The True Meaning of the Tao and its Relationship Between Yin Yang and the Five Elements
By knowing the true meaning of the Tao, one can answer the following questions:
- What do a little girl and a flower both have in common?
- What do a butterfly and a chair both have in common?
- What do a goldfish and a basketball both have in common?
- What do all things in the universe have in common?
An Entity
An entity is an existence. Anything that exists is an entity such as a little girl, a butterfly, or a goldfish. An entity can also be an abstract, such as a birthday party, a job, or a journey.
The Tao of Existence
In order for an entity to exist, there must be a beginning, a point in time where an entity pops into existence. Assuming that nothing in the universe can exist forever, sooner or later, the entity dies and ceases existing. The time or the path in between the beginning and the ending is called the Tao. Literally, the word "Tao 道 " in Chinese means the path or the road. In other words, the Tao is the path between the beginning and the ending of an everchanging and progressing entity. This is why the book I-Ching is called the Book of Change. Life is ever-changing. Life has a beginning and an ending. Life is a journey on the Tao. All things in the universe including a girl, a flower, or a butterfly, have their beginnings and endings. They are all on a journey, traveling and progressing toward their purpose, goal, or endings.
Technically speaking, the Tao exists between two opposites. The beginning is the opposite of the ending. Since Yin is the opposite of Yang, we can say that the Tao exists in between Yin and Yang. Therefore, the Tao is the path between Yin and Yang. The Tao cannot exist without Yin and Yang.
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| Beginning (Yang) | The Tao (Path) | Ending (Yin) |
➡️Next The Properties of Yin and Yang
