Stress Comes from the Mind

Stress comes from the mind, and stress is the underlying cause of many diseases and disorders.

With no ego and no stress, you may live longer and healthier as if everything is a miracle.

"NO EGO NO STRESS" a 134-page book on how to use the ancient wisdom from China to relieve stress. All stress-relief strategies of contemporary wisdom cannot totally eliminate everyday stress; they only complement the ancient Tao wisdom in coping with stress. Live your life as if everything is a miracle. 

NO EGO NO STRESS 

The unconventional wisdom in the book may hold the key to living a longer and healthier life. 

Learn how to use the ancient wisdom to eradicate your everyday stress. Specifically, it is about Tao wisdom, which originates from the ancient Chinese sage Lao Tzu the author of “Tao Te Ching”—one of the most translated works in world literature. “Tao Te Ching” is popular due to its profound and unconventional wisdom, which is both intriguing and controversial.

“NO EGO NO STRESS” is divided into four parts:

PART ONE An Introduction to Stress: It explains how and where stress comes from; the damage and devastation of stress to human health.

PART TWO Conventional Wisdom: The major life stressors come from career, money, relationship, adversity, and time. Conventional wisdom offers many strategies for stress relief, such as exercise, herbs, medications, meditation, and psychotherapies, among many others. Conventional wisdom may reduce stress levels, but it does not eradicate stress completely. Conventional wisdom only complements the ancient Tao wisdom for ultimate stress relief.

PART THREE Tao Wisdom: This part not only explains what Tao wisdom is all about, but also contains the complete translation in simple English of all the 81 short chapters of “Tao Te Ching.” Going through the whole script, interpreted and translated by the author, will enable you to understand the essentials of Tao wisdom for stress-free contemporary living.

PART FOUR No Ego No Stress: Stress originates from the human mind: how it perceives and processes life experiences. What is stress to one individual may not be stress to another. This part explains in detail how having no ego can eradicate stress related to career, relationship, money, adversity, and time.

”NO EGO NO STRESS” points out how the human ego is formed by the subconscious mind through its perceptions and interpretations of life experiences. The author relates to the famous saying by Descartes, the great French philosopher: “I think, therefore I am.” It is a myth or misconception that you are “who” and “what” you think; you are not the products of your thoughts. “Who” and “what” you think you have become is just your ego-self, erroneously created by your thinking mind.

Tao wisdom focuses on the need of “emptying” and “reversing” the human mindset in order to see “who” and “what” you truly are, without any attachment to your ego. According to Lao Tzu, the ego is unreal, because it is based on past memories and projections of those memories into the future as desires and expectations. The past was gone, and the future is yet to come; only the present is real. Therefore, the ego-self that exists in the past or in the future is non-existing in the present, except in the mind. Without the ego, there is no need of protecting or sustaining it. Without fear and expectation, there is no need of judging, picking and choosing—they often result in making wrong choices and decisions, and thus creating stress. With no ego, there is no need of over-doing to fulfill the expectation. The problem with conventional wisdom is that the mind focuses on the past or the future, but seldom stays in the present. Only when the mind stays in the present can it see things as they really are and not as what they should be. Tao wisdom is essentially understanding of the true nature of things: that everything in life follows a natural order and pattern, such as life begets death, success is followed by failure, what goes up must come down. Tao wisdom is self-intuition to know and understand self and others, as well as the world around.

Get your download for only $2.99 from Amazon. This is the book for life and living. 

Stephen Lau

Bedtime Rituals for a Compulsive Mind

We spend at least one third of our time staying in bed. Have you ever thought of doing some bedtime rituals? Seriously, they may be conduce to your longevity—if not, at least, beneficial to your overall health.

Before going to bed or while lying on your bed, do the following:

• Lie on your back. Bend both knees.
• Use both hands to pull your knees towards your chest, and breathe naturally.
• Hold for one to two minutes, and relax.
• Straighten your legs, putting your arms and hands at your sides. Relax for one to two minutes.
• Take a deep breath, and stretch both arms upwards above your head.
• Then, slowly bring your hands down while you breathe out.
• Massage your body from your chest to your abdomen for a few minutes.
• Bring both hands at your sides, and relax.
• Repeat as necessary until you feel drowsy and fall asleep.

In the morning, as soon as you are fully awake, do the "wake-up stretches" before you get up to "awaken" your body and your senses, thereby instrumental in preventing aches and pains in your body.

According to Dr. Robert Oexman, director of the Sleep to Live Institute, "The greatest incidence of slipped discs occurs  within 30 to 60 minutes after we wake up."

Extend your arms over your head and extend your legs as far as possible, as evidenced by the stretch in the tips of your fingers and toes. Meanwhile, inhale deeply through your nose. Then breathe out deeply and slowly while drawing your arms down along the side your body with your palms facing up. You will feel full relaxation in your legs. Repeat the stretches several times to energize as well as to relax your body.

Do a single or double knee hug. Start by bringing your knee into your chest. Massage your hip joint by moving your leg in circles in both directions. Repeat with the other knee. Finally, hug both knees into your chest, raising your nose to your knees as much as possible. Now relax your body and let your knees fall gently down to either side. Repeat the whole process several times for stretch and relaxation.

