Reflections on Valley Spirit

[Geof Nanto]

The Valley Spirit never dies.

It is called the Mysterious Female.

 

The entrance to the Mysterious Female 

Is called the root of Heaven and Earth

 

Endless Flow

Of inexhaustible energy.

 

(Daodejing Chpt 6) 

 

[Geof Nanto]

Journeying to Valley Spirit

 

Long ago I heard of valley spirit,

Today I climb her barrier mountains.

 

The lands of Wu and You – East and West – merging,

Heaven and Earth – day and night – floating together.

 

From family and friends, a gentle parting,

Old and patient, my small boat adrift.

 

Beyond the shores, conditioned mind turmoil,

I sit in stillness and tears flow.

 

(Shaped from Climbing Yueyang Tower by Du Fu, c 770AD.)

[Jeff]

Interesting point that is raised...

 

Does one need to leave behind family and friends to find the Valley Spirit?

 

 

 

(also, feel free to delete this if you did not want such discussion in your thread)

[Geof Nanto]

 

(also, feel free to delete this if you did not want such discussion in your thread)

 

Any relevant discussion welcome. 

 

 

Interesting point that is raised...

 

Does one need to leave behind family and friends to find the Valley Spirit?

 

For me, that has been the case.  That's the way my life has flowed. It hasn't been deliberate. However, for those on a mystical path, I find some truth in these words from Meister Eckhart (if not their war-like imagery)...... 

 

'Whoso loveth aught but me, whoso cleaveth to father or mother, or many other things, he is not worthy of me. I came not upon earth to bring peace but a sword; to cut away all things, to part thee from brother, child, mother and friend, which are really thy foes.  For verily thy comforts are thy foes. Doth thine eye see all things and thine ear hear all things and thy heart remember them all, then in these things thy soul is destroyed.

[Marblehead]

When I say I visit with the valley spirit I say in metaphorically.  Sure, I know of some of those valleys but they are too far away for me to physically visit.

 

I liken the valley spirit to yin, rest.  A place internal where no one can harm us.

 

I don't believe anything needs be given up.  We just, for the time, separated our self from all externals.

[Geof Nanto]

 

I don't believe anything needs be given up.  We just, for the time, separated our self from all externals.

 

 

There’s a natural flow of things that once entered is outside and beyond any notions of forceful ‘giving up’. However, any successes I’ve had in aligning myself with that flow have meant much work. It’s been an ongoing process of ‘letting go’  - letting go of existing attachments and desires to feel my way into something more fulfilling.  It’s been a gradual movement into more and more subtle reality; a movement away from the intensity that’s so much a part of contemporary life.  

 

I’ve learnt that all intensity is potentially addictive (including discussions on this web forum). It’s easy to move into intensity – indeed it’s most compelling – yet it tends to become a trap that’s difficult to escape from. After any intense experience it takes time to readjust and regain the sensitivity necessary to feel into the subtle fullness of ‘emptiness’. And I seek to hone my sensitivity and grow my roots into that ancient, eternal ‘silence’ of Valley Spirit. That’s where I find my inner peace, my innate belonging. 

[rene]

Wonderful thread, Yueya.

 

My nature is to rather than have no attachments and desires, their 'intensity' (importance of attainment or fulfillment) is nominal. For me, the inner peace, the manifested child of the Valley Spirit, is home; the place from where I extend to interact and experience whatever comes.

 

Warmest regards (-:

[sillybearhappyhoneyeater]

I particularly like Huang Yuanji's explanation. 

 

Huang Yuanji:

"what is the valley spirit?

valley refers to a cavity in the mountain, he is speaking of its emptiness.

referring to that in changing and movement cannot be restrained, he says "spirit."

not dead refers to the an unclouded understanding."

[MIchael80]

Yueya, this is my expierence also!!

You have put it into fine words!

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

all the best on your way!

Michael

[Jeff]

I particularly like Huang Yuanji's explanation. 

 

Huang Yuanji:

"what is the valley spirit?

valley refers to a cavity in the mountain, he is speaking of its emptiness.

referring to that in changing and movement cannot be restrained, he says "spirit."

not dead refers to the an unclouded understanding."

I think if you look at verse 39, you will see a different view than describing emptiness regarding the valley (spirit). The valley is part of the "one". It is full and never runs dry...

 

Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - chapter 39

 

These things from ancient times arise from one:

The sky is whole and clear.

The earth is whole and firm.

The spirit is whole and strong.

The valley is whole and full.

The ten thousand things are whole and alive.

Kings and lords are whole and the country is upright.

All these are in virtue of wholeness.

 

The clarity of the sky prevents it falling.

The firmness of the earth prevents it splitting.

The strength of the spirit prevents it being used up.

The fullness of the valley prevents it running dry.

