Learn more about this philosophy here..... This short video is from the 1970's TV series "Kung Fu". It tells the adventures of a fictional Shaolin priest who wanders the American Wild West. The teachings of the Shaolin were meticulously researched for this series, making it one of the most authentic interpretations of the Taoist philosophy in popular culture. This is another clip from "The Hoots" episode. Here we see Caine (David Carradine) recalling Master Po's (Keye Luke) rendition of chapter 11 of the Tao Te Ching. This sacred Taoist text reminds us that a cup would have no purpose if it did not have space within itself in which liquid could be contained. A wheel would be useless without the emptiness at its centre in which an axel can be inserted. A room would be unusable without the space created in the walls for a doorway and window. All these features can be thought of as emptiness; yet it is this very space or nothingness that makes the material aspects of these objects useful. Emptiness is one of the most intriguing concepts in Taoist philosophy and it parallels many of the discoveries made by modern physics. Most of us wouldn't ordinarily give emptiness a second thought, dismissing it as irrelevant and serving no purpose. We generally believe only material things have value. We see space, nothing, silence, non-material, inaction and subtleness as useless. Therefore we live in a world where everything is pushed to capacity, filled beyond what is required and forced until destroyed. Chapter 11 concludes by telling us to be useful by becoming empty. In common vernacular this simply means not being "full of yourself". It is only when we are free of self-interest that we are truly able to offer an impartial and sympathetic ear. All too often what is past off as benevolence is merely an ego imposing its own arbitrary standards onto others. Genuine compassion can only be achieved by a self empty of ego. On another level, emptiness is the fundamental ground state of all physical things. We usually assume everything is made of smaller things of ever decreasing size. Our bodies are constructed of cells; the cells are constructed from DNA; the DNA is constructed from molecules; and molecules are constructed from atoms. Atoms are usually thought of as solid spheres; but this is not the case. Atoms are essentially an empty vacuum containing a massive amount of pulsating energy. Consequently for the most part we are emptiness, as are all material things. This is only difficult to imagine because we are so convincingly deceived by our sensory awareness. If we were able to experience this underlying reality first hand, we would know emptiness unites us all. Naturally this is the purpose of meditation; to see through the illusion of one's sensory awareness and have a firsthand account of emptiness. Nevertheless we are all able to look out into the night sky on a cloudless evening and see the vast emptiness of space. From this it seems evident that emptiness is the Universe's most dominant feature; yet the significance of this escapes us. To learn more about emptiness, meditation, the Tao Te Ching or the Taoist philosophy, please visit my website: www.yinyangnature.com or my Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/yinyangnature

Learn more about this philosophy here..... This short video is from the 1970's TV series "Kung Fu". The TV show told of the adventures of a fictional Shaolin priest who wanders the "wild west". The teachings of the Shaolin were meticulously researched for this series, making it one of the most authentic interpretations of the Taoist philosophy in popular culture. This clip is from an episode that is a personal favourite of mine, "The Hoots". In this scene Caine (David Carradine) is questioning Master Po (Keye Luke) on discipline. Master Po gives the seemingly contradictory advice, "The purpose of discipline is to live more fully, not less." This may seem like an odd response since we usually think of discipline as denial rather than abundance. Following the Tao is to discover one's true nature. In the Taoist philosophy this is called "p'u". This translates into English as "the uncarved block", such as a block of stone before it has been shaped. This is the process of returning to one's original self, before learnt behaviours and negative social influences. As you may suspect, it is very difficult to abandon long established paradigms. It requires courage and determination to live instinctively and resist the urge to second guess all your actions. Regrettably we live in a world that widely believes everything should be highly structured and generally sees all chance events as undesirable. Most of us would control the weather if it was within our means. Yet doing so would be forgoing that unexpected change that brings so much pleasure. It is commonly believed that trusting chance is too risky and success can only be achieved by rigid control. We like to believe despair is simply the result of bad planning and happiness is easily contrived. Yet haven't our greatest pleasures always been a surprise; and our deepest sorrows beyond our control? Therefore, life is best lived like a forest bird who sings whenever so inclined. This is the serenity that can only be known by living an uncalculated life. A condition where tears and laughter occur spontaneously; and regrets and anxiety have no presence. To learn more about the P'u, the uncalculated life and Taoist philosophy, please visit my website: www.yinyangnature.com or my Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/yinyangnature

