7. Nei-yeh 18>22

Verse 18. Unimpaired Mind & Positive Ch’i Flow changes human behavior naturally.
Encouraging Yi: Pre-verbal Intentionality
Verse 19. Refined ch’i = shên = deep penetration
Verse 20. Over-thinking and overeating drives away vitality (shêng).
Verse 21. Life = Heaven’s Jing + Earth’s Body. Balanced & aligned breathing for longevity.
Verse 22. Vitality = Balance + Alignment; eroded by Emotions. Poetry & music neutralize worry & anxiety. Inner tranquility + outer reverence = return to and stabilization of our innate nature.

Introduction

Verse 18. Unimpaired Mind & Positive Ch’i Flow changes human behavior naturally.

When there is a mind (hsin) that is unimpaired within you (zhöng)
It cannot be hidden.
It will be known in your countenance,
And even in your skin color.
If with this good flow of vital energy (ch'i) you encounter others,
They will be kinder to you than your own brethren.
But if with a bad flow of vital energy (ch'i) you encounter others,
They will harm you with their weapons.
[This is because] the wordless pronouncement
Is more rapid than the drumming of thunder.
The perceptible form of the mind's vital energy (ch'i)
Is brighter than the sun and moon,
And more apparent than the concern of parents.
Rewards are not sufficient to encourage the good;
Punishments are not sufficient to discourage the bad.
Yet once this flow of vital energy (ch'i) is achieved,
All under Heaven will submit.
And once the mind is made stable,
All under Heaven will listen.

Verse 18 clarifies some of the topics from Verse 10. This prior verse stated that a well-ordered mind (hsin) naturally exerts a positive influence upon the world. Verse 15 stated that those humans with an unimpaired mind and body are Sages. This verse enumerates the advantages of the unimpaired mind.

When we have an unimpaired mind at our center (zhöng), it can’t be hidden. It is visually apparent in both our skin and countenance.

If we have good ch’i flow, others will treat us well. Conversely, if our mind is impaired, our ch’i flow will be bad and others will treat us poorly. Ch’i flow has a positive correlation with our state of mind (hsin).

This verse provides the foundation for many of the chapters of the Chuang Tzu. In this book, hunchbacked, deformed and mutilated men are handed and trusted with the keys to the kingdom despite their disabilities or prior crimes. The book never states the reason. The implication is that these men have presumably achieved some kind of inner attainment that inexplicably attracts others to them.

The Nei-yeh provides the rationale behind the mysterious behavior of these rulers. Because of inner cultivation practices, these disabled men have an unimpaired mind and resultant positive ch’i flow. Due to their positive energy, these Sages naturally attract others to them.

The end of the verse states that positive and negative reinforcement is not enough to influence human behavior.

Instead, positive ch’i flow due to an unimpaired mind will cause all under Heaven to both submit and listen. The last four lines are an exact duplication of the last lines of Verse 10 with one exception. Verse 10 attributes the submission of all under Heaven to one word from a well-ordered mind. This verse attributes it to an unimpaired mind and positive ch’i flow – a refinement.

Encouraging Yi: Pre-verbal Intentionality

There is another interpretation of the last 4 lines of this verse. The ideogram for yi (mind intent) occurs in both line 16 and 18. Due to the parallel construction, we could combine the lines to read: Once yi (intention) both guides ch’i flow and stabilizes hsin (heart-mind), those around us will listen and then submit – hear and obey.

This process could apply to many types of interactions. Leaders, teachers, parents and those in relationships of any kind hope that followers, students, children, friends and partners will hear what is being said and then act accordingly. According to this verse, good ch’i flow and a stable psycho-emotional state enhances the chances that students et al. will both ‘listen and submit’.

However to generate this somewhat charismatic internal state, we must apply yi (intentionality) to both ch’i and hsin. From verse 14, yi is pre-verbal – between wuji and taiji according to Master Ni. How do we encourage the development of yi, this non-verbal mental muscle that is so crucial to asserting control over our lives?

Master Ni employed a non-verbal teaching style, which helped to develop this mental muscle. Instead of piling words upon words in explanation, he would first demonstrate the movements and then bid us to copy his form. By emulating his movements, we employed yi, pre-verbal mind intent, to guide our ch’i flow, both lightly and continuously.