The growth of the ten thousand things prevents them dying out.

The leadership of kings and lords prevents the downfall

of the country.

 

Therefore the humble is the root of the noble.

The low is the foundation of the high.

Princes and lords consider themselves

"orphaned," "widowed," and "worthless."

Do they not depend on being humble?

 

Too much success is not an advantage.

Do not tinkle like jade

Or clatter like stone chimes.

 

-(translation by Gia-fu Feng and Jane English)

[Geof Nanto]

Traditional Daodejing commentaries vary markedly in their interpretations of Valley Spirit. I’ve read many and like to read what this passage means to other Dao Bums.  For me, rather than finding any definitive interpretation, there are images, vague and illusive. And that’s their power; their power to continually give birth to insights beyond words. 

 

I wrote the poem Journeying to Valley Spirit as a healing response to brokenness of Du Fu’s Climbing Yueyang Tower…… 

 

Climbing Yueyang Tower

 

Long ago I heard of Lake Dongting,

Today I climb the tower of Yueyang:

 

The lands of Wu and Chu – to the East and South – riven,

Heaven and Earth – day and night – floating detached.

 

From family and friends, not a single letter,

Old and sick, a solitary boat.

 

War horses north of the barrier mountains —

I lean on the railing and tears flow.

 

Du Fu wrote this poem near the end of his life – a life of broken health in a country broken by war and rebellion.  Whilst I’ve been fortunate enough to live in a peaceful country, within myself I’ve suffered much brokenness. This is how life is for many people. It’s neither positive or negative within itself but is something that either permanently breaks us, or remakes us if we are fortunate; if circumstances allow.  

 

In retrospect, I can see how I needed much adversity to break my arrogance. A teacher can teach many things, but only life experience can teach brokenness. For me, Valley Spirit is that womb-like energy field that remakes fragmented selves into something more in harmony with Dao.  She is a life-giving place of rest and rebirth. However, it’s taken me decades of practice to even begin to feel her eternal - yet impersonal - healing flow.

[Jeff]

 

...

 

In retrospect, I can see how I needed much adversity to break my arrogance. A teacher can teach many things, but only life experience can teach brokenness. For me, Valley Spirit is that womb-like energy field that remakes fragmented selves into something more in harmony with Dao.  She is a life-giving place of rest and rebirth. However, it’s taken me decades of practice to even begin to feel her eternal - yet impersonal - healing flow.

 

 

 

Very beautifully said... But I would add that she is also the one driving the life experience that can teach brokenness...  

 

For me, the valley spirit is all of the "One" that manifests.  As you said, the womb-like energy field of "all". 

[dawei]

Does one need to leave behind family and friends to find the Valley Spirit?

 

I would like to suggest that within chinese poetry, it is very common element to read of the loneliness of the poet, particularly in older age.  One has to remember that the chinese have told thousands of stories of home-sickness and it has become a bit of pressure to the one-child generation(s) as they seek to migrate towards opportunity.

 

But from a poetic device, you can find it among most all the chinese poets...  And I have never seen it employed with such pathos.

[rene]

For me, Valley Spirit is that womb-like energy field that remakes fragmented selves into something more in harmony with Dao. ...

For me too, and there is nothing to add, imo, for what more could be needed than that?

[sillybearhappyhoneyeater]

I think if you look at verse 39, you will see a different view than describing emptiness regarding the valley (spirit). The valley is part of the "one". It is full and never runs dry...

 

Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - chapter 39

 

These things from ancient times arise from one:

The sky is whole and clear.

The earth is whole and firm.

The spirit is whole and strong.

The valley is whole and full.

The ten thousand things are whole and alive.

Kings and lords are whole and the country is upright.

All these are in virtue of wholeness.

 

The clarity of the sky prevents it falling.

The firmness of the earth prevents it splitting.

The strength of the spirit prevents it being used up.

The fullness of the valley prevents it running dry.

The growth of the ten thousand things prevents them dying out.

The leadership of kings and lords prevents the downfall

of the country.

 

Therefore the humble is the root of the noble.

The low is the foundation of the high.

Princes and lords consider themselves

"orphaned," "widowed," and "worthless."

Do they not depend on being humble?

 

Too much success is not an advantage.

Do not tinkle like jade

Or clatter like stone chimes.

 

-(translation by Gia-fu Feng and Jane English)

 

There is no conflict in ideas here.   The valley is the hollow area at the base of the mountain, because of its emptiness it can sustain abundant life.   The valley is empty and filled with life, the mountain is full and cannot sustain the same abundance.  this is the Daoist logic of emptiness containing fullness and vice versa.   the valley spirit can also be viewed as emptiness and fullness mutually arising from each other.   Either way, the essential point of 得 一 de yi, "held as one" is how nature is manifested.