More about this video and Taoism here...................... This short video is from the 1970's TV series "Kung Fu". "Kung Fu" tells the adventures of a fictional Shaolin priest named Kwai Chang Caine, played by David Carradine. Caine wanders the American "Wild West" in the 1880's, with nothing more than compassion, moderation, humility and a little Shaolin magic. The teachings of the Shaolin were meticulously researched for the "Kung Fu" series, making it one of the most authentic interpretations of the Taoist philosophy in popular culture. I recently decided to post selected scenes from "Kung Fu", to illustrate this extremely insightful ancient Chinese philosophy. In this clip from "The Soldier" episode, Caine is testing his agility and courage in front of an audience of students. However, Master Kan (Philip Ahn) sees Caine's activities as nothing but reckless egotism. I guess we are all guilty of playing to the gallery from time to time. It may seem pointless to be skilful or knowledgeable if it doesn't result in recognition. But why is the admiration of others so essential? Why do we feel worthless unless we have the praise of others? Yet, most of us avoid people that we suspect have a narcissistic disposition. These people are often boasting of their achievements and importance in an effort to obtain admiration. They may also become emotionally volatile if the approval they seek isn't forthcoming. Their ego is effectively enslaved by the opinions of others. Consequently their sense of self-worth varies wildly, often making any interactions with them very unpleasant. The ancient Taoist master Lao Tzu, deliberated on egotism in the 'Tao Te Ching'. From chapter 24 of this Taoist sacred text: "People who make a show are not wise. Those who are self-righteous will not be respected. Those who boast achieve very little and don't endure. Behaving in this way will not bring happiness. People are despised for there pride and admired for their humility." From this verse we can see that a rampant ego distances us from the Tao and the people around us. Therefore a follower of the Tao pursues skill and wisdom, but remains unpretentious. She knows contentment can only come from within. Furthermore, living without either the desire for approval or the fear of rejection, she is truly free. To learn more about the Tao Te Ching and Taoist philosophy, please visit my website: www.yinyangnature.com or my Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/yinyangnature

More about this video and Taoism here......................... This short video is from the 1970's TV series "Kung Fu". "Kung Fu" tells the adventures of a fictional Shaolin priest named Kwai Chang Caine, played by David Carradine. Caine wanders the American "Wild West" in the 1880's, with nothing more than compassion, moderation, humility and a little Shaolin magic. The teachings of the Shaolin were meticulously researched for the "Kung Fu" series, making it one of the most authentic interpretations of the Taoist philosophy in popular culture. I recently decided to post selected scenes from "Kung Fu", to illustrate this extremely insightful ancient Chinese philosophy. In this clip from the episode "The Brujo", Caine meets a Christian priest. Father Salazer (Julio Medina) is surprised to hear Caine is also a priest and asks him what he worships. Caine gives the simple yet profound answer "Life". We often take the process of life for granted, but can there really be anything above this phenomenon? Why do so many of us search for something beyond Nature's most magnificent achievement? Taoism is the belief life is a direct manifestation of the ultimate and there is nothing beyond this. All things, including oneself, are an aspect of the total unity called the Tao. The Tao is beyond all sensory awareness and words, yet the wisdom of the Tao is intuitively available to everyone. This is a very unfamiliar paradigm for Westerners, who have unshakable faith in their sensory awareness. It is probably for this reason Western culture perpetuates a view that everything is isolated and the only thing common to everything is a personal God. A world of isolation is considered an illusion in Taoism, although an extremely convincing one. To put the Taoist concept of absolute unity into context, rather than "Love your neighbour"; a Taoist believes that at a level beyond normal perception, you are your neighbour. This may seem unbelievable, but this parallels the findings of modern science. To learn more about the parallels between modern science, oneness, intuitive wisdom and the Taoist philosophy, please visit my website: www.yinyangnature.com or my Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/yinyangnature