It seems that yi is an important component in both our personal growth and Tai Chi. Yi is also crucial for musicianship, the arts, athletics and the martial arts. Each of these disciplines requires pre-verbal intentionality to execute physical actions both quickly and appropriately.

Employing music as an example, it is not enough to play the score’s notes precisely. If we only rely upon our verbal consciousness, the piece sounds calculated and stilted, but without the vitality that leads to enjoyment. It is essential to guide ch’i through fingers, feet and voice via yi in order to really create music. We must transcend the polarities of our verbal mind to effectively apply yi to these disciplines. Only by consistently applying yi will we ever achieve mastery.

Verse 19. Refined ch’i = shên = deep penetration

By concentrating your vital breath (ch'i) as if numinous (shên),
The myriad things will all be contained within you.
Can you concentrate? Can you unite them?
Can you not resort to divining by tortoise or milfoil
To know bad and good fortune?
Can you stop? Can you cease?
Can you not seek it in others
Yet attain it in yourself?
You think and think about it
And think still further about it.
You think, yet still cannot penetrate it.
While the ghostly and numinous (shên) will penetrate it,
It is not due to the power of ghostly and numinous (shên),
But to the utmost refinements of your essential vital breath (ch'i).
When the four limbs are aligned
And the blood and vital breath (ch'i) are tranquil,
Unify your awareness (yi), concentrate your mind,
Then your eyes and ears will not be over-stimulated
And even the far-off will seem close at hand.

Verse 19 enunciates the relationship between ch’i and shên. Shên (spirit energy) is the result when we concentrate and refine ch’i. Shên can penetrate things that are inaccessible to thought.

Although shên enables us to penetrate life's mysteries, its power is not enough. The power of refined ch’i is at the root of this ability to comprehend the myriad things. In other words, shên does not act alone, but instead operates in tandem with refined ch’i.

Modern science offers a partial physiological insight into this relationship. Ch’i is related with breath and blood flow, and shên with our cognitive abilities. It is a proven scientific fact that oxygenation improves our mental skills. No matter how smart we are, our cognitive performance suffers when there is not enough blood flow to the brain.

The Nei-yeh takes us in a more psychological direction. How do we refine our ch’i in order to stimulate shên, our cognitive skills? If we align (cheng) our 4 limbs, calm (ching) our ch’i, unify awareness (yi), and concentrate our mind (hsin), our eyes and ears, i.e. senses, won’t be over-stimulated.

From prior verses, we know that over-stimulated senses lead to desires. From prior verses, we know that over-stimulated senses lead to desires. ‘Unifying awareness (yi)’ is one of the components that limits our sense-desires. If yi is not unified, it can attach to any random attraction. We then inadvertently employ this pre-verbal mental muscle to pursue our sensual desires.

Limiting our sense-desires presumably allows us to concentrate our ch’i to obtain shên. Shên leads to deep understanding. From V13, we know that shên’s presence is required for a well-ordered mind (hsin) that leads to a well-ordered universe. It seems that shên leads to wisdom and is a positive organizational force – both desirable features. However, the deep insights of shên are rooted in the power of refined ch’i [breath control].

Verse 20. Over-thinking and overeating drives away vitality (shêng).

Deep thinking generates knowledge.
Idleness and careless thinking generates worry.
Cruelty and arrogance generate resentment.
Worry and grief generate illness.
When illness reaches a distressing degree, you die.
When you think about something and don't let go of it,
Internally you will be distressed, externally you will be weak.
Do not plan things out in advance
Or vitality (shêng) will cede its dwelling (shé).
In eating, it is best not to fill up;
In thinking, it is best to not overdo.
Limit these to the appropriate degree
And you will naturally reach it [vitality].

Verse 20 refines the insights of Verse 8. This earlier song-poem stated that jing leads to thoughts, which in turn leads to knowledge. But too much knowledge harms our vitality.

The current verse enunciates the reasons behind this statement. While deep thinking leads to knowledge, idle and careless thoughts lead to worry, which generates illness, and ultimately death.

Further holding onto, i.e. obsessing over, our thoughts causes internal distress and external weakness. Finally, if we think too much about the future, vitality (shêng) cedes, i.e. leaves, our inner spirit house (shé).

