"The Teaching of the subtle path is like plain, unspiced food. To your eyes and nostrils, it appears to have no great attraction, yet its support is inexhaustible"
-- Hua-Ching Ni, Esoteric Tao Teh Ching
The Integral Way seeks to express what is ultimately inexpressible. It is a teaching of the Way or Tao whose subtle reality can only be known through deep experience. The Way is the invisible, indescribable source of all life, and includes the natural forces that ceaselessly recycle the life. Put simply, the Way is the essence and flow of Universal Nature. Its inherent vital force and unity is reflected in healthy human nature. While the Way cannot truly be described, some guidance is offered to help our modern educated minds understand the Integral Way of life.
The Way became known to us through the unspoiled minds of the spiritual men and women who lived in ancient China long before recorded history. Because their minds were pure and quiet, they readily received the subtle impressions of Nature. Their experiences and perceptions helped them to develop a deep and integral understanding about the subtle functioning of the universe, the world, and their lives. They recognized that the cycle of their lives, and all lives, is connected to and governed by highly responsive subtle energy patterns.
They perceived that in normal circumstances this subtle energy, or chi, is gentle and enduring and expresses a natural rationality and cyclic constancy, such as in the daily cycles and yearly seasons. They placed their trust and confidence in these cycles and discovered that by living in harmony with the natural forces, their lives unfolded fairly and justly and their health and spiritual potency was strengthened. It was only natural for them to model their personal and social lives on the order and balance of universal nature. It was through their efforts, that these early peoples found a safe and constructive way to live and grow. The essence of these wisdom and knowledge has been preserved in the I Ching: The Book of Changes and the Unchanging Truth, and the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Lao Tzu.
Most of the ancient records of the Way were destroyed during the recent Cultural Revolutions in China. It is our great fortune that this universal wisdom has been faithfully preserved and elucidated by the Ni family. These teachings, which are the culmination of thousands of years of spiritual learning and experience, restore our connection to the basic reality of Nature and the spirit of life. They support truthful self-development and guide us to move beyond any unhealthy spiritual conditioning and matters of temporary value, to positively educate our minds to discern and appreciate what has lasting value.
Knowledge about the enduring universal forces and subtle law enables us to choose to live a natural and spiritually balanced life. However, when we base our lives on partial or artificial understanding, we obstruct the original, open ground of spirituality and limit our spiritual growth.
