Starting Spiritual Practice
How does the growth of a tree help explain 'the Dao follows what is natural'?
English translation draft · Based on the Chinese article. This is not a word-for-word translation approved by Master Shengyuan.
Begin with a tree to understand the saying. A seed sprouts, grows into a small and then large tree, and eventually ages and withers. It continually changes rather than reaching one form and remaining forever. This concrete example is easier to appreciate than memorizing an abstract phrase.
I use the name 'Dao' to help explain energy already present in the universe. Communication requires names so we know what we mean, but names still need experience in life. Seeing changing conditions through trees' growth and decline gives a firmer basis for understanding Dao in practice. This is how I use nature to explain cultivation.
Because conditions change, maintaining a good state requires continued training and self-discipline. A period of past diligence does not remove future practice. Whatever direction you seek, keep acting toward it daily until it gradually becomes habit, rather than rely on one effort.