Let 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© 2018 by Stephen Lau

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 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© 2018 by Stephen Lau

Oneness of All Life

A pastor from Hong Kong was invited to give a sermon in China. A woman from the congregation asked the pastor if it was right to give money to get her son into an elite school. The pastor replied by saying: “Your son getting into that elite school would also imply depriving another child of that same opportunity you are seeking for your child.”

A year later, the pastor met the same woman, who told him that her son had got into that elite school but without using her kwanxi or connection. The pastor then said to her: “See, God is in control; if you would just let Him.”

Thinking question

If you were the woman with the money and the kwanxi, would you have done differently?

Oneness of all life

The above is an illustration of oneness of all life, which is accepting and loving others based on the mindfulness of the inter-connection between people; that is to say, no man is an island, according to the poet John Donne. This mindfulness leads to love, and then to the awareness of the presence of God or that of a Higher Being. Love is the first step towards spirituality.

The oneness of all life is one of the basic laws of Nature: that is, we are all inter-connected with one another. This universal moral principle holds the key to true and lasting freedom in living. Without that freedom, we are forever living in human bondage that inhibits further development of the wellness of the body, the mind, and the soul. Without this wellness alignment, there is no wellness wisdom.

Stephen Lau

Copyright©2018 by Stephen Lau

The Importance of Asking Questions

The Importance of Asking Questions

The desire to live well is as old as age. Everybody desires a life that is happy and well lived.

To live well, however, one must ask questions about life; after all, life is about asking questions and finding intelligent answers to the questions asked. Living for life is never easy because it requires wisdom, which is essentially finding answers to questions about life and living. In the Bible, Jesus said: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find . . .” (Matthew 7:7) In real life, we must ask ourselves questions at all times.

Asking questions is introspection, which is a process of self-reflection, without which there is no self-awareness and hence no personal growth and development. A static life is never a life well lived. Therefore, asking questions is self-empowering wisdom—a life-skill tool necessary for the art of living well.

Why is that?                      

It is because the kind of questions you ask determines the kind of life you are going to live. Your questions trigger a set of mental answers, which may lead to actions or inactions, based on the choices you make from the answers you have obtained. Remember, your life is always the sum of all choices you make in the process.

“While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.” Stephen R. Covey

The art of asking questions is your source of wisdom in the art of living well. 

A Simple But Difficult Question

Human life is complex, and living is complicated. In order to truly understand what life is all about, you must distill life to one simple but difficult question: “Am I happy?”

This is a simple question, but the answer may not be as simple and straightforward as you may think. This simple question is about life, which is never simple; living for life may, indeed, be very complicated, especially for those who are always unhappy.

If your life is getting more complicated, you may have problems with life and living. If, on the other hand, you never have problems with feelings of anger, fear, frustration, or you never have felt that life is meaningless, you are probably not human.

Thinking Questions

Am I really happy?

my life getting increasingly simpler or more complicated?

Generally speaking, the purpose of living is two-fold: to enjoy life, and to expand happiness.

But how can one enjoy life if one is not happy by nature, or how can one expand happiness if one has no idea what happiness is all about? Indeed, living for life begins with that simple question: “Am I happy?”

You may want to ask another poignant question: “Why would one even bother to ask or answer that question if one is already unhappy with life?”

So, if you wish to be happy, you must ask yourself on a regular basis that one simple question: “Am I happy?”

Stephen Lau

Copyright©2018 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.

You need not look your age—of course, meaning younger, 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©2018 by Stephen Lau

The Oriental Exercises for the Elderly

The Oriental Exercises for the Elderly

Stress becomes more prevalent and pronounced as aging continues. Stress is major factor in the cause of diseases and disorders. When you are in chronic stress, your body uses its DHEA and thus impairs the normal functioning of your body's hormonal glands as well as your immune system. Stress may be caused by work, time-stress, financial stress, relationship stress, and health issues stress, among others. 

Use exercise to heal, because it has to do with the mind, the body, and the spirit. Natural healing is holistic healing, which is healing of the body, the mind, and the spirit. In order to heal, the mind must have the intent to heal, and the body must be ready for healing; during the healing process, the spirit must be energized to overcome any setback or obstacle that may interrupt with the healing process. Exercise can heal the body, the mind, and the spirit.

If you think you have neither the endurance nor the strength to exercise, then go for qi gong, tai chi, or yoga; these Oriental exercises focus on gentle natural movements accompanied by optimum breathing to benefit both the body and the mind.

Qi Gong is a set of self-healing exercises designed to balance your qi (internal life energy), bringing you back into harmony with Nature. These exercises incorporate your posture, movement, breathing, meditation and visualization to move oxygen and nutrients from your blood to organs and tissues. Distress and anxiety are dispelled during meditation; positive thinking with great confidence is affirmed; and concentration is emphasized. Through qi gong, you gain control of your body and mind, thereby instrumental in stimulating the circulation of your blood and qi for optimum health.

