
16:03that keeps them awake at night, an
16:05emotional fragility, or inner suffering
16:08. And ask yourself with an open heart
16:13how you could be a gentle presence for
16:15them, how you could offer a little help
16:17, even just a sincere ear, without
16:19expecting anything in return? When you
16:25begin to truly feel part of others '
16:27lives, a silent but extraordinary
16:29transformation takes place within you.
16:32You stop feeling alone. It's true,
16:37their pains and their struggles will
16:40also become yours to some extent, but
16:43in the exact same way, their joy, their
16:46rebirth, and their happiness will also
16:49become deeply and wonderfully yours.
16:56Lesson number three: don't rush things.
17:03Lao Tzu left us an extraordinary
17:05teaching that is still extremely valid
17:07today. A small phrase capable of making
17:10us release our tension. Those who run
17:13too far ahead don't actually go very
17:15far. We have all experienced at least
17:20once in our lives those magical, almost
17:22surreal moments where we feel as if we
17:25were in a bubble. These are those rare
17:29and precious instants when everything
17:31we do seems to flow with disarming ease
17:33, without effort, without anxiety, and
17:36without the mind tiring itself trying
17:38to control every single detail. Think
17:43of a jazz musician during an
17:44improvisation. They aren't thinking
17:46about the rules of music theory or the
17:48single note to play next. Their fingers
17:51move on their own in perfect rhythm
17:53with the music. Or think of a painter
17:57immersed in their canvas who completely
17:59loses track of time. In those moments
18:03there is no tension; we move in sync
18:05with what we are doing, just like in a
18:08harmonious and natural dance. In Taoism
18:12, this wonderful state of deep harmony
18:15is known as Wu Wei. It is often
18:19translated as effortless action or
18:22non-action, but beware, it does not
18:25mean remaining idle or giving in to
18:29apathy at all. Imagine a farmer tending
18:34to his field. He doesn't sit around
18:36waiting and doing nothing, but he
18:38doesn't go out into the fields to pull
18:40at the sprouts to make them grow faster
18:41, because he knows he would break them.
18:45Wu Wei is precisely this: the subtle
18:47art of aligning our actions, our
18:50decisions, and our steps with the great
18:53spontaneous flow of life. Being in the
18:58zone means becoming one with the
19:00present experience. In that state of
19:04pure and restful concentration, there
19:06is no longer any room for struggle or
19:08strain. The noise of the world around
19:12us finally seems to slow down, and we
19:14merge completely with the action we are
19:17performing, regaining a sense of peace
19:19and absolute mastery. Think of a daily
19:24experience that has happened to each of
19:27us: the night we desperately try to
19:29fall asleep, and the more we force
19:31ourselves to relax through sheer
19:33willpower, the more sleep seems to
19:35vanish on the horizon. Tossing and
19:38turning in bed, staring at the clock on
19:41the nightstand and anxiously
19:42calculating how few hours of sleep are
19:45left, only stirs the mind. There is a
19:49beautiful Zen metaphor that reflects
19:51this moment. If you try to stir a glass
19:54of murky water to get the mud out, you
19:56will only make it cloudier. But if you
19:59set the glass on the table and wait
20:01calmly, the mud will settle on its own,
20:04and the water will become clear again.
20:08At night, the most powerful thing we
20:11can do is exactly this: surrender and
20:14let go. We stop fighting, we simply
20:18watch our thoughts come and go like
20:21clouds in the sky, allowing our body
20:23and breath to find their own way to
20:25rest. When we gently listen to our
20:32natural rhythm, things happen on their
20:34own in a simple, fluid, and effective
20:36way. When we try to force timing and
20:41accelerate life, we waste a huge amount
20:43of energy and end up feeling exhausted
20:45without having achieved anything good.
