Letting Go to Live in the Present

Letting Go to Live in the Present

Humans have wants and desires which generate expectations that necessitate judging, picking and choosing. Disappointments and frustrations are their byproducts. According to Lao Tzu, the author of Tao Te Ching, the ancient classic on human wisdom, everything in life is to be welcomed and embraced, but not avoided.

“Everything that happens to us is beneficial.

Everything that we experience is instructional.

Everyone that we meet, good or bad, becomes our teacher or student.

We learn from both the good and the bad.

So, stop picking and choosing.

Everything is a manifestation of the mysteries of creation.”

(Chapter 27, Tao Te Ching)

According to Tao wisdom, the root cause of all human miseries is pride, which is to satisfy the ego-self delusively created in the flawed human mind.

“The Creator is above,

and we are below

The Creator is in front,

and we are behind.

Because this is the nature of things,

humility is only natural to us.

Yet many are desirous of the top

fearful of lagging behind.

Humility is the Way.”

(Chapter 66, Tao Te Ching)

“Dependent on the Creator,

our horizons broaden and expand,

our souls inspire and nourish,

our relationships grow and flourish.

Everything around us becomes oneness with the Creator.

Dependent on ourselves,

our horizons contract and shrink,

our souls wither and die,

our relationships break and crumble.

Everything around us becomes depleted and damaged.”

(Chapter 39, Tao Te Ching)

Humility initiates the process of letting go of everything that distracts us from our pursuit of true human wisdom.

“Possessing little, we become content.

Having too much, we lose the Creator.

Having no ego, we become humbled, and our actions are enlightened.

Having no desire for perfection, our actions are welcome by all.

Having no expectation of result, our actions are selfless and non-judgmental.

Having no goal, our actions are under-doing and never over-doing.

Accepting what is, and finding it to be perfect is not easy.

But that is the only Way to the Creator.”

(Chapter 22, Tao Te Ching)

Indeed, distractions in modern life come in many different forms.

“Distractions are many,

in the form of riches and luxuries,

They allure us from the Way.

Accumulations are like extortions of the poor.

They bring only disaster and suffering.

Do not deviate from the Way.”

(Chapter 53, Tao Te Ching)

Letting go of control, we no longer strain, strive, and struggle, and thus enabling us to live in the present moment—which is a luxury to many in this day and age.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

 

29 Smart Steps to Teach Your Smart Kid to Read

29 Smart Steps to Teach Your Smart Kid to Read

This 117-page is based on how I taught my daughter to read some 30 years ago. 

Like all proud parents, I was and still am proud of the fact that I could teach her how to read when she just turned three (most children learn at the age of five). The TV and all electronic devices may not be as effective as YOU, the parent, to teach your child through everyday intellectual interactions, games, and activities. 

This book provides 29 steps that could begin as early as your baby is one-month-old. My daughter became a proficient reader when she was five (reading books with little or no illustrations). By seven, she would not let me teach her anything -- she could find everything from books. It paid off and it's worth all the initial efforts in teaching her to become an early reader. Now she's an attorney in the United States.  I wrote this book because she has recently become a mother herself, and that's why I wrote this book to share my experience some three decades ago.

Also, read my book" Make Your Smart Baby Super Smart.

Stephen Lau

Injustice and Spiritual Wisdom

We are living in a world in which injustice and vengeance are rampant. Many of us are in the midst of this storm of unfairness that causes unhappiness.

A Case in Point

In 1984, Archbishop Valerian Trifa was deported from the United States after being accused a Nazi supporter, who not only had incited attacks on Jews, but also was responsible for executing many Jews in World War II.

After World War II, the Nazi supporter came to the United States as a refugee immigrant. He assumed the name of Valerian Trifa, and was ordained as a priest of the Rumanian church soon after his arrival in the United States. He rose quickly to the rank of bishop and archbishop, and lived in comfort in a 25-room farmhouse on a 200-acre estate maintained by his church.

Later on, a dentist, who was a Nazi survivor, recognized the Archbishop as the Nazi supporter. The case against him was then pursued for more than a decade by survivors of the Nazi years, Jewish organizations, journalists, and the Justice Department of the United States. Their efforts helped focus public attention on Nazi war criminals who were living in the United States.

At first, the Archbishop vehemently denied his former identity, despite some handwriting experts confirming that his handwriting was identical with that in some of the execution orders he had carried out while he was a Nazi supporter. As luck would have it, with the advancement of forensic science, some experts could incredibly still retrieve some DNA from those execution orders. That was his undoing, and his final judgment.

