The time is coming to test our choices, beliefs, principles, practices, our place in the world. It was easy for us not to worry when the human madness happened far away from us. It was easy for us to think that it would never happen to us. Now we are facing a new situation. Now we are faced with the crowning madness of civilization – war. Today it’s a war across the border. Tomorrow? Many of the things we considered important so far have already lost their importance. Many more will follow. Each of us is in a different life situation, in different circumstances. Each of us has to do what we have to do. However, especially now, it is important how we treat the world around us, how we treat the people around us, and how we treat ourselves. May we be able to appreciate the moment that is given to us, people that are close to us that we still have, and our place in the world. May we be able to express this gratitude through our relationship to others, our treatment of others, those who are close to us, and those who are strangers. May we not lose what is, thinking about what was or what could have been if … Let us remember that everything changes but what we do, and how we do it during and between these changes has a measurable impact on them. May the peace of the wilderness be with you always. You can also lookup – THE PRACTICE OF KAN ...
Quality of life
Primal Tao is a daily quest for quality. QUALITY of experience. QUALITY of life. In practical terms it is paying attention to the quality of foods we consume and the reasons why we consume them. Primal Tao is also paying attention to the quality of our “inner life”. The quality of our thoughts and our reactions to what is happening around us, as well as the stability and quality of our inner peace and our perception of life in general. Another aspect of Primal Tao practice is our individual physical condition and its dependence on intensity and variety of physical activities and frequent exposure to natural elements. In all of these pursuits we look for naturalness and simplicity. Thoughtful nutrition Purposeful regeneration Conscious movement Deliberate life ...
What is Primal Tao?
Primal Tao is just one of the many ways. The goal is one and the same and the paths to that goal are many. Primal Tao is not for those who look to confirm their already existing beliefs. Primal Tao is not for those who believe in the”system” taking care of its citizens. Primal Tao is for those who have that gnawing feeling that something is not right, something is off. Primal Tao gives you answers you might not expect. It is for those who understand they nobody has all the answers. It is for those who understand that growth and development are not all that counts. It is for those who don’t trust the experts. It is for those who don’t trust the mainstream narratives. It is for those who look for the meaning and application of the word: natural. It is for those who understand that life and death are part of every cycle. It is for those who understand that perfection and certainty are dangerous ideas. It is for those who understand that to change one thing, many things might have to be changed. It is for those who understand that significant changes might require significant effort and time invested. It is for those who know that competition and profit are not the only ways. It is for those who feel that fun is more important than winning. It is for those who understand that there is such a thing as enough. It is for those who realize that NOW is all we have. ...
The practice of KAN
One of the practices in Primal Tao (Tao of Nature) training is working on our daily attitude towards ourselves, our surroundings, and towards others. We call it the practice of KAN – Kindness, Appreciation and Now. Frequently, we do not realise how much of our perception of the world comes from our own thinking and acting in this world. We do not realise that everything we think, say and do has as much of an impact on others as it does on our own selves. Therefore, when we treat others with Kindness, automatically we create an inner and outer environment ripe with opportunities for joy, happiness, gratitude, compassion etc. It simply makes us feel good about ourselves and the world around us. Anyone who’s ever done a small favour to another human being, knows that feeling and its wonderful consequences. There are reasons to believe that we used to experience it much more frequently and it is only the modern pace of life and the stress that it creates that seem to cause the disappearance of this great habit. The cultivation of Appreciation is another delightful strategy of influencing our own mood and changing the mood of others. Just like there are always many challenges that our life comes with, there are also wonderful things that we can and should remember to be grateful for. No matter how small, it is of the utmost importance to acknowledge to ourselves all our little achievements, accomplishments of others, the daily comforts, relationships and opportunities that we are blessed with. Understanding and feeling thankful for the “good” things in our life is one of the most powerful tools to find peace and contentment with what is. When practiced regularly it creates an effortless ability to find simple enjoyment and pleasure of living in whatever circumstances we happen to live in. When we remember to focus more on the present moment, when we manage to stop thinking for a second about what happened yesterday and what will happen tomorrow – this very moment is the only time when we experience life as it is. This is the only time when we have a chance to fully enjoy our body, our mind and our surroundings because usually, most of the time we are “somewhere else” – not here and now. Many physical and mental activities that cause unusual focus of attention (like extreme sports or engagement in creating art) can be very addictive because the feeling of being present and fully alive is second to none. Practicing Now helps us to create a habit of remembering to concentrate on this moment and using it as well as we can. Both Kindness and Appreciation tend to require a measure of being present Now and using them together gives the most significant results. ...
Yin & Yang in my everyday life
Only when I’m hungry can I fully enjoy food. Only when I’m satiated can I fully enjoy fasting. Only when I’m cold can I fully enjoy warmth. Only when I’m hot can I fully enjoy coolness. Only when I’m tired can I fully enjoy resting. Only when I’m rested can I fully enjoy hard work. Only when I’m motionless can I fully enjoy movement. Only when I’m active can I fully enjoy stillness. ...
