1. Walking

Trail beside stream,
Fragrant Pine,
Rocky red earth,
Steep mountain.

Walking may be a good metaphor for spiritual life, but there are times when simple hiking is literally the best activity. When one walks in the woods or climbs mountains there is a wonderful unity of body, mind, and spirit. Hiking strengthens the legs, increases stamina, invigorates the blood, and soothes the mind. Away from the madness of society, one is freed to observe nature's lessons.

excerpt 365 TAO Deng Ming-Dao

Rock Garden - Walled Dragon City - Shanghai, China

2. Stretching

When young, things are soft,
When old, things are brittle.

   Stretching - both literally and metaphorically - is a necessary part of life.
   Physically, a good program of stretching emphasizes all parts of the body. You loosen the joints and tendons first, so that subsequent movements will not hurt. Then methodically stretch the body, beginning with the larger muscle groups such as the legs and back, and proceed to finer and smaller parts like the fingers. Coordinate stretching with breathing; use long and gentle stretches rather than bouncing ones. When you stretch in one direction, always be sure to stretch in the opposite direction as well. If you follow this procedure, your flexibility will undoubtedly increase.
   Metaphorical stretching leads to expansion and flexibility in personal growth. A young plant is tender and pliant. An older one is stiff, woody, and vulnerable to breaking. Softness is thus equated with life, hardness with death. The more flexible you are, the greater your mental and physical health.

excerpt 365 TAO Deng Ming-Dao

3. Healing

FIRE COOLS.
WATER SEEKS ITS OWN LEVEL

No matter how extreme a situation is, it will change. It cannot continue forever. Thus, a great forest fire is always destined to burn itself out; a turbulent sea will become calmer. Natural events balance themselves out by seeking their opposites, and this process of balance is the heart of all healing.
This process takes time. If an event is not great, the balancing required is slight. If it is monumentous, then it may take days, years even lifetimes for things to return to an even keel. Actually, without these slight imbalances, there would be no movement in life. It is being off balance that keeps things moving in life.

excerpt 365 Tao Deng Ming-Dao

Acrobats