The final lines link thinking and eating. Over-thinking and overeating are both bad. If we limit our thoughts and our food intake, then vitality (shêng) naturally returns to our inner spirit house (shé).

Verse 21. Life = Heaven’s Jing + Earth’s Body. Balanced & aligned breathing for longevity

As for the life (shêng) of all human beings,
Heaven brings forth their vital essence (jing).
Earth brings forth their bodies.
The two combine to make a person.
When they are in harmony there is vitality (shêng).
When they not are in harmony there is no vitality (shêng).
If we examine the Way (Tao) of harmonizing them,
Its essentials are not visible;
Its signs are not numerous.
Just let a balanced and aligned [breathing] fill your chest
And it will swirl and blend within your mind (hsin).
This confers longevity.
When joy and anger are not limited,
You should make a plan [to limit them].
Restrict the five sense-desires;
Cast away the dual misfortunes
Be not joyous, be not angry,
Just let a balanced and aligned [breathing] fill your chest.

Verse 21 focuses upon Human Life. What generates Human Life? The Heaven/Earth/Human construct answers the question. Heaven supplies jing and Earth supplies a body. These two, i.e. generative energy and material substance, combine to make a person.

When these essences are in harmony, there is vitality (shêng) and vice versa. (As evidence of the continuity of beliefs, traditional Chinese medicine continues to hold this perspective in the 21st century.)

What is the Tao, the Way, of harmonizing these essences?

The key is balanced and aligned (cheng) breathing. Proper breathing will blend with the mind (hsin) to confer longevity.

Further cast away the ‘dual misfortunes’ of joy and anger and restrict the sense-desires. Just focus upon balanced and aligned (cheng) breathing.

Master Ni offers a refinement.

Ni: “How to stop breathing?”
Me: “Meditation?”
Ni: “Helps, but no.
Breathing tied to desires.
Neutralize desires and breathing naturally stops.
Easy to say. Hard to do. But worth the effort.
Without desire. So good.” September 26, 2002

In this passage, breathing is directly related to our desires. Minimizing desires stabilizes breathing. Yet meditation with its breath regulation is not enough. Master Ni seems to imply that some kind of direct mental effort is required to neutralize our desires. Could it be that we must employ te, the mental muscle associated with restraint, to defer the gratification of our desires?

Verse 22. Vitality = Balance + Alignment; eroded by Emotions. Poetry & music neutralize worry & anxiety. Inner tranquility + outer reverence = return to and stabilization of our innate nature.

As for the vitality (shêng) of all human beings:
It inevitably occurs because of aligned and balanced [breathing].
The reason for its loss
Is inevitably pleasure and pain, worry and anxiety.
Therefore, to bring your anger to halt, there is nothing better than poetry.
To cast off worry there is nothing better than music.
To limit music there is nothing better than rites.
To hold onto rites there is nothing better than reverence.
To hold onto reverence there is nothing better than tranquility.
When you are inwardly tranquil and outwardly reverent,
You are able to return to your innate nature
And this nature will become greatly stable.

Verse 22 focuses upon the Human Vitality (shêng). Balance and alignment (cheng) are the key.

Emotions, positive and negative, lead to loss of vitality.

Poetry is the antidote for anger. Music is the antidote for worry.

Music is limited by rites, rites by reverence, and reverence, in turn by tranquility (ching).

Inner tranquility (nei ching) plus outer reverence equals return to and stabilization of our innate nature (hsin integration).

We understand this verse in the following fashion. Rites are necessary to limit music due to its emotional nature. Further inner tranquility concentrates our attention on reverence, which concentrates our attention upon rites, which limits the emotional excesses of music, which both expresses and calms our negative emotions. As such inner tranquility is the key to calming our vitality-disrupting emotions. If we can calm our emotions, we will naturally return to our innate nature.

Footnotes

¹ Harold Roth, Original Tao, Inward Training (Nei-yeh), Columbia University Press, 1999, p. 94

² As an example of the universality of human experience, the Greek philosopher Epicurus and his Roman follower Lucretius also counsel that the individual rejects both positive and negative emotions in order to maximize personal potentials, such as happiness.