Lao Tzu | Chinese Daoist philosopher

Laozi, (Chinese: “Master Lao” or “Old Master”) was the first philosopher of Chinese Daoism and the alleged author of the Daodejing, a primary Daoist writing. Laozi is venerated as a philosopher by Confucians and as a saint or god in popular religion and was worshiped as an imperial ancestor during the Tang dynasty (618–907).

Laozi is traditionally regarded as the author of the Tao Te Ching, one of the most significant treatises in Chinese cosmogony. As with most other ancient Chinese philosophers, Laozi often explains his ideas by way of paradox, analogy, appropriation of ancient sayings, repetition, symmetry, rhyme, and rhythm. In fact, the whole book can be read as an analogy – the ruler is the awareness, or self, in meditation and the myriad creatures or empire is the experience of the body, senses and desires.

The Tao Te Ching, often called simply Laozi after its reputed author, describes the Tao as the source and ideal of all existence: it is unseen, but not transcendent, immensely powerful yet supremely humble, being the root of all things. People have desires and free will (and thus are able to alter their own nature). Many act "unnaturally", upsetting the natural balance of the Tao. The Tao Te Ching intends to lead students to a "return" to their natural state, in harmony with Tao.Language and conventional wisdom are critically assessed. Taoism views them as inherently biased and artificial, widely using paradoxes to sharpen the point.

Wu wei (無為), is a central concept of the Tao Te Ching. It is a concept used to explain ziran (自然), or harmony with the Tao. It includes the concepts that value distinctions are ideological and seeing ambition of all sorts as originating from the same source. Laozi used the term broadly with simplicity and humility as key virtues, often in contrast to selfish action.

Timestamps
2:25 - Whole universe surrenders
3:33 - Let your mind become still
4:22 - I become what I might be

Cre: @theschooloflifetv (Youtube)