The Archbishop was ultimately ordered to leave the United States in 1982, but spent two years trying to find a country that would give him refuge. Portugal admitted him in 1984, and he finally settled in Estoril, where he died at the age of 72 of a heart attack.

Spiritual Wisdom

Do not avenge yourself; instead, leave it to the wrath of God, which is a repayment to man for something man has done wrong. Do not carry with you anger, bitterness, resentment, and revenge—they only make you unhappy.

“Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

Take delight in the Lord,
 and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

(Psalm 37: 1-4)

Bottom line: Be happy and not depressed because there is so much injustice around.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Decision to Erase Aging

There is some point in life that you must make a decision—the decision on what you believe to be the best course of action for you to become younger and healthier for longer. Everything begins with belief. What you believe is the most powerful option of all.  Nobody can help you if you do not help yourself make that decision to believe.

Make that decision to change now—not tomorrow, or any time soon. If you keep on doing what you have been doing all your life, then you will continue to be what you have been for the rest of your life.  If you want to be younger and healthier for longer, you must make that decision to take appropriate action right now!

Your decision is present, so is your determination to succeed, no matter what. Make it your goal in life, not just a wish. There is a difference between a goal and a wish. Many people may wish for being younger and healthier for longer, but not too many actually see that happen to them, because they have never turned their wishes into goals. A goal is something realistic and achievable. A goal has a time frame, and is measurable in one way or another. On the other hand, a wish does not require commitment, energy or discipline. A wish is merely a thought. A wish alone, without action, will not make you younger and healthier for longer.

So, only you can be your own age eraser. Only you can make yourself younger and healthier for longer.

Of course, you need not look your age; that is to say, younger, and not older. You do not have to advance in lock-step with your years. Nothing is set in stones—not your biological age or your looks.  The health of your body cells determines your age, not the calendar. At the cellular level, nutritional deficiencies rob every cell in your body of the crucial minerals and nutrients it needs to keep you looking, feeling, thinking, and moving young. When it comes to aging, think cellular, not calendar!

Life-changing effects of aging, such as arterial disease, poor vision, debilitating arthritis and joint degeneration, chronic pain, prostate trouble, sexual dysfunction, osteoporosis, dementia, and many more are completely combatible, even reversible, once you give your body the vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and other natural substances it needs to heal itself from within.

The mainstream's forever-young “solutions”—nip-and-tuck, pharmaceuticals for prostate, sexual dysfunction, bone disease—are merely band-aiding the symptoms of aging, but offering no miracle cures; Viagara® and Botox® will not bring back your youthfulness: they only temporarily mask the harsh realities of aging.

Aging is not just your physical appearance: it is your mind, your spirit, and your attitude. It is, in fact, everything about you! Yes, you could be your own worst enemy!

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Letting Go to Let God

Human unhappiness comes from the human reluctance and refusal to let go—letting go of the past, which has become human attachment, and which is no more than a distraction of the human mind from living in the present, which is the only reality in life. Letting go requires human wisdom to see the reality of all things. Due to the human flaw of attachment, human wisdom is often inadequate, and has to be complemented with spiritual wisdom, which is Biblical wisdom.

God’s omnipresence is a manifestation of His creation. Seeking God means we see His presence in everything around us, both visible and invisible. God’s mystery, on the other hand, is manifested only in His wisdom, expressed in the Bible.

In the Bible, Jesus is the personification of God’s wisdom. Only through Jesus can man come to know God’s wisdom.

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way,  the truth,  and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

The Bible is the Word of God, and therefore a source of God’s wisdom through reading its verses. Reading the Bible can provide spiritual wisdom to many, which is necessary for their spiritual growth in order to understand and appreciate God’s wisdom.

The human intent to seek God’s wisdom

First and foremost, the human mind must demonstrate its intent to seek God’s wisdom through specific knowledge of the Bible. In other words, the mind must be in a seeking-and-learning mode in order to grow in the knowledge of God.

"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)

How Tao wisdom may help seeking spiritual wisdom

Tao wisdom is the wisdom of Lao Tzu (born some 2,600 years ago), the ancient sage from China, who authored the ancient classic Tao Te Ching. one of the most translated books worldwide.

Lao Tzu believes the desire to seek the wisdom of the Creator begins with self-discovery, which s understanding true human nature.