More about this video and Taoism here............................... This short video is from the 1970's TV series "Kung Fu". "Kung Fu" tells the adventures of a fictional Shaolin priest named Kwai Chang Caine, played by David Carradine. Caine wanders the American "Wild West" in the 1880's, with nothing more than compassion, moderation, humility and a little Shaolin magic. Each episode also takes the viewer back to Caine's childhood in the Shaolin temple. It is here under the instruction of the blind charismatic Master Po (Keye Luke) and the stern yet loving Master Kan, young Caine (Radames Pera) learns the harmoniously balanced ways of Tao. The teachings of the Shaolin were meticulously researched for the "Kung Fu" series, making it one of the most authentic interpretations of the Taoist philosophy in popular culture. I recently decided to post selected scenes from "Kung Fu", to illustrate this extremely insightful ancient Chinese philosophy. In this clip from the episode called "The Brujo", young Caine is perplexed over the death of a boy who died after being cursed by a sorcerer. Master Po explains that an undiscerning mind sometimes gives life no choice but to fly away. Chapter 50 of the Taoist sacred text the 'Tao Te Ching' affirms 'He who knows how to live has no place for death to enter'. From this verse we can see that a love of life is pivotal in retaining it. A genuine gratitude for existence and an ability to stay light hearted, even in adversity are very favourable traits for longevity. We may find it laughable that a curse could bring about harm. Nevertheless, many outwardly intelligent people fear the wrath of unsubstantiated myths and dogma. Ironically, the stress that results from these beliefs may compromise health, opening us up to the very illnesses and misfortune we fear. In this regard we should all heed the words of Master Po and learn from those who have succumb to stress. Undoubtedly the best way to overcome misinformation, manipulation and illogical fears is by developing a very discerning mind. The required knowledge to develop this can be obtained intuitively from Nature and from the teachings of her greatest devotees. The great teachers of Nature's virtues include Einstein, Buddha, Lao Tzu, David Suzuki, Alan Watts, John Hagelin, Fritjof Capra, Deng Ming-Dao, Benjamin Hoff, The Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Thich Nhat Hahn and Chuang Tzu to name just a few. To learn more about the Tao Te Ching, the Taoist philosophy and Nature's greatest interpreters, please visit my website: www.yinyangnature.com or my Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/yinyangnature

This short video is from the 1970's TV series "Kung Fu". "Kung Fu" tells the adventures of a fictional Shaolin priest named Kwai Chang Caine, played by David Carradine. Caine wanders the American "Wild West" in the 1880's, with nothing more than compassion, moderation, humility and a little Shaolin magic. The teachings of the Shaolin were meticulously researched for the "Kung Fu" series, making it one of the most authentic interpretations of the Taoist philosophy in popular culture. I recently decided to post selected scenes from "Kung Fu", to illustrate this extremely insightful ancient Chinese philosophy. This clip is from the last episode of the first season premiering in 1973. Entitled “Ancient Warrior”, the episode tells the story of an elderly Native American who is the last of this tribe. Knowing that he is soon to die, Ancient Warrior (Chief Dan George) asks Caine to assist him locate his ancestral burial ground. Unfortunately, his sacred ground is now in a town where Ancient Warrior’s tribe fought many fierce battles. Although Ancient Warrior has forgiven the town’s people for the genocide of his tribe; many of the town’s people are unable to forgive him and forbid his burial. Nevertheless, after much protracted debate, Ancient Warrior is granted permission. Yet he declines. He tells Caine he does not want to be buried in a place where there is so much hatred. Caine is deeply moved by the ailing chief’s strength to forgive his enemies. Although by a different name, it is evident Ancient Warrior is a follower of Tao, as is anyone who follows the virtuous ways of Nature. While cremating Ancient Warrior, Caine recalls the words of Master Kan (Philip Ahn). Master Kan explains how a physical love in life elevates to spiritual unification in death. Anyone who has lost a loved one knows that their thoughts and dreams are regularly occupied by their deceased beloved. Caine then asks Master Kan if this level of connection is dependant on duration. To this Master Kan replies “Our soul does not keep time; it merely records growth.” Most of us have encountered someone who has profoundly influenced us. Our time in their presence may have been brief and yet their inspiration is eternal. To learn more about the Tao and philosophical Taoism, please visit my website: www.yinyangnature.com

