An inquiry into human nature

The Taoists talk about your true nature as being one of virtue (authenticity) or te(pronounced tay as in hooray), which other than in the rarest cases, gets distorted or rather acquires layers of distortion, on account of faulty conditioning and bogus influences growing up. These layers then grow so thick in the fullness of time, you can no longer even know what your true nature is.

You become a complex of distortions instead.

But through it all your true nature shines through every virtuous, generous, kindly or loving act, through every smile or compassionate gesture.

The path of healing, Taoist style, involves not removing these layers but cutting straight to the nub and re-establishing an active, cognitive connection through to the true nature beneath.

Having achieved this, the true nature starts shining through spontaneously, progressively more and the distortions lose power, amplitude and intensity proportionately.

This is the opposite way round to dealing with healing psychotherapeutically.

However it does require initially becoming aware of, acknowledging and accepting the distortions – even loving them – and of course and more crucially, becoming aware of the te beneath all the layers.

I wish you a day of knowing the beauty of your te beneath all the layers.

Love, Doc