All of the above are simple and easy to do before going to sleep and before getting up. Sadly, many of us simply go to bed when we are too exhausted from watching the television; worse, we may even pop up a sleeping pill. In the morning, we get up in a hurry as soon as we hear the alarm clock buzzing. Come to think of it, we are living in a compulsive world, aren’t we? We have no time to do little things that will have great impact on our health, while we have time texting trivial matters.

Bottom line: many of us simply have a compulsive mind, that cannot and will not want to slow down.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

The Book of Life and Living - FREE copy

Get this book for FREE only today (July 14, 2016)! Click here.

The Book of Life and Living is a 190-page book on wisdom in living, based on the integration of conventional wisdom, the ancient Tao wisdom from China, and the spiritual wisdom of the Bible. The art of living well is holistic living with balance and harmony of the body, the mind, and the spirit.

Tao wisdom is based on the wisdom of Lao Tzu, the ancient sage from China some 2,600 years ago. Lao Tzu was the author of Tao Te Ching, the immortal classic on human wisdom, which has become one of the most translated works in world literature, probably ranking with the Bible as one of the top ten in popularity.

Without the true human wisdom expressed by Lao Tzu in Tao Te Ching, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to live in this day and age as if everything is a miracle.

Mental Illness?

There has been much controversy over gun control after much gun violence, such as a reporter and her camera man being gunned down in front of the TV camera, campus violence, and theater massacre, among other horrific police shootings in the United States.. 

Gun violence has been attributed to the "mental illness" of the aggressors and killers. But do they really have "mental illness"?

First of all, what is mental illness? 

Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Did all these gunmen really have problems in their daily functioning? Maybe not. Some of them were able to write lengthy manifestos before gunning down their victims; some were able to go to social media to brag about their prospective shooting; some were able to plan their killing with logistic details and accuracy. Did they behave like those with mental illness? Most probably not. Maybe many of us have the mental illness in that our minds don't function optimally as they should. In that respect, we all have some form of mental illness.

The behaviors of these killers might seem to be inexplicably cruel, inhuman, and unconscionable. But they were by no means mentally ill. They simply could not let go of their ego-self (they all felt rejected by society, not having a girlfriend or low self-esteem)

Maybe the wisdom of Lao Tzu, also known as Tao wisdom (The word "Tao" comes from the ancient Chinese classic "Tao Te Ching" the only book written by Lao Tzu, which has become one of the most translated works in world literature) can explain why those killers had that inexplicable mindset to kill in order to attract attention.. 

That unique but complex mindset is a result of not "letting go." In life, we all have to learn how to let go of everything, including life itself.  Throughout life, we all have to let go of our children (when they go to college, get married, or even die ahead of us); we all have to let go of material things, such as career, money etc.); we all have to let go of our memories (memories of the unpleasant in the form of anger, bitterness, or vengeance, as well as memories of the pleasant in the form of desires and expectations). If we do not and cannot let go of our emotions, we develop mind disorder, which is compulsive mental obsession of one thing to the exclusion of everything else.

This is how the perplexing mindset of a killer is developed. An individual is fired from his job. His perceptions of disappointment, dissatisfaction. injustice, racial prejudice, and discrimination, among others, become registered in his mind as memories. Without the power of letting go, that individual's mind will continue to generate more negative thoughts in the subconscious mind until the breaking point. If that individual has an aggressive or a violent nature, then he may resort to gun violence. .

It is all about letting go, which is the essence of Tao wisdom. But why is it so difficult to let go? It is all because of the ego-self. We all have an ego -- which makes us feel self-important. Careers, relationships, money, material things, and success -- they all inflate our ego, giving us the identity we crave for. So, to let go of all these things, we must let go of the ego first and foremost. 

To illustrate my point, the gunman who gunned down the reporter and her cameraman was fired, and his ego was completely deflated, leading to negative emotions that he could not let go of. Obsession is the culmination of not letting go. The killer was not mentally ill; he was simply obsessed with his deflated ego that he would not and could not let go of.

Be A Better and Happier You With Tao Wisdom may help you let go of your ego first and then other things that prevent you from living your life as if everything is a miracle.

Stephen Lau 

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Changing Your Mindset

Holistic living is living in rhythm with the body, the mind, and the soul, as well as in harmony with one another. It requires a new mindset: healing of the body, the mind, and the soul comes from within and not from without. That is, medications may suppress the symptoms, but they  do not heal over the long haul. To have this right mindset, you must have an empty mind first. Life is forever changing, and, accordingly, you must change your mindset. Change in life is challenging. Most of us don't welcome any change because of its uncertainty, especially as we have been conditioned to taking medicine and going to the doctor whenever we have a health issue.

Holistic living requires your readiness to change your mindset. Indeed, to be happy and healthy as you continue to age, you must embrace any change that comes into your life. Holistic living, which is connecting the body, the mind, and the soul to live a balanced and harmonious life, requires you to make some lifestyle changes. It takes courage to change, and to take up that courage may be difficult, but not impossible. This is where the human mind plays a pivotal role. Thinking not only makes you smarter but also energizes your brain, making it healthier and younger for longer. Right thinking can work miracles in your life: giving you courage to change for the better to live as if everything is a miracle.