This short video is from the 1970's TV series "Kung Fu". "Kung Fu" tells of the adventures of a fictional Shaolin priest named Caine, played by David Carradine. Caine wanders the American "Wild West" with nothing more than compassion, moderation, humility and a little Shaolin magic. The teachings of the Shaolin was meticulously researched for the "Kung Fu" series, making it one of the most authentic interpretations of the Taoist philosophy in popular culture. I recently decided to present selected scenes from "Kung Fu", to illustrate this extremely insightful ancient Chinese philosophy. This clip is from the episode called "The Praying Mantis Kills". This title comes from Caine's comments as he watched two men kneeling to pray prior to a gun fight. Caine observed that praying under these circumstances was as hollow and worthless as that of a praying mantis readying to kill. In this scene, Caine is explaining to Martin (Wendell Burton) the subtleties of meditation. Caine explains that he is able to hit a target by considering himself, the bow, the arrow and the target as one action in Nature. This is an archery technique commonly practiced in Zen. (Zen is the union of Buddhism and Taoism.) We often consider meditation as some type of mysterious process, but this really isn't the case. Meditation is simply anytime one becomes distracted from their usual thinking of time and self. Everyone has experienced this phenomena, but since it is extremely subtle, it is most often disregarded. Think of the last time you were surprised at how 'time flew'; or when you were so engaged in something, that you were unaware of anything else. Caine meditates using archery. However fishing, reading, knitting, writing, solving puzzles, playing music or any other activity you find enjoyable can be just as effective as a meditation. We often emerge from meditation feeling refreshed. This is because in this time we have briefly transcended our ego and have become an action of Nature. Again, this feeling of harmony is extremely subtle and often goes unnoticed. It is often only after we have evaluated the experience that we understand and appreciate the value of the meditative state. To learn more about meditation, oneness and philosophical Taoism, please visit my website: http://www.yinyangnature.com

This clip is from the episode called ‘The Stone’. The scene opens with Master Po and Grasshopper in friendly combat. However, young Caine is angry, unfocused and is easily defeated by the blind Shaolin master. Like young Caine, many of us go through life grumpy and anxious. All too often our minds are reliving failures of the past or worrying over an unknowable future. In this frame of mind we become rigid and out of harmony with our surroundings. Skilfulness can only be achieved through flexibility, spontaneity and being fully present in the “eternal now”. Master Po discovers Grasshopper is concerned that he is a coward. In the context of the yin-yang, Master Po explains: “What is cowardice, but the body’s wisdom of its weakness. What is bravery, but the body’s wisdom of its strength. The coward and the hero march together within every man. So to call one man a coward and another brave merely serves to indicate the possibilities of achieving the opposite.” This clip was taken from the 1970's TV series 'Kung Fu' (Created by Ed Spielman, Herman Miller and Jerry Thorpe). It is essentially an American Western set in the latter half of the 1800's, with an Eastern hero who has neither a gun or a horse. The story follows the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine); a nature loving Shaolin priest who had recently fled China. He speaks softly but is no pushover. He lives humbly yet knows great contentment. Each episode also takes the viewer back to Caine's childhood in the Shaolin temple. It is here under the instruction of the wonderfully charismatic Master Po (Keye Luke) and the stern yet loving Master Kan (Philip Ahn), young Caine (Radames Pera) learns the harmoniously balanced ways of Tao. The teachings of the Shaolin was meticulously researched for the Kung Fu series. This makes Kung Fu one of the most authentic interpretations of Philosophical Taoism available in popular culture. To learn more about the “eternal now”, the yin-yang and Philosophical Taoism, please visit my web-site: www.yinyangnature.com

