origami_itto wrote:I just try to keep it simple with Master Liang's principles.
The 10 Guiding Principles of Master T.T. Liang
1. Nobody can be perfect. Take what is good and discard what is bad.
2. If I believe entirely in books, better not read books. If I relay entirely on teachers, better not have teachers.
3. To remove a mountain is easy, but to change a man’s temperament is more difficult.
4. If there is anything wrong with me, I don’t blame others, I only blame myself.
5. If I want to live longer I must learn T’ai Chi and accomplish it both physically and mentally. To accomplish it mentally is much more difficult.
6. I must learn how to yeild, to be tactful, not to be aggressive; to lose (small loss, small gain – great loss, great gain); not to take advantage of others; to give (the more one gives the more one will have).
7. Life begins at seventy. Everything is beautiful! Health is a better of utmost importance and all the rest is secondary. Now I must find out how to enjoy excellent health in my whole life and discover the way to immortality.
8. Make one thousand friends, but don’t make one enemy.
9. One must practice what one preaches. Otherwise it is empty talk or a bounced check.
10. To conceal the faults of others and praise their good points is the best policy.
That is a good list. Long time since I read it.
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If I believe entirely in books, better not read books. If I relay entirely on teachers, better not have teachers.I don't believe in teachers and I don't rely on books. ...Seems I got it wrong...?
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To remove a mountain is easy, but to change a man’s temperament is more difficult.Haven't tried removing or moving mountains, so I can't really make that comparison. But my temperament changes a lot...
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If there is anything wrong with me, I don’t blame others, I only blame myself.That is true. But I have so many wrongs and mistakes, so it becomes very tiresome keeping up blaming myself about everything all of the time.
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... I must learn T’ai Chi and accomplish it both physically and mentally. To accomplish it mentally is much more difficult.I must have Tai Chi in my body first, before I can have it in my mind. So that is true I guess...
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Life begins at seventy. ...So I am just walking around wasting my time? Ok, I guess I'll have to wait until my 70s and see...
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Make one thousand friends, but don’t make one enemy.Many people are fake, cowardly and don't not make very good friends. ...IDK, but they are not worth making enemies either. I don't care really.
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One must practice what one preaches. Otherwise it is empty talk or a bounced check.Agreed, it's just too tiresome to preach, regardless what you practice or not.
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To conceal the faults of others and praise their good points is the best policy. - What good points? Like: "I see you have done a good job matching your shoes and shirt? I am not good at this, I have a hard time finding people's best points. I try to compliment women about their dresses, jewellery or whatever I can find though. They like that stuff.
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... IDK... I don't like rules and following principles... I think those things can create a distance between yourself and your own heart and dreams, and what you actually want here in life. It's important to first learn how to understand yourself and what you want, IMO. And to accept yourself for what you are. Then you can learn to take responsibility for your actions better. And if you do so, your life will shape itself better accordingly to what you want.
Personally, I try to just learn to listen to my heart better and screwing up things less.