Change has to do with the thinking mind. You must know how to think right. Thinking right has to do with active thinking, and thinking continually. Are you thinking all the time? Not really. You may think you are using your mind all the time, but in fact you are not. It is easy to have mental disuse, which is inadequate use of the brain. Many of us engage in mental disuse when we sit in front of the TV for hours; as a matter of fact, the average Americans spend more than 4 hours a day watching their favorite TV programs. Watching TV is mental disuse because it requires little or no brain activity, such as mental action and reaction; people just vegetate in front of the big screen. Mental disuse is an enemy of mental health. The bottom line: always keep your brain busy to activate your brain cells by engaging in brain activities that benefit the body, the mind, and the soul

Make a decision NOW to make some lifestyle changes. We are all habitual beings; we live by our habits. Therefore, it takes courage to change—courage to get out of our comfort zones. But courage is a great motivator once we embrace it enthusiastically. It not only makes you think out of the box, but also enables you to dream your dreams. Courage is no more than persistence: keep on doing what you need to do. It takes only a little courage to take your first step to go after your first goal. As you go forward, step by step, your steps will become easier and faster with greater rewards that further motivate you. The goal is not so much about obvious changes in your life, as about changes in your thinking process, about your doing and being. Changing lifestyle gradually is a no-brainer that requires, ironically, the help of your brain to provide the courage to change.

Remember, changing your lifestyle—how to live, how you think, how you act and react -- is  conducive to happy and healthy living, especially as aging continues.

Read my book: As If Everything Is A Miracle. This 125-page book is about how to live your life as if everything is a miracle, instead of as if nothing is a miracle. To do just that, you need wisdom to "rethink" your mind, which may not be telling you the whole truth about your thoughts and life experiences; you need wisdom to "renew" your body, which lives in a toxic physical environment; you need wisdom to "reconnect" your soul, which provides your spirituality. Most importantly, you need wisdom to "realign" your whole being because the body, the mind, and the soul are all interconnected and interdependent on one another for your well-being to live your life as if everything is a miracle. Your mind is the map and your soul is the compass; without them, your body is going nowhere, and you will live your life as if nothing is a miracle.  To get your Kindle edition, click here.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

The Complete TAO TE CHING in Plain English

The Complete TAO TE CHING in Plain English

by Stephen Lau

This book contains the 81 chapters of the translated text of the ancient Chinese classic on human wisdom, written by the Chinese sage Lao Tzu. It also explains in plain English the essentials of Tao wisdom, which is the wisdom of TAO TE CHING.

The original text of Tao Te Ching in Chinese is difficult to understand, not to mention to translate it into another language, because the text without any punctuation mark was intended to be controversial and open to multiple interpretations. It should be noted that more than 2,600 years ago Lao Tzu was reluctant to put down his wisdom in words; as a matter of fact, he was specifically told by the guard at the city gate that he could not leave China for Tibet unless he put down his words of wisdom.

Stephen Lau has expressed and interpreted the original text in plain English for readers worldwide to understand the profound Tao wisdom. Tao Te Ching has been translated into multiple languages; it has become one of the most translated works in world literature.

Stephen Lau has published several books based on the wisdom expressed in Tao Te Ching:

Be A Better And Happier You With Tao Wisdom

No Ego No Stress 

The Book of Life and Living

As If Everything Is A Miracle

TAO: The Way to Biblical Wisdom.

Getting Old Like Santa Claus

Growing older sucks, especially when you don't have a lot of money. Your aging and longevity may be impacted by your spending, which has to do with the value of money, which plays a pivotal role as you continue to age. 

No matter how much money you have, make the best and the most of your remaining years; turn them into the golden years of your life in spite of any financial difficulty you may be facing, Remember, life is a task-master: it teaches you not only how to survive in any challenging circumstance but also how to live well, especially in your golden years.

The senior years are most challenging in that all seniors have to come to grips with the changes and challenges they may be facing. On the one hand, they may make them more appreciative of life as well as more proactive to live a meaningful and purposeful life; on the other hand, these challenges and problems may also make them want to give up on life, and thus drifting and deteriorating rapidly .

Use Santa Claus as your role model to start believing in yourself, developing the right mindset of successful aging, and acting appropriately and positively. Santa Claus may not be a magic-bullet solution to all your life problems and challenges, but he certainly may open unexpected doors for you in your golden years.

The wisdom in living is to do a great deal more with a great deal less that you now have. The wisdom of this book may help you renew and enhance yourself with hope and optimism, showing you a possible and realistic path to a better outcome despite all the challenges, obstacles, and problems you may encounter in your golden years.

Your Golden Years and Santa Claus explains the wisdom of living in the present, the wisdom of letting go, and the wisdom of not picking and choosing--they are the essentials for happy and successful aging in the golden years. Learn how to think and act like Santa Claus in your golden years.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© 2016 by Stephen Lau