In this clip from the episode "Chains", a teenaged Caine is played by Keith Carradine. The chronically cataract inflicted Master Po, is giving Caine a lesson on evil and compassion. Our perception of evil is often extremely bias. We usually only ever consider good and evil from our own very limited perspective. Yet as Master Po reminds us, the Universe is far more than just ourselves. In war, both sides always consider themselves moral and the other side evil. This enables both sides to justify the use of brutal cruelty in the name of justice, freedom and all that is good. The ancient Taoist sages believed that forcing others to be "good" will in fact create evil. The only way to truly defeat malevolence is with compassion, as in the tradition of Gandhi and Martin Luther King. This video was taken from the 1970's TV series 'Kung Fu' (Created by Ed Spielman, Herman Miller and Jerry Thorpe). It is essentially an American Western set in the latter half of the 1800's, with an Eastern hero who has neither a gun or a horse. The story follows the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine); a nature loving Shaolin priest who had recently fled China. He speaks softly but is no pushover. He lives humbly yet knows great contentment. Each episode also takes the viewer back to Caine's childhood in the Shaolin temple. It is here under the instruction of the wonderfully charismatic Master Po (Keye Luke) and the stern yet loving Master Kan (Philip Ahn), young Caine (Radames Pera) learns the harmoniously balanced ways of Tao. The teachings of the Shaolin was meticulously researched for the Kung Fu series. This makes Kung Fu one of the most authentic interpretations of Philosophical Taoism available in popular culture. I was therefore surprised to see no one else had presented selected scenes from Kung Fu as an introduction to the Taoist philosophy. To learn more about evil and Philosophical Taoism, please visit my web-site: www.yinyangnature.com To learn more about "Kung Fu" and Tao, check out the interview I did on the "I am Caine" blog: kwaichangcaine.blogspot.com/2008/04/yin-yang-nature-interview.html

In this clip from the episode "Sun & Cloud Shadow", Master Po is using a pond of lotus flowers as a metaphor for enlightenment. All people draw from the same pond of existence, yet each obtains a different level of understanding. Master Po reminds Caine that a tall flower is no more beautiful or superior than a short flower. This is in direct reference to a teaching of the ancient Taoist sage Lao Tzu, the author of Tao Te Ching. From chapter 49 of this Taoist sacred text, 'An enlightened person is not obstinate. She accepts what others have willed for themselves. She accepts those who appear good to be good; and she accepts those who appear bad to be good also.' This video was taken from the 1970's TV series 'Kung Fu' (Created by Ed Spielman, Herman Miller and Jerry Thorpe). It is essentially an American Western set in the latter half of the 1800's, with an Eastern hero who has neither a gun or a horse. The story follows the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine); a nature loving Shaolin priest who had recently fled China. He speaks softly but is no pushover. He lives humbly yet knows great contentment. Each episode also takes the viewer back to Caine's childhood in the Shaolin temple. It is here under the instruction of the wonderfully charismatic Master Po (Keye Luke) and the stern yet loving Master Kan (Philip Ahn), young Caine (Radames Pera) learns the harmoniously balanced ways of Tao. The teachings of the Shaolin was meticulously researched for the Kung Fu series. This makes Kung Fu one of the most authentic interpretations of Philosophical Taoism available in popular culture. I was therefore surprised to see no one else had presented selected scenes from Kung Fu as an introduction to the Taoist philosophy. To learn more about the 'Tao Te Ching' and Philosophical Taoism, please visit my website: http://www.yinyangnature.com To learn more about "Kung Fu" and Tao, check out the interview I did on the "I am Caine" blog: http://kwaichangcaine.blogspot.com/2008/04/yin-yang-nature-interview.html