Yoga is another Oriental exercise that has been practiced for thousands of years, based on ancient theories, observations, and principles about the connection between the mind and the body. The intrinsic benefits of yoga have been proven by modern medicine. Yoga not only provides you with the most practical approach to attaining a high level of physical fitness, but also stabilizes your emotions and elevates your mental attitudes. In other words, Yoga unites your mind, your body, and your spirit. Essentially, it is a holistic approach to your well-being. Through awareness of your body’s posture, alignment, and patterns of movement, Yoga is therapeutic in that it helps your body find true harmony, thereby healing the body and the mind.

Tai Chi is all about movements to circulate your body invisible energy called qi. Smooth circulation of qi energy ensures a healthy body. Stagnant and blocked qi energy causes all sorts of chronic disease. Tai Chi is an ancient exercise that has been practiced for thousands of years as an effective alternative healing for the body and the mind. By strengthening the immune system, Tai Chi can improve your chronic disease slowly but steadily. More importantly, it can relieve your stress and calm your nerves.

Five Tibetan Rites, with simple-to-do exercises, can effectively control stress by giving your body more energy and maintaining your mental alertness. These exercises have been practiced by Tibetan monks for centuries.

Get your download of my book: NO EGO NO STRESS. 

“No Ego No Stress” is about stress and how it can be relieved not through relaxation techniques, but through the ancient wisdom from China that focuses on letting go the ego-self. The book also contains the complete translated text of "Tao Te Ching", one of the most translated works in world literature.  

Get the ancient Tao wisdom and be stress free.  

My other book 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.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Cancer Stress

One of the underlying causes of human disease is stress. Cancer stress may even add insult to injury. Use your mind to overcome cancer stress.

Congratulations! You've Got Cancer!  

This 132-page book is about what to do when one is diagnosed with cancer. I am neither a doctor nor an oncologist. This book is based on a wrong cancer diagnosis of a close member of my family. I simply show you the power of the mind not only in coping with the traumatic experience of a cancer diagnosis but also in overcoming the disease itself. In addition, I present detailed information on what an individual must do on the cancer journey of cure and recovery. A cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. Rather, it is an opportunity for growth and development. Harness your mind power to combat cancer.

Stephen Lau

Get the Happiness Wisdom

Get the Happiness Wisdom

The five major happiness ingredients are: love, forgiveness, gratitude, compassion, and letting go.

Self-Intuitive Questions

Can you love someone you don’t like or who doesn’t like you, someone who doesn’t share your views—even though they are not bad or evil individuals?

Can you forgive someone who has hurt you, physically or emotionally?

Can you express your gratitude by not complaining this and that, by not comparing yourself with others concerning your lack or abundance?

Can you show compassion to those who are less fortunate than yourself with a charitable mindset and a generous heart?

Can you let go of anger, regret, vengeance, or your material possessions that define who you think you are?

Happiness is about doing—doing things to yourself as well as to others, based on the five major ingredients.

In addition to choosing the ingredients, you should know the methods of applying those ingredients to your recipe. There are basically only two: human wisdom, and spiritual wisdom.

Human wisdom shows you how to think: who you really are, not who you wish you were; how and why your perceptions may change the realities that ultimately affect your life choices and decisions, making you happy or unhappy. Happiness is no more and no less than perceptions by the human mind. Human wisdom is right thinking, leading to right doing to create the happy life experiences.

Spiritual wisdom provides strength and guidance for right thinking by the human mind. Spiritual wisdom may not only transform but also enlighten you to become a better and happier individual.

Bottom line: even with profound human wisdom and with the help of spiritual wisdom, no individual can be completely good and happy, because humans are imperfect. So, there is no perfect recipe for human happiness.

Stephen Lau

Copyright©2018 by Stephen Lau

2 FREE Books for You

These two books are FREE for download on AMAZON from May 29 to June 2, 2018.

The Happiness Wisdom

By Stephen Lau

Many are unhappy not because of what they have experienced throughout their life journeys, but because they don't have the human wisdom to perceive and process what they've experienced.

Happiness is a state of mind, due to the the perceptions of the human mind. Change your perceptions to change your so-called realities. Empower your mind with human wisdom -- ancient wisdom from the East and the West, conventional wisdom, and spiritual wisdom -- to think differently to have totally different perspectives of what may have made you happy or unhappy.

To get your FREE digital copy, click here.

TAO The Way to Biblical Wisdom

by Stephen Lau

A complete translation of Lao Tzu's immortal classic Tao Te Ching with respect to the Holy Bible.

Learn and understand the ancient human wisdom from China in order to attain Biblical wisdom.

To get your FREE digital copy, click here.

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)

Stephen Lau

Copyright©2018 by Stephen Lau