20:50But how can we bring this wonderful
20:53philosophy of the Way into our daily
20:57routine? A beautiful starting point is
21:02learning to untie the knot of haste. We
21:06live in an age that pushes us to want
21:08everything immediately and without
21:09delay. If you decide to start a new
21:13project or launch your own business,
21:15you want the success and results to
21:17arrive by tomorrow morning. This
21:20constant impatience fills the mind with
21:22background noise, steals our serenity,
21:24and prevents us from enjoying the
21:26moment we are living. But the truth is
21:30that there are no shortcuts to growing
21:32things destined to last. Think of a
21:38great oak tree. It does not grow in a
21:41night, but goes through years of
21:43seasons, rain, sun, and wind before
21:45becoming majestic. Every seed needs its
21:49time in the darkness of the earth
21:51before sprouting. There is a natural
21:54process made of phases and waiting that
21:56cannot be skipped or sped up. If we
22:02truly wish to build something beautiful
22:05and deep, be it a work project, a
22:07passion, or a romantic relationship, we
22:09must learn to free ourselves from the
22:12anxiety of the final result, do our
22:14daily duty with serenity, and then
22:16allow nature and the Tao to do the rest
22:18. This spontaneous flow does not just
22:25concern work or our professional
22:27ambitions; it gently touches every
22:29single aspect of existence. If you want
22:34to learn to play an instrument, master
22:36a foreign language, or cultivate a deep
22:38friendship, you will have to go through
22:40a sequence of small, gradual steps. The
22:43most precious things life can offer us
22:46are not conquered with haste. Of course
22:50, this doesn't mean becoming lazy or
22:53waiting for happiness to rain down from
22:55the sky, but our actions must never be
22:58a brutal clash against reality; they
23:00must move along with the natural course
23:03of events, supported by trust. Because
23:07deep down, if we learn to listen to our
23:09hearts and observe the nature around us
23:11, we discover the most reassuring
23:13certainty of all. A flower does not
23:16unfold its petals before its time, and
23:18nothing ever happens before or after
23:20the perfect moment in which it is meant
23:22to occur. Lesson number 4, embrace
23:30change. I would like to share with you
23:35one of the sweetest and most revealing
23:37quotes by Lao Tzu, and it is this:
23:39often, new beginnings are simply
23:41disguised as painful endings. Try to
23:46think for a moment about the image of
23:49water. One of its most poetic and
23:52extraordinary qualities is the grace
23:54with which it faces any obstacle. When
23:58a river encounters a large rock along
24:00its path, it doesn't waste its life
24:01crashing against it; it doesn't get
24:03angry and doesn't stop. It flows around
24:06it with patience, polishes it with
24:08gentleness, and finally envelops it.
24:13Water adapts naturally to whatever
24:15space welcomes it and is never
24:17imprisoned in a single form. If you put
24:20it in a cup, it becomes the cup. If you
24:23heat it, it rises toward the sky like
24:26light steam. If the cold surrounds it,
24:29it becomes solid and strong like ice,
24:32showing infinite flexibility and grace.
24:37Lao Tzu teaches us that just like water
24:40, we too can learn to flow in harmony
24:43with the Tao, which is the natural and
24:45spontaneous beat of the universe. And
24:49the secret to succeeding lies in
24:52embracing one great, liberating truth.
24:55Living means changing continuously.
25:01Look at what happens in nature during
25:03autumn. Trees do not fight desperately
25:06to hold onto their yellowed leaves.
