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Very much a beginner here. I've read the Tao multiple times, across three different versions. I am having trouble applying some of the teachings in everyday life right now, especially as a parent (Dad). Background (will try to keep short): Family of 5 with 3 kids (daughters). Recently moved from Europe to Latin America. Kids speak English and a second language but not Spanish. Now in LatAm kids need to gradually pick-up Spanish. Kids are in a school here which is not international or really bi-lingual (every school claims to be bi-lingual but it's not usually the case in reality). They are 4, 7 and turning 10. When I was 7 my parents moved from one country where I had to learn a second language, and then after 18 months they moved again, so that I had to learn another language again. So, went to two different schools, with two different languages within the space of 24 months and I think I coped reasonably OK. So, my kids are now in a similar situation to what I was once in. They have been in school her now for 2 months. The youngest are basically in K and Pre-School so there is not that much pressure there and it's mostly play-learning. The oldest is in Grade 3. This is a private school which we pay for and which we discussed their circumstances before enrolling them and all (us, teachers, principals) seemed to agree that the process would take some time but it won't be a problem and the school will work with them. The issue I have with my oldest is that she is very much a person who lives in her head. She's always day-dreaming, not really that aware of what is happening, she doesn't worry about anything (maybe she has the Tao?). The problem I now have is finding the right balance of pushing her to work harder on picking up Spanish versus letting the natural process take place. I learned 2 languages in 24 months (truth be told, the second pushed out the first when I had to learn the second quickly), and I cannot really remember following a process to make it happen. Going to school, watching TMNT on TV (no streaming back then), playing outside, I picked up the language over a space of 4-5 months to the point that I had no problems in school at all. One of the points of stress we have is that the teachers are putting pressure on us that our eldest is not learning the language fast enough. After 3 weeks we already had a meeting where we were being pushed to sign her up for Spanish lessons. We did not do this, but I simply thought that the time-frame for learning a language for a child will be 4-5 months (from experience) and also she is in school from 7:45 to 3pm every day, I can't really imagine sending her for more lessons after school. Sport, sure, formal academic instruction, not really. Additionally, before they started school, we tried a traditional language course, and the rigid form of language instruction just went right over their heads with almost no benefit. The issue we now have is that the school has basically side-lined her to the point of her just sitting at the back of the class and being given no work to do, not participating in anything, almost being ignored. I have to stress: she doesn't take it hard. But she also needs to gently encouraged to do work as otherwise she just day-dreams all day or draws pictures. We have ended up buying a Spanish work-book for her for grade 3 and 4 with different exercises and things which we asked her to work through if she is not doing anything in class (which is at least 3-4 hours per day; the only time she participates is if it's english or maths (which she loves) in english). We emailed the school psychologist with concerns about this and asked whether the teacher could please set her some work and try to gently encourage her to participate. We hi-lighted that we understood that the teacher cannot teach a separate class for her, and asked that the teacher at least sets her tasks in the work-book we gave her and simply checks that she is doing it and encourage her to stay with it. The response we got was that she would talk to the teacher but we need to send our kids to spanish classes. We have decided to go with what the school wants and send her to additional spanish classes, however the issue of her not participating in anything in class for 3-4 hours per day remains and will not be resolved through this alone. I feel like the school is basically saying that they will not teach her until she is fluent in the language, which goes against the agreement we had with them when we enrolled her. We have also asked the school if there are issues with her behavior, that, perhaps she had done or said something which had put the teacher off, but from what we hear is that she gets along with everyone, all the kids are her friends. Truth be told the people here are extremely friendly and it's not hard to make friends. My daughter loves the kids in her class and she says that everyone is her friend, including girls, something that she didn't have before in her previous school where she was only able to build friendships with boys and the girls kept her outside of their group. How much pushing should I do with this? On the one hand, I feel like I should be pushing much more, both the school and my daughter, but this feels like I'm just forcing things and trying to control things which will lead to even worse circumstances. I wanted her to have the benefit of 4-5 months and then be able to see that she had learned the language herself and have more confidence and contentment. Signing her up for additional Spanish lessons seems wrong and I worry will lead her to feel like she is being forced, but I cannot balance the two out. We are at the point of considering changing schools from the new school year. I don't want her sitting for 3-4 hours per day and being ignored by a teacher. But again this seems wrong, especially making her have to change schools again, change friends again. It absolutely seems like forcing, but on the other hand, we have to take into account that perhaps she may not be picking up the language fast-enough and so needs to be in a different school with more understanding and flexibility. I suppose, my entire (ranting - my apologies) post could be summarized as a question: How do you as a parent find the balance between not forcing and controlling on the one hand, and properly discharging your obligations as a parent on the other? I seriously struggle with this. I have been trying to find this balance for 3 years now, and have failed more times than I can count, but hind-sight is perfect vision. Thanks for reading and any advice - sorry if this was too long.

