Living in a Hermitage
When people leave home, first they should live in a hermitage. A hermitage is a house for one person. When the body has a place to live, the mind gradually attains peace. When energy and spirit are harmonious and light, one enters the real Tao. Whatever you do, do not work too hard. If you work too hard, it will reduce energy. But do not be inactive either. If you are inactive, energy and blood will stagnate. When activity and stillness are balanced, then you can maintain constancy and rest secure in your lot. This is the way to live in a hermitage. By Taoist master, Wang Che. From Vitality Energy Spirit: A Taoist Sourcebook , translated & edited by Thomas Cleary. I was about to get rid of some donated books, when I flipped open the pages of this collection of Taoist writings and found these paragraphs. I think I'll hold onto this book, at least for a while. There are some more interesting things in there. In what seems like a lifetime ago--back when I was in college--I served