25:09They don't despair when the wind
25:11carries them away, leaving their
25:13branches bare and vulnerable to the
25:14winter cold. Trees know by instinct
25:19that shedding them is the only way to
25:21protect their roots and prepare to
25:23bloom even stronger and brighter buds
25:25in the spring. If the tree insisted on
25:30keeping its old leaves, it wouldn't
25:31have the energy to bring forth new ones
25:33. Our existence is like a wonderful
25:39book, made of many different chapters,
25:42and each one brings with it unique
25:45challenges, lessons, faces, and
25:47emotions. The problem is that we are
25:52often held back by a sort of laziness
25:53of the soul, a subtle inertia. We cling
25:57tightly to the pages we have already
25:59read, trace old memories with our
26:01fingers, and struggle immensely to turn
26:04the page. to discover what the next
26:06chapter has in store for us. We are
26:09creatures of habit, sometimes almost
26:11frightened by uncertainty, and we end
26:13up viewing every change with a sense of
26:16anxiety and threat, instead of
26:17recognizing it as an invitation to be
26:19reborn. Yet, ancient wisdom reminds us
26:25that to finally transform into what we
26:27could become, we must find the
26:29gentleness and the courage to let go of
26:31what we have been. There is a beautiful
26:36metaphor regarding the caterpillar and
26:37the butterfly. For the caterpillar, the
26:41moment it closes itself in the cocoon
26:43literally seems like the end of the
26:45world, and in the dark, cramped and
26:48immobilized, everything it knew has
26:50disappeared. But what is the end of the
26:54world for the caterpillar is just the
26:56birth of a wonderful butterfly for the
26:58rest of the universe. Imagine, for
27:03example, having spent your whole life
27:05in the same neighborhood, in the same
27:08city, surrounded by the same familiar
27:10scents and faces. And then suddenly, an
27:13extraordinary job opportunity arrives
27:15—the dream of a lifetime—that
27:17requires you, however, to pack your
27:19bags and move to the other side of the
27:21world. It is completely natural to feel
27:26a knot in your stomach and experience
27:28fear. A deep part of you will try to
27:32keep you in the warm and reassuring
27:33nest of things that are known. The
27:36usual way home, the coffee shop with
27:39the same old friends, the certainties
27:42that make you feel safe. Or think of
27:47the dull ache we feel when an important
27:49love story comes to an end. It is a
27:53mourning of the soul, a moment when
27:55sadness can become so thick it takes
27:56our breath away, making it difficult to
27:58even think about getting out of bed,
28:00leaving the house, or seeing loved ones
28:02. In these moments of transition, we
28:08are struck by a sort of emotional
28:09myopia. Our mind narrows its field of
28:13vision, lingering solely on the wound,
28:15the sense of loss, and the pain of the
28:18moment. It’s like keeping your eyes
28:22glued to a door that has just been
28:24locked, without noticing that right
28:25next to it, a large window overlooking
28:27the sea is swinging wide open. We lose
28:32sight of the horizon. We can no longer
28:36see how many new possibilities, how
28:37many unexpected encounters, and how
28:39much beauty could be waiting for us
28:41just a little further ahead, if only we
28:43had the courage to let the past slip
28:45away. Every ending, no matter how much
28:49it may hurt, carries the seed of a new
28:51beginning within it. Only when we find
28:55the strength to free ourselves from the
28:58chains of how things were before, can
29:00we finally open our arms to what will
29:02be, allowing our most authentic
29:04potential to flourish, to soar high,
29:06and to continue to grow. Teaching
29:13number 5: be content with little. Lao
29:20Tzu gave us one of the most luminous
29:22truths of all ancient wisdom. Be
29:26content with what you have. Rejoice in
29:29the way things are. When you realize
29:32you lack nothing, the whole world
29:34belongs to you. Among the many
29:40teachings of the Tao, the pursuit of
29:42peace and inner harmony held a very
29:45special place. The master constantly
29:50reminded us that it is impossible to
29:52find true serenity as long as we keep
29:55our eyes fixed on what we don't have,
29:58on that tide of objects, material goods
30:01, and apparent goals we convince
30:03ourselves we need to finally feel
30:05complete. There is an old story that
30:11perfectly illustrates this mental
30:12deception. It is said there was a very
30:16powerful king who suffered from
30:17insomnia and constant sadness. One day,
30:21a court sage told him: "Your Majesty,
30:23to be healed, you only need to wear the
30:26shirt of a truly happy man." So the
30:29king sent his messengers throughout the
30:31entire kingdom. They searched among
30:34nobles, the wealthiest merchants, and
30:37generals, but each one had a worry, an
30:39unfulfilled desire, a reason for
30:41dissatisfaction. Finally, in a small
30:45field, they found a humble farmer
30:48singing happily. They asked him, "Are
30:52you truly happy?" And he replied: "Yes,
30:55I lack absolutely nothing." Thrilled,
31:00the messengers asked for his shirt to
31:02bring to the king, but they discovered
31:05that the farmer was so poor he didn't
31:07even own a shirt. His happiness did not
31:12depend on what he wore or possessed,
31:14but on his ability to enjoy what was
31:17there. If we observe the modern world
31:22we move through every day, a constantly
31:25hyper-connected world dominated by
31:27glossy social media images and the
31:30ostentation of others' happiness, these
31:32words sound incredibly relevant. How
31:38many times does it happen, perhaps at
31:39the end of a tiring day, that we lie on
31:41the couch with our smartphone in hand,
31:43scrolling through others 'profiles? We
31:47come across a photo of a colleague
31:50sipping a drink on a paradise beach in
31:52Hawaii or a video of acquaintances at a
31:55fantastic party who seem to be bursting
31:58with joy. In that moment, almost
32:02without realizing it, a sense of
32:05emptiness creeps into us, a hint of
32:07subtle envy. We find ourselves sighing,
32:11wishing to be elsewhere, to have a
32:13different life, a different reality.