“The ancient prophets follow the Way to the Creator,

the Way to re-discover our true nature,

which is being one with the Creator.”

(Chapter 21, Tao Te Ching)

“Living is but an expression of the life given by the Creator.

Our true nature is a reflection of that expression.

Those who are with the Creator, the Creator is also with them.”

(Chapter 23, Tao Te Ching)

Knowing the origin and the nature of things, we may begin to perceive the purpose-driven life God has created for each and every one of us.

“Seemingly intangible, and seemingly elusive,

the Way leads to the origin of all things,

both visible and invisible. 

Since the beginning of the beginning, 

this has been the Way

to the life force of all things,

both past and present.”

(Chapter 21, Tao Te Ching)

Therefore, Lao Tzu urges us to remain faithful to our true nature, which is fundamental to seeking spiritual wisdom.  With spiritual wisdom, we just let go to let God.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

The Happiness Wisdom

The Happiness Wisdom is a 161-page book on human wisdom based on ancient wisdom from the East and the West, conventional wisdom, and spiritual wisdom, which may all provide guidelines for choosing the happiness ingredients for your own happiness recipe. In addition, the book also provides real examples taken from real life, illustrating how these real people perceive their realities, and thus leading to their happiness or unhappiness.

Human happiness or unhappiness is no more than a perception of the human mind, based on an individual's own life experiences. You think, and your perceptions then become your "realities"; with profound wisdom, you can change how your mind processes your perceptions. Change your mind to change your realities, and live your life as if everything is a miracle! Your life journey is uniquely yours. Make your own happiness recipe from the happiness ingredients of ancient wisdom, conventional wisdom, and spiritual wisdom. Continue your life journey with your own happiness recipe.

Stephen Lau 

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Living for Life

The TAO of Living for Life

This book is about the art of living well, which is being in the material world we are all living in, but without being of this mundane world. This daunting and challenging task requires profound human wisdom, which comes from TAO wisdom, the ancient wisdom from Lao Tzu, the ancient sage from China, more than 2,600 years ago.

Lao Tzu was the author of the immortal classic Tao Te Ching, made up of 81 short chapters of Chinese poetry on human wisdom, one of the most translated books in world literature.

This book explains the essentials of TAO wisdom, based on Stephen Lau's own translation and interpretation of Lao Tzu's immortal classic Tao Te Ching with his comments after each of the 81 chapters. Living for life is the wisdom of living in this contemporary age. It is not easy, so you need TAO wisdom.

For more information, click here.

The TAO of Living for Life shows you the wisdom of living not just for yourself, but also for others as well --  just as the famous English poet John Donne says: "No man is an island."  Once you perceive this intricate inter-connection between people, you will self-intuit the wisdom of Lao Tzu.  After all, according to Lao Tzu, there is no word or blueprint for human wisdom -- it is all about self-intuition.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Healthy Pregnancy Wisdom

Healthy Pregnancy Wisdom

Pregnancy is more than just nine months; it is a lifelong project that requires adequate preparation to ensure better results.

    

The Dos

Do physical checkup first for both you and your partner. (why: to resolve all health issues and problems, e.g. chronic diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, etc.).

Do blood tests to check your immunity to German measles (why: it can cause malformations in the baby) and chicken pox (why: immunization before conception if you have not had it before); to check your antibodies from toxoplasmosis (why: an infection that may affect conception and pregnancy).

Do discuss medical conditions with your doctor: previous pregnancy problems, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, premature baby; genetic disorders in family; current prescribed medications.

Do dental checkup (why: gum diseases may lead to premature birth), and dental work (why: avoiding filling or extraction during pregnancy).

Do weight management (why: overweight may lead to diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy; underweight may result in a small baby, problems during labor, and after birth).

Do find out your ideal weight: to determine that, you need to know your height, and weight, as well as your waist size (i.e. your waist circumference between your rib cage and above your belly button). A waistline of 35 inches or more for most women may indicate overweight.

Do find out your Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a measure of your body fat based on your weight and height. Your BMI is determined by this formula: BMI = (body weight in pounds) divided by (body height in inches x body height in inches) multiplied by (703). To illustrate, if you are 5’11” tall and you weigh 165 pounds, your BMI will be: (165/71x71) x 703 = 23   The BMI numbers have the following implications:

Any BMI that falls between 19 and 24.9 is considered ideal and healthy.  

Any BMI that is below 18.5 is considered underweight.