The Way of Nature
When you’re lost, look for answers in Nature. When you’re stressed out, go to Nature. When you don’t know what to do, imitate Nature. You are a part of Nature. Nature is a part of you. It has always been so. Nature didn’t disconnect from you. We disconnected from Nature. We forgot where we had come from. When you have doubts ask yourself: How is my decision or my action going to affect Nature? Become a Nature worshiper. Treat it as sacred. Become Nature’s child again. ...
The value of discomfort.
We seem to try to avoid any discomfort no matter what. While some discomforts are worth avoiding, some natural challenges are worth having. It is too easy to forget how wonderful a full stomach can feel. It is easy to forget to appreciate a set of warm clothes suited to the weather. It is easy to forget the convenience of a toilet. It is easy to take for granted fresh, running water. It is easy not to realize the miracle of movement, the joy of using our bodies. For overall balance and to remind ourselves how good our lives can be, let’s allow ourselves to feel truly hungry or thirsty occasionally. Let’s think of how we are using our household water. Let’s use our bodies in various ways, keeping them active, healthy, and strong. Let’s feel the rays of sunshine or drops of cold water on our skin. Let us not avoid little discomfort! It will only keep us healthy and happy. ...
Tao of Nature.
Since the beginning of time, humans have been exposed to hunger, demanding physical activities and natural elements like cold, sun, rain etc. We used to consume what Nature provided and we used to spend all of our time outdoors. In modern times we’ve almost completely forgotten our connection to the natural world, as well as the connection to our own selves. As a result we no longer know what the natural world is. We no longer know what our natural food is. We no longer know how to live to be naturally fit. We no longer know what to do not to get sick. The goal of Natural Health Cultivation is to reconnect again. Cultivating natural health is very simple. Cultivating natural health is very easy. Unfortunately, we live in a world that is neither simple nor easy, and to live in it in a healthy and natural way requires, at least initially, a considerable effort. Thus, The more processed our foods become the simpler we need to eat. The more we consume these “food products”, the more we need to fast. The less we move, the more we need to exercise. The more we insulate ourselves from the elements the more we need to practice body tempering. (e.g. cold and heat conditioning). The more stressed out we become the more we need to cultivate our mind, meditate and train our attention. It could not be simpler! Eat fresh, pre-industrialized food. Experience hunger occasionally. Be active, sweat often! Don’t be afraid of cold or heat. Watch your mind. Train it as you would your body. ...
Tao of the Four Empties – the Empty Room.
The Taoist principle of the Empty Room is all about creating space in your outer and inner environment. Simplify rather than complicate. Subtract rather than add. Unclutter your room. Make space for more sunshine and fresh air. Clear up your schedules. Organize your commitments. Create space around you for freedom of movement. Try to understand what is essential. Create space in your body. Open it up, release its tension. Open up to new possibilities. Be efficient. Create space in your life for new people, new adventures, new experiences. Empty Your Room. ...
Tao of the Four Empties – the Empty Stomach.
The principle of the “empty stomach” has to do with the frequency, volume and timing of our food consumption. If we take a closer look at Nature, just like the ancient practitioners of Tao did, we will notice that it is quite common that animals will go through periods of hunger. It can be caused by the seasonality of certain foods, animal migratory patterns or simply the natural cycles of day and night, times of rest and gathering or hunting. In our “civilized” world, humans, if they can, try to practically eliminate these periods. What’s more important, we increase the frequency of our meals, sometimes up to 6-8 times a day! This is not a very natural pattern for Homo Sapiens. We evolved to rest from digestion on a regular basis. “This makes sense from a survival standpoint. If we do not eat, our bodies use our stored energy as fuel so that we can find more food. Humans have not evolved to require three meals a day, every day.” Excerpt From: Fung, Jason. “Complete Guide to Fasting.” Occasional fasting turns on a very important mechanism of autophagy – the regeneration and recycling of the cells that improves the efficiency and working of the entire system. It is a very “handy” tool for the body’s natural processes of detox and renewal. “fasting is the most time-honored and widespread healing tradition in the world. It has been practiced by virtually every culture and every religion on earth. Fasting is an ancient, time-tested tradition.” Excerpt From: Fung, Jason. “Complete Guide to Fasting.” Fasting is and has always been a part of natural cycles. There are many approaches to fasting but one of the simplest and at the same time the most efficient ways is what is known as intermittent fasting. It is done by simply limiting your “eating window” during the day to anywhere from two to ten hours of time when we consume food and leaving the rest of the day and night to fasting. For example, you eat between10 am and 6 pm and you fast between 6 pm and 10 am the following day. This gives your body 16 hours of rest and regeneration. Once our body and mind adapt, this rhythm is very easy to maintain indefinitely. Other forms of periodic fasting can include but are not limited to water or dry fasting once a week for 24-36 hours, longer 2-3 day fasts every few months, etc. Fasting can be utilized on a daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly basis depending on the individual needs and goals. The amount of food is another aspect of the “empty stomach” principle. There is an old Taoist and Yogic saying: “Eat only when you are hungry but stop before you’re full.” Overrating is often a result of food addiction, inappropriate food choice, boredom or habit. Once we start consuming natural, species-appropriate foods (check the “empty kitchen” article) our unnatural food cravings largely diminish and we start eating according to our body’s true needs. We cultivate an “empty stomach” to support recovery, healing, and overall vitality. ...