32:17But what our mind forgets in those
32:19moments is a great illusion. The
32:22happiness we see on screens is often
32:24just a postcard, a retouched fragment.
32:27And even if one day we obtained exactly
32:30all the things we envy today, we
32:31wouldn't automatically become happier.
32:36Think of when you were a child and
32:38wished with all your heart for that
32:39specific toy for your birthday. We were
32:42convinced that once we got it, we would
32:44never ask for anything again. Yet,
32:47after a few days of excitement, that
32:49toy would end up in a corner, and our
32:52gaze would already shift to a new
32:54commercial on television. The human
32:59mind, when not trained in presence,
33:01works exactly like that. It has an
33:03insatiable hunger. It is programmed to
33:07move the bar one step further,
33:09constantly seeking what still eludes it
33:11. Perhaps today you are convinced that
33:17earning a million dollars or buying
33:19your dream home would grant you a state
33:22of pure and perpetual happiness, but
33:24the truth is that the moment you reach
33:26that peak, the mind would immediately
33:29invent a new need. A million would no
33:32longer be enough; it would want 10, and
33:35once you reached 10, it would demand 50
33:37. It is the hamster wheel trap, an
33:43endless, breathless race that steals
33:45from us the only thing that truly
33:48matters: the sense of contentment,
33:50peace, and joy we deserve to experience
33:53right now. That is why Lao invites us,
33:59with immense gentleness, to take a step
34:01back, to reduce selfishness, and to
34:03quiet the noise of incessant desires.
34:08Instead of wasting precious resources,
34:11time, and mental energy wanting your
34:14neighbor's luxury car, a model's
34:16perfect body, or someone else's
34:18seemingly flawless life, try a small
34:21inner revolution. Simply shift your
34:24focus to what is already there. We tend
34:29to take the most immensely great things
34:31in our lives for granted simply because
34:32they have always been there. Imagine
34:37for a moment if, for just one day,
34:39running water disappeared from your
34:41home or the power suddenly went out
34:43across the entire city. In that moment,
34:48we would realize how extraordinary and
34:50precious simple acts are, like turning
34:52a faucet or flipping a switch. At this
34:58very moment, as you listen to these
35:00words, you are breathing without
35:01needing to remember to do so. You have
35:05a roof over your head that protects you
35:07from the cold and the rain. You have
35:10food to nourish you. You likely have
35:13good health and the ability to access
35:15all the beauty and knowledge in the
35:17world. These are things that for
35:21millions of people would be an
35:23unattainable dream, yet for us, they
35:25have become almost invisible. This
35:30attitude is a subtle limitation of the
35:32human being. Think about when you meet
35:35the person of your dreams. At first,
35:38every gesture they make seems like a
35:40miracle. Every minute spent together is
35:42a wonderful gift. Then, as months or
35:46years pass, we get used to it. The mind
35:51falls back into the sleep of habit, and
35:53we start taking them for granted,
35:55forgetting the magic of that meeting.