Hi, I'm doing Zhan Zhuang and am interested in meditation, spiritual practice in general. I have recently very much enjoyed books by Anthony de Mella, Lester Levenson, Rob Nelson, ... I'm also learning Mandarin and now I would love to start reading/learning with Chinese books that have a similar paradigm hoping that the added interest and motivation because of the topic will support the learning. Any recommendations would be greatly welcome! Thanks!

Was unsure where to post this question? Does anyone have some good resources on ancient Chinese grammar or modern translation techniques of ancient Chinese grammar?

http://www.powerofdreams.net/dreamlanguage.html Your limbic system controls "breathing" and "emotion". Both of which are considered necessary for developing and using energy like "chi"... I have had the pleasure of learning a second language after my first, English. The difference is that once you have solidified one language, it is difficult to relaize that thought itself has no language until you learn a second. True fluid language skills come when you don't have to "think" about it to "express" thoughts, feelings, emotion, or details that become instantly clear to the listener. You realize that you are dreaming in another way. You realize that your mind is functioning by using whatever expression, and it was not English it has been babbling all this time, or any other language, even if the end result is the ability to speak it. I realized this is true of walking and moving about. I don't have to think about it, plan it or worry about whether it is the correct way or not. We simply do it once we know how, and call this muscle memory. Even if it is much more than that. So as we move into meditation, and practicing movements, we slowly learn a new way of being. We drag a bit of the limbic into our control, which focusing on breathing and controlling it is. Limbic exercise. And asking any "healer" using chi, they will tell you that it won't flow without breathing and emotions, also both limbic. Science, Language and the Dreaming Brain Only the executive and sensory functions are off line while the rest of the brain is active. This includes the rational thinking and sensing part). The Limbic system, the part of the brain that associates emotions with sensory information, is highly active while in the dream state. Dreams process unresolved emotions though this process in the limbic system. Language centers on the left side of the brain are off-line but the same centers on the right side, responsible for processing associations, are active during dream sleep. Therefore the language of dream is that of association, in particular emotional associations, not the literal naming by which we identify things in waking life.

Bumped into this post on Quora the other day, thought I'd share: Sean

When looking for descriptions of the Wen and Wu principle, I discovered an article. It includes an excerpt from a Yang taiji classic. This except appears balanced and wise, so I feel it is appropriate to begin with. Others are welcome to share their own quotes and opinions, so we may explore the depths of each other's perspective. In this quote I discern an emphasis on balance between two types of development. Without one, the other is ineffective. For the sake of nourishing a constructive discussion, please be mindful of how these principles will be revealed in your posting. If we merely apply force without the proper amount of meaning to back it up, is this any better than bullying? Equally, if we express emotion without strategic application, is this not inviting bullying? But more importantly, if we do not listen for and respond to the internal behind the surface of each other's words, how can we hope to avoid a potentially hurtful and ultimately nonconstructive application of energy? Let's be clear: Conversation is an exchange of energy. Many chose to energetically connect to and feed their shared perspectives. When polarity is established and separation ensues, one person takes energy from another. To what end?

This is a shot in the dark, and not something I have ever talked much about, but here goes. For as far back as I can remember I have these moments where I speak a strange, foriegn language. Usually when I am in a state of bliss or joy or some sort of high emotion. Heck I think I wrote a poem in it once... Hold on a sec... Checking my computer... OK, I'm back, but I can't find it I will look more later. Anyhow I am reading, "Polishing The Mirror" by Ram Das, and I am near the end where he is talking about the names of God. He says, quoting Krishna Das, "Those names come from a Divine Place within us, a place that is before thought, before emotions, before anything to to with conepts or conceptual thinking." I guess I was wondering what the name of God was in this unknown language of mine. I can' tell you how weird it is that I can sit there and say this stuff in a lnaguage I never studied and have no name for. I wonder sometimes if I am just speaking goblygook, but I have a powerful sense it is a real language. It is very confusing. Anhow, in this language, the name I got for the name of God is: Sec'A'Neh (pronounced sec-ka-nay) It is vaugly familliar, as if I have said or wrote it before, and I think that is how it is written, but not sure. I just know how it sounds. Sec'A'Neh. Does that ring a bell with anyone? Just wondering.