本章的key message：老子說，如果順其自然并花時間進行沉思，生活就是美好的。
中國哲學家老子的傳記資料很少，據信他生活在公元前六世紀。 然而，盡管有這個謎，他的思想仍然在當今世界上具有重大影響。
為了快速了解老子教授的哲學，有一個通俗的故事：老子與孔子和佛陀一起參加了品酒儀式。 孔子以腐敗為己任，認為醋是酸的。專注于世界苦難的佛陀發現了醋的苦味。 但老子認為它嘗起來很甜。
這在很大程度上反映了老子最著名的作品《道德經》的存在。《道德經》告訴人們，如果順其自然的流動，生活的確會變得很甜蜜。 就像水面一樣，生活似乎很混亂，但在一個和諧與和平的美麗世界的底下。 要達到這種自然，和諧的流動狀態，就必須與道（或“世界之道”）合而為一。
道家哲學的中心思想是，當頭腦安靜時，一個看似復雜的世界會變得簡單，我們就可以實現真正的智慧。
老子還教導我們，大自然有自己的節奏和步調，我們應該遵循而不是抵抗。 當您遵循“道”時，一切都會自然而然地進行，沒有必要去匆匆忙忙。
Lao Tzu taught that life is sweet if you follow its natural flow and take time for contemplation.
There’s very little biographical information on Lao Tzu, the Chinese philosopher believed to have lived during the sixth century BC. Yet, despite this mystery, his ideas are still a major influence in the world today.
To get a quick idea of the kind of philosophy Lao Tzu taught, there’s a popular story that puts him, along with Confucius and the Buddha, at a vinegar tasting ceremony. Confucius, with his views of people being corrupt, found the vinegar sour; Buddha, who focused on the suffering in the world, found the vinegar bitter; but Lao Tzu believed it tasted sweet.
This is very much a reflection on Lao Tzu’s most famous work, Tao Te Ching, which taught people that life can indeed be sweet if you follow its natural flow. Like the surface of a body of water, life can seem chaotic but underneath there’s a beautiful world at harmony and peace. And to reach this state of natural, harmonious flow is to be at one with the Tao, or “the way of the world.”
This may seem like a very abstract concept, but one of the reasons Lao Tzu and Taoism continue to influence the world is that his instructions make it all very concrete.
Central to the Taoist philosophy is the understanding that a seemingly complex world can become simple when the mind is quiet. And when a simple, beautiful life is full of contemplation, we can achieve real wisdom. So let go of all your busy plans and appointments and instead take the time to actually experience the world.
Lao Tzu also teaches us that nature has its own rhythm and pace that we should follow rather than resist. When you follow the Tao, everything will come at its natural time, and there is no point trying to rush things.
Some good examples of this are the grieving process following the loss of a loved one. For many, this is considered a terrible time, so they try to get it over with as quickly as possible. In other instances, you may try to cut corners in the learning process or attempt to form a lasting new relationship overnight.
But unless you want a life full of stress and strain, you need to surrender to the rhythm of life and let these things happen in their own natural way – which takes exactly as long as it needs to, and not a minute less.
For Lao Tzu, the best way to attune yourself to this natural rhythm is to observe nature. So the next time you’re out and about, remind yourself not to rush through your day or your life. Take a moment to sit down and admire the beauty of the trees or the clouds in the sky.