36:00But the wonderful news is that we can
36:02awaken from this sleep at any moment.
36:07We don't need to chase happiness, love,
36:09or inner peace as if they were
36:11treasures hidden somewhere in the world
36:13, because we are already immersed in
36:15them. We are already connected to
36:19everything we truly need. We just need
36:22to learn how to redirect our attention,
36:25just as one redirects a candle to light
36:27up the dark corners of a room. And the
36:32shortest, lightest, and deepest way to
36:34do this is to rediscover the art of
36:36slowing down, learning to say a simple
36:39and sincere thank you, and letting
36:41ourselves be wrapped in the wonderful,
36:44silent gratitude for everything that
36:46surrounds us every day. Teaching number
36:546: accept your weaknesses. The master
37:01of Taoism gives us one of his most
37:03luminous thoughts, a simple truth, but
37:05one that we often forget. When you
37:09accept yourself, the whole world
37:11accepts you. One of the deepest pillars
37:16of Taoism lies precisely in this truth.
37:20Stop waging war on ourselves, stop
37:23fighting against our own nature, stop
37:25punishing ourselves for our
37:27imperfections, and finally learn to
37:30embrace our flaws, welcoming ourselves
37:33for who we truly are. There is an old
37:38Japanese story that best expresses this
37:41awareness. It tells of a large ceramic
37:45vase that fell during transport and
37:47broke into several pieces. Instead of
37:51throwing it away or hiding the cracks
37:53with invisible glue, the master
37:55craftsman decided to repair the splits
37:57by pouring precious molten gold between
37:59the shards. That repaired vase, known
38:03in the Kintsugi tradition, became
38:05infinitely more beautiful, precious,
38:08and unique than it was before it broke.
38:13Its gold-brushed cracks were no longer
38:16a defect to hide, but the story of its
38:18history. And we are exactly like that
38:21vase. Our fragilities do not ruin us,
38:25they simply make us human and
38:27unrepeatable. The Tao teaches us that
38:32when we begin to cast a softer and more
38:34tolerant gaze upon our limits, when we
38:36decide to treat ourselves with a pinch
38:38more kindness and understanding,
38:39something almost magical happens. The
38:44world around us changes color. People
38:47start treating us better, with more
38:50respect and warmth. It is a natural
38:52reflection. The more we learn to love
38:55and accept ourselves without
38:56reservation, the freer others will feel
38:58to do the same in return. But why do we
39:03fixate so much on what is wrong with us
39:05? Very often it all stems from a deep
39:10thirst, the need for approval. We have
39:14convinced ourselves that to be loved we
39:17must be impeccable. We think that if we
39:20are not perfect, if we don't have a
39:22brilliant career or a life that is
39:24perfectly in order, people will reject
39:26us. And so we end up hating certain
39:30parts of ourselves, letting a small
39:32imperfect detail overshadow the many
39:35wonderful qualities we already possess.
39:39Yet, look at the nature around you.
39:43Have you ever seen a tree feel guilty
39:45because one of its branches grew a bit
39:47crooked? A tree never grows in perfect
39:51geometric lines, and a mountain never
39:53has symmetrical peaks. And it is
39:56precisely this spontaneous irregularity
39:58that makes them unique and beautiful.
40:02Imperfection is part of our most
40:04authentic nature. Believing that
40:08happiness comes only after fixing or
40:10patching up every one of our weaknesses
40:12is a subtle trap that keeps us from
40:14living and enjoying the present. If,
40:20for example, you feel you have a few
40:22extra pounds or don't match the rigid
40:24aesthetic standards imposed on us,
40:26instead of measuring your personal
40:28worth by the cold numbers on a scale,
40:30you can make a revolutionary choice:
40:32choose to let go of the need for
40:34control. Stop making war on your body
40:39and learn to treat it as your most
40:41loyal ally, the home that houses you
40:43every day. Think about it. When you
40:49meet someone who is cheerful, relaxed,
40:51and authentic, do you ever judge them
40:53for their shoes or a few extra pounds?
