However, it was clear to me that it emphasizes and focuses on the need of spontaneity and emptiness. Despite that, I couldn’t feel the vividly spiritual part of it. Not anymore, thanks to Benjamin Hoff, who simplifies and explains the principles of Taoism in a very humorous and spontaneous way with simple English. A way that appeals to the wide majority of the general public.

Just to get you out of the dark, Benjamin Hoff emphasizes on one particular principle of Taoism in this book, “the Uncarved Block” which literally translates to “simplicity.” This principle represents passiveness and receptiveness. This is believed to be the true state of the human mind before the burden of knowledge.

When I first saw the book, my reaction was….well, something like this, “are you kidding me?” It looked like those books you read for little kids to put them to sleep, but I had to read it, it was part of my assignment. There’s Winnie-the-Pooh, with a bunch of similar characters. Not a very encouraging cover for a boring person like me. But as I read the forward, before I actually got to the main story, I read “A thousand-mile journey starts with one step.” Simple and very well known quotes like this one don’t make much difference in your life if you don’t pause and really contemplate them. All great things start very small and can never be without starting small. A soaring tower starts with a block, or so you thought, but in fact it starts with something that is much simpler than a block. It starts with an idea, or perhaps a dream. Would that tower exist if no-one ever thought of creating it? Or think of this, we wouldn’t even come into existence if our parents didn’t think of approaching each other! That’s just how essential ideas are. So do we have ideas? Where do they end up? Why do we ignore them?

If one of you looked at the book after two hours of reading, he’ll notice that books turn into victims once I reach them. Very few lines remained untouched; everything else was just crossed, underlined and question-marked as if I’m arguing with the author.  I didn’t want to lose any quote of wisdom there. You wouldn’t blame me if you read this, “…things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed.” To understand what this quote means exactly, we have to know what simplicity means first. Simple is something that is easy to understand, plain, ordinary, or just not complex. Complexity contradicts simplicity, it means hard to understand, artificial and affected. When we are simple we are understood by ourselves, real and not affected by the surrounding factors. We are our true selves, and truth is solid and strong.

What really left me spiritually intoxicated, “The thing that makes someone truly different—unique, in fact—is something that cleverness cannot really understand.” Anything that is explained or understood to me was always a total turn off. This is one reason I can’t get along with math and physics. They’re complex, rational, logical, obvious….there’s no wonder there, almost nothing is left unanswered or unexplained rationally to satisfy your mind. And when your mind is satisfied your curiosity is killed, which leaves your soul sluggish and dull. That belief you gain becomes the lock of your possibilities to navigate this infinite full of wonder world, and you lose questions. When we lose questions and curiosity we lose attraction and interest as well. On the other hand, when we are left with a question we always come for more, to solve the mystery, or to answer the question. What’s there other than love that could completely define this statement I quoted? Love is not something we can understand with intelligence and cleverness. It is not rational and doesn’t make sense. It is beyond all scientific definitions, and every logical answer or reason. And that’s what keeps it unique and appealing, the fact that it is a universal question left to be lived and not to be answered.

Speaking of wonder and unanswered questions, I got one last quote that will remain with me for the rest of my life, most likely unanswered. It is giant, deep and utterly exceptional..

“Mistakes are made—or imagined—by man”.

And because I know you’re getting bored with me, I recommend reading the book. It sure is worth your reading, so give it a shot.

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