Any BMI that ranges from 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight; any BMI that is above 30 is considered obese.

You should be within 15 pounds of your ideal weight before pregnancy, and that also applies to your partner (why: an overweight partner may have decreased testosterone leading to depressed libido).

Do birth control until you are ready for pregnancy. Hormonal contraception may take months for fertility to return to normal. Natural family planning is the way to go.

Do boost nutrients for a healthy pregnancy. Important nutrients include the following:

Calcium (why: avoiding back and leg pain, insomnia, and irritability)—eat figs and raw leeks.

Folic acid (why: avoiding structural defects)—eat chives. Chives are a nutrient-dense food low in calories but high in nutrients. Always use a sharp knife to cut chives (why: avoid bruising the herb), and add chives to any dish near the end of cooking (why: avoid losing its flavor).

Iron (why: healthy growth of baby)—eat chives.

Magnesium (why: cellular development; over-coming early pregnancy discomfort, such as constipation)—eat chives.

Manganese (why: baby’s normal skeletal development)—eat raw leeks.

Vitamin B6 (why: avoiding nausea and morning sickness; metabolizing proteins, carbohydrates, and fats)—eat raw leeks.

Vitamin C (why: proper absorption of iron)—eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin K (why: healthy bone growth and proper blood-clot formation)—eat raw leeks.

All the above nutrients and vitamins are especially important not only for pre-pregnancy but also for the first trimester of pregnancy

Do get sufficient sleep (why: research has shown that the more sleep you get,  the less time of labor may ensue; getting less than 5 hours of sleep may even increase the chance of having a C-section for delivery. Do set a schedule for your sleeping hours to help your body get on a set schedule of sleep. Do go to bed earlier.

Do take herbs to increase fertility (why: drink clover flower tea and nettle tea to increase female fertility).

Do avoid unpasteurized milk and blue-veined cheeses.

Do cook all your food thoroughly.

Do help your partner to enhance his fertility. According to a Danish study, overweight men have fewer sperms. According to State University of New York, placing laptop computers on laps may decrease sperms (why: due to accumulation of heat). Certain drugs on men’s hair loss, high blood pressure, and ulcers may also affect the quality of sperms. Do increase his intake of folic acid, vitamin C, and zinc to enhance the quality of sperms.

Stephen Lau 

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

The New Book on the Miracle of Living

ANYTHING IS EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING IS NOTHING, NOTHING IS EVERYTHING by Stephen Lau

This newly published book is about the miracle of living.

“Anything” may be “everything” to you, but not to others, and vice-versa. That may explain the some of the difficulties in human relationships. Life is difficult because it is all about you, and not about others. Let go of “anything is everything” to you if you focus more on others as well.

“Everything is nothing” is a universal truth: nothing lasts, no matter how we wish they were permanent. Many of us are reluctant to accept this universal truth of the impermanence of all things in this world.

“Nothing is everything” is enlightenment of the human mind, which is profound understanding of the ultimate truths of self, of others, and of the world around.

This 100-page book explains with many real-life examples to illustrate the perceptions of “anything is everything”, “everything is nothing”, and “nothing is everything”—based on the ancient Chinese wisdom and the Biblical wisdom.

Get the wisdom to live your life as if everything is a miracle.

Click here to get your paperback copy.

Click here to get your digital copy.

Here is the outline of the book:

INTRODUCTION

ONE: ANYTHING IS EVERYTHING

The Meanings and the Interpretations

A Frog in a Well

Human Wisdom and Spiritual Wisdom

Oneness with All Life

Love and Forgiveness

Gratitude and Generosity

Sympathy and Empathy

Compassion and Loving Kindness

TWO: EVERYTHING IS NOTHING

Understanding Is Everything

The Mind and the Ego

Attachments and Illusions

Control and Power

Detachment and Letting Go

Impermanence and Emptiness

THREE: NOTHING IS EVERYTHING

The Paradox

The Way

The Miracle

The Enlightenment

APPENDIX A: TAO TE CHING

APPENDIX B: MINDFULNESS

APPENDIX C: MEDITATION

APPENDIX D: WORDS OF WISDOM

APPENDIX E: ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Greater Eye Energy for Better Vision Health

Greater Eye Energy for Better Vision Health

According to the laws of physics, there is energy in everything, and everything gives out invisible energy, including the sun, the moon, and the human body. As a matter of fact, everything is some form of energy, which is either positive or negative. For example, even your thinking involves energy, without which the mind cannot function. Therefore, if you "think" you can heal yourself, your mind sends out positive energy to your body for self-healing.