40:56Certainly not. You are drawn to their
41:00light energy, their warmth, their ease.
41:05The very moment you stop obsessing over
41:08what you want to change and start
41:10accepting yourself, something inside
41:13you melts. Your self-esteem no longer
41:16has to be hard-won; it blooms on its
41:19own. Start moving through the world
41:23with a lighter step, treating yourself
41:25with kindness, and showing others a
41:27freer, brighter, and more sincere smile
41:29. And the most beautiful thing is that
41:34the people around you will perceive
41:36that very contagious serenity, and
41:38those small flaws you were fixated on,
41:40they won't even notice. Does this mean
41:45stopping taking care of yourself or
41:48becoming lazy? Absolutely not. You can
41:53join a gym, you can cook healthy, light
41:55, and nutritious meals, but the
41:56underlying motivation will change
41:58completely. You will no longer do it
42:02driven by anxiety, guilt, or fear of
42:04others' judgment. You will do it simply
42:08for the pure pleasure of loving
42:10yourself, cherishing your body, and
42:12feeling full of life and health. Our
42:17mind is a wonderful tool, a
42:19supercomputer programmed to analyze and
42:22solve problems. But if we start viewing
42:26our body, our introverted personality,
42:29or our life as problems to be fixed, we
42:31put unbearable pressure on ourselves.
42:35We create a heavy, rigid energy that
42:38ends up reflecting on the outside and
42:40that people perceive at first glance.
42:46Whenever you fight against who you are
42:48—whether it is your physical shape,
42:50your sensitive nature, or the fact that
42:52your neighbor seems more successful
42:54than you—you only stir up a storm
42:57inside your heart, agitating yourself
42:59like someone trying to fight the ocean
43:01waves. The secret to letting life flow
43:07with the grace and lightness of water
43:09is to embrace every single nuance of
43:11who you are. Stop dividing yourself
43:15between what you believe is positive
43:17and what you judge as negative, and
43:20accept your wonderful totality.
43:27Teaching number 7. Have faith in the
43:31process. To enrich this path of wisdom
43:37and give us a new lens through which to
43:39view life, Lao Tzu offers us another
43:41teaching of inestimable value, a truth
43:44that acts like a cool breeze on a tired
43:46and weary mind. And it is this: nature
43:50does not hurry, yet everything is
43:53accomplished. Another fundamental
43:57pillar of Taoism is the art of natural
44:00patience and trust in time. Lao Tzu
44:04invites us to do a very simple thing:
44:06turn to look at the natural world and
44:09observe how real life works when man
44:11does not try to force it with his
44:14anxiety. Think of a forest. You will
44:19never hear trees pushing against each
44:21other. You will not see a flower
44:23getting stressed because the bud next
44:24to it bloomed a day earlier. No element
44:28of nature lives in a frenzy. Look, for
44:32example, at what happens with the
44:34Chinese giant bamboo. When you plant
44:38its seed, for the first five very long
44:40years you see absolutely nothing. You
44:43can water it every day, tend the soil,
44:45and protect it from the sun. But on the
44:49surface, the earth remains bare and
44:50motionless. To a superficial glance, it
44:55might seem like a failure, a waste of
44:57time, but beneath the surface,
44:59something extraordinary is happening.
45:03During those 5 years, the plant is
45:05silently building a deep, solid, and
45:08indestructible network of roots. Then,
45:12in the sixth year, the miracle happens.
45:15The bamboo sprouts and rises toward the
45:18sky, growing up to 30 meters in just 6
45:21weeks. There was no hurry, there was no
45:26anxiety; there was only respect for its
45:28own time of invisible preparation.
45:32Unfortunately, in our daily lives, we
45:34humans have almost completely lost this
45:37profound patience. We behave too often
45:41like that impatient child who plants a
45:43small seed in a balcony pot and, after
45:45only a few hours, goes to dig with
45:47their fingers in the soil to see if
45:50anything has grown, only ending up
45:52ruining the sprout. We want the fruit
45:56before the tree has even had time to
45:58strengthen its branches. We live with
46:02the constant and oppressive feeling of
46:04being behind. Behind in our careers
46:07compared to our colleagues. behind in
46:09our relationships, behind compared to
46:11the goals that society imposes on us.
