“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”
Henri David Thoreau
This site is about the Business of living a quiet yet satisfying life by following Tao (the Way).
What is Tao?
Tao is a concept found in ancient Chinese philosophy. Its litteral definition is a “road”, “path”, ”route”. Its figurative meaning is a “way of life”. As such, Tao is often used to describe a religion (e.g. Buddhism). In Japan, Tao is called Do with similar meaning (e.g. Bushido or the Way of the Warrior). The concept of Do also extends to the martial arts (e.g. Kendo or the Way of the Sword).
What is the Business of Living?
First of all, it is more than just an Art of Living. Yes, this site will introduce you to a lot of spiritual ideas about Life and its sought-after positive aspects such as Happiness, Love, Friendship, Success or Fame. It will also expose you to the other related aspects such as Compassion, Gratitude, or Resilience. Hopefully, you will find something here to soothe the mind and invigorate the body, to help you artfully navigate through the treacherous pathways of life.
But knowing the Art of Living is not enough. You also need to master the tools that make the Art of Living easier to attain and sustain. These are practices such as meditation, exercices, breathing techniques or eating habits. I call them the Science of Living a healthy life.
Now, you can live an interesting life according to the Art of Living and purely for art’s sake. For example, a person’s belief that a happy life is one full of positive attitude and that in order to prevent negative thoughts entering the mind, she would avoid watching TV or reading news. Likewise, you can practice the Science of Living purely for science’s sake. An athlete’s quest for superior performance through the use of drugs is an example, albeit an extreme one. But to me your life is not fully, completely lived if you do not give it a purpose and a meaning. Channeling your energy to consciously live a full and meaningful life is the Business of Living. Business means acting with a purpose in mind. Harnessing the Art and Science of Living to create a unique, everlasting way of living, this is the Business of Living according to Tao.
