As I prepare for my presentation on the Tao Te Ching at Innisfree in a few weeks (Ideas, Movements, and Spaces: Experiencing the Tao de Ching, Qigong, and Innisfree — Innisfree Garden), I once again think “What have I gotten myself into?!” To paraphrase Getrude Stein, there’s so much “there” there! Each time I read this Taoist masterpiece, new insights appear. It’s like looking at a diamond in the sunlight, and seeing how as you move it, the colors keep sparkling and changing. That metaphor would never appear in the Tao Te Ching, however, which is much more interested in the concept of the humble, uncarved block of wood, an image that appears several times throughout the work.
The uncarved block represents simplicity, humility, and endless potential, since a piece of wood can be split or carved into a myriad of useful objects. None of these useful objects, however, compare to the original miracle of the living tree itself: rooted, resilient, and growing stronger by combining the energies of the earth, water, and sun. That is the source of wood’s utility: its unsplit, harmonious integration of yin and yang, its oneness with the world.
The uncarved block is a powerful reminder to keep things simple, to “Be a human be-ing, not a human do-ing.” “If you accept the world, the Tao will be luminous inside you and you will return to your primal self” instructs the Tao Te Ching. Its author(s) go further, and compare the uncarved block to the wise sage, who doesn’t get split by ambition or distraction, but remains humble by taking in the whole picture. (“The Master knows the utensils, yet keeps to the block.”) If only more politicians were Taoists!
When I reflect on the wisdom of the uncarved block, I like to imagine being a great tree, embracing the world, connecting both the dark (roots) and the light (sun); a tree with open, encircling branches. “If you receive the world the Tao will never leave you and you will be like a little child.” It’s a refreshing, rejuvenating exercise to stand in Qigong’s “tree pose” and breathe peacefully into your roots, branches, and leaves. Try it right now; it’s also a great way to cool down on a hot day.