46:16And this feeling of being in a
46:18perpetual race only fills our days with
46:21a quiet, wearing, and completely
46:23useless anxiety. There is an ancient
46:29and famous Taoist story that tells of
46:31an old farmer who lived in a small
46:32village with his son. Their only asset
46:36was a beautiful white horse they used
46:39to work the fields. One day, the stable
46:43door was left open and the horse ran
46:46off into the woods. All the neighbors
46:50in the village came to visit him to
46:52comfort him, saying: "What a terrible
46:54misfortune, how will you farm the land
46:56now?" But the old farmer, with a serene
47:01look, simply replied: "Misfortune or
47:03fortune, who knows." Let's just say the
47:06horse is no longer in the stable. A few
47:10days later, the horse returned on its
47:12own and brought with it a herd of four
47:14beautiful wild horses. The neighbors
47:18rushed to him again, exclaiming
47:19enthusiastically: "What immense fortune
47:22, now you are the richest man in town!"
47:25And the old man replied with the same
47:27calmness: "Fortune or misfortune? Who
47:30knows. Let's just say that now we have
47:32five horses. The following day, the
47:36farmer's son tried to tame one of the
47:38wild horses, but he was thrown to the
47:40ground and broke his leg. Again, the
47:44neighbors arrived to mourn the
47:45misfortune. What a bad break, your only
47:48son won't be able to help you for
47:50months. And the old farmer replied once
47:54again:" Misfortune or fortune? Who
47:57knows. The boy has a broken leg. That
48:00is all. The following week, the king of
48:05the country declared war on a
48:07neighboring kingdom and army officers
48:09went through every village to forcibly
48:11recruit all the healthy young men. All
48:15the boys in the village were taken away
48:18to battle and many of them never
48:20returned. The farmer's son, however,
48:24was spared because of his cast. This
48:29little story gives us an immense lesson
48:32. We must not have the presumption to
48:35immediately judge every single event in
48:37our life as a tragedy or as a
48:39definitive success, and above all, we
48:42must not expect to see immediately
48:44where the path we are walking today
48:47will lead us. Every season of existence
48:52has its meaning and its function. There
48:56is the sowing season where you work in
48:58the shadows without seeing any results
49:00yet. There is the winter season in
49:04which everything seems still, cold, and
49:07blocked, but inside the Earth, life is
49:10simply resting to gather energy and
49:12then, unfailingly, the spring of
49:14blossoming and abundance arrives. If
49:21you are going through a moment where
49:24your projects seem stalled, if you feel
49:26stuck or frustrated because your
49:28efforts aren't yet yielding the results
49:31you hoped for, stop for a moment, take
49:33a deep breath, relax your shoulders,
49:35and repeat this truth to yourself. I am
49:40not behind. Do not compare your
49:44personal season with that of others.
49:48Each of us has our own soil, our own
49:50history, our own climate, and our own
49:53unique time for ripening. Stop forcing
49:58events with desperation and learn to
50:00trust the great process of life. When
50:04you stop running with the anxiety and
50:06anguish of having to reach the finish
50:08line at all costs and instead start
50:10lovingly tending to the single step you
50:13are taking now, you will discover
50:15boundless serenity. You will realize
50:19that, just as it happens in nature,
50:22without the need to push or fight
50:24against time, you too will complete all
50:26your work in due time with grace,
50:29harmony, and perfect naturalness. With
50:36this final story, we have reached the
50:38end of this journey. If you enjoyed it
50:43and it gave you even a moment of peace,
50:45and you wish to continue discovering
50:47how ancient wisdom can bring more
50:50happiness, serenity, and success into
50:52your daily life, don't forget to
50:54subscribe to the channel. Thank you
51:00from my heart for dedicating this
51:01precious time to yourself and for
51:02sharing it with me. I look forward to
51:06our next journey together.

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