In this clip from the episode called 'The Tide', Master Kan is echoing the words of the ancient Taoist sage Lao Tzu. "Those who do not trust also can not be trusted." It may seem natural to become untrusting after an act of deceit. However, this only serves to limit our experiences of life. Although trusting will sometimes end in despair; this pales into insignificance when compared to the rewards that can only be known through trusting another. This video was taken from the 1970's TV series 'Kung Fu' (Created by Ed Spielman, Herman Miller and Jerry Thorpe). It is essentially an American Western set in the latter half of the 1800's, with an Eastern hero who has neither a gun or a horse. The story follows the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine); a nature loving Shaolin priest who recently fled China. He speaks softly but is no pushover. He lives humbly yet knows great contentment. Each episode also takes the viewer back to Caine's childhood in the Shaolin temple. It is here under the instruction of the wonderfully charismatic Master Po (Keye Luke) and the stern yet loving Master Kan (Philip Ahn), young Caine (Radames Pera) learns the harmoniously balanced ways of Tao. The teachings of the Shaolin was meticulously researched for the Kung Fu series. This makes Kung Fu one of the most authentic interpretations of Philosophical Taoism available in popular culture. I was therefore surprised to see no one else had presented selected scenes from Kung Fu as an introduction to the Taoist philosophy. To learn more about Philosophical Taoism, please visit my website: www.yinyangnature.com

In this clip from the double Emmy episode "An Eye For An Eye", Caine is confronted by a small group of Native Americans. He recalls the teachings of Master Po who recites chapter 50 of the 'Tao Te Ching', written by the ancient Taoist master Lao Tzu. By having an understanding of his adversaries, Caine is in a position to turn the tables. His Shaolin skills allow him to sneak up on the Native Americans as they sleep. He is now in a position to easily dispatch them, but he instead chooses to sit quietly amongst them. With this action Caine is demonstrating another of Lao Tzu's virtues: 'He who knows how to be aggressive and yet remains patient, becomes a receptacle for all of Nature's lessons'. This video was taken from the 1970's TV series 'Kung Fu' (Created by Ed Spielman, Herman Miller and Jerry Thorpe). It is essentially an American Western set in the latter half of the 1800's, with an Eastern hero who has neither a gun or a horse. The story follows the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine); a nature loving Shaolin priest who recently fled China. He speaks softly but is no pushover. He lives humbly yet knows great contentment. Each episode also takes the viewer back to Caine's childhood in the Shaolin temple. It is here under the instruction of the wonderfully charismatic Master Po (Keye Luke) and the stern yet loving Master Kan (Philip Ahn), young Caine (Radames Pera) learns the harmoniously balanced ways of Tao. The teachings of the Shaolin was meticulously researched for the Kung Fu series. This makes Kung Fu one of the most authentic interpretations of Philosophical Taoism available in popular culture. I was therefore surprised to see no one else had presented selected scenes from Kung Fu as an introduction to the Taoist philosophy. To learn more about Philosophical Taoism, the Tao Te Ching or Lao Tzu, please visit my website: www.yinyangnature.com

In this clip from the pilot episode, young Kwai Chang Caine (Grasshopper) and Shaolin Master Po meet for the first time. Master Po is quick to demonstrate to Grasshopper that great virtue is often hidden behind assumed misfortune. This video was taken from the 1970's TV series 'Kung Fu' (Created by Ed Spielman, Herman Miller and Jerry Thorpe). It is essentially an American Western set in the latter half of the 1800's, with an Eastern hero who has neither a gun or a horse. The story follows the adventures of Kwai Chang Caine (David Carradine); a nature loving Shaolin priest, who recently fled China. He speaks softly but is no pushover. He lives humbly yet knows great contentment. Each episode also takes the viewer back to Caine's childhood in the Shaolin temple. It is here under the instruction of the wonderfully charismatic Master Po (Keye Luke) and the stern yet loving Master Kan (Philip Ahn), young Caine (Radames Pera) learns the harmoniously balanced ways of Tao. The teachings of the Shaolin was meticulously researched for the Kung Fu series. This makes Kung Fu one of the most authentic interpretations of Philosophical Taoism available in popular culture. I was therefore surprised to see no one else had presented selected scenes from Kung Fu as an introduction to the Taoist philosophy. To learn more about Philosophical Taoism, please visit my website: www.yinyangnature.com