Strange as it may sound, energy healing has been around for over 5,000 years. As a matter of fact, energy healing has been the foundation of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for many centuries. 

In ancient China, some soldiers who received minor wounds inflicted on their bodies soon discovered that their physical pains and ailments had miraculously disappeared, and that led to the discovery of energy healing. The ancient Chinese physicians began to believe that there was an energy system in the human body, within which there was energy communication between different cells and organs. For centuries, the Chinese have believed that "qi" (the internal life energy) is responsible for transmitting energy information within the body. Accordingly, the smooth flow or stagnation of "qi" accounts for health or sickness.

That also led to the development of acupuncture and acupressure—methods to stimulate acupoints in the art of natural healing. The former uses hair-thin needles, while the latter uses pressure of the hands to massage those acupoints. The human body has many acupoints that have similar internal organ or system affinity, and that they are all joined together by invisible channels (known as meridians). Along the meridians, both internal life energy (“qi”) and bio chemicals that influence cellular activities of the body organs and tissues are transmitted. More importantly, stimulating this signaling system can create healing response that initiates the natural healing process. 

To deal with your eye problems, such as eyestrain, vision clarity, or even glaucoma, the acupoints are located not just around the inner corners of the eye, but also 2-finger width above the middle of the eyebrow on your forehead, as well as on the back of your skull and on the inside of your foot near the ankle.

Massage these acupoints continuously without stopping for a few minutes, using your thumb or forefinger, or both, and you will feel the soreness. This is a natural way to improve your vision health and relax your eyes. 

Acupressure is easy to learn: all you need to know is the map of the acupoints in your body and then apply pressure to those acupoints to bring about healing. 

Energy Healing for Everyone: This mind-healing program contains all the information you will need to help you remove energetic blockages, improve your immune system, heal minor and major health problems, and eliminate bad habits or patterns permanently, without the adverse side effects of drugs, herbs or other supplements. This is a complete, holistic health system for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of energetic imbalances. This groundbreaking work turns complex healing methods into the simplest, most accessible tool — your mind.

                                

Stephen Lau

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The TAO of Living for Life

This book is about the art of living well, which is being in the material world we are all living in, but without being of this mundane world. This daunting and challenging task requires profound human wisdom, which comes from TAO wisdom, the ancient wisdom from Lao Tzu, the ancient sage from China, more than 2,600 years ago.

Lao Tzu was the author of the immortal classic Tao Te Ching, made up of 81 short chapters of Chinese poetry on human wisdom, one of the most translated books in world literature.

This book explains the essentials of TAO wisdom, based on Stephen Lau's own translation and interpretation of Lao Tzu's immortal classic Tao Te Ching with his comments after each of the 81 chapters. Living for life is the wisdom of living in this contemporary age. It is not easy, so you need TAO wisdom.

For more information, click here.

The TAO of Living for Life shows you the wisdom of living not just for yourself, but also for others as well --  just as the famous English poet John Donne says: "No man is an island."  Once you perceive this intricate inter-connection between people, you will self-intuit the wisdom of Lao Tzu.  After all, according to Lao Tzu, there is no word or blueprint for human wisdom -- it is all about self-intuition.

Stephen Lau

Use Your Mind to Live Like Santa Claus

Your Golden Years and Santa Claus explains the wisdom of living in the present, the wisdom of letting go, and the wisdom of not picking and choosing -- they are the essentials for happy and successful aging in the golden years. Learn how to think and act like Santa Claus in your golden years.

Your future is always unknown and unknowable, but it is your readiness to get new information and to use your new experience to reassess your current situation that provides a light at the end of the tunnel.

Wake up from your nightmare and live a life that you rightly deserve in your golden years.

Growing older sucks. The alternative is to die younger.

So, make the best and the most of your remaining years; turn them into the golden years of your life in spite of any frailty and adversity you may be facing. Remember, life is a task-master: it teaches you not only how to survive in any challenging circumstance but also how to live as if everything is a miracle, especially in your golden years.

Use Santa Claus as your role model to start believing in yourself, developing the right mindset of successful aging, and acting appropriately and positively. Santa Claus may not be a magic-bullet solution to all your life problems and challenges, but he certainly may open unexpected doors for you in your golden years.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau