The Philosophy of Flow

"That which offers no resistance, overcomes the hardest substances. That which offers no resistance can enter where there is no space. Few in the world can comprehend the teaching without words, or understand the value of non-action."- Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 43.

Taoism

Tao Te Ching, was created by Lao Tzu, which is the main work of Taoism. A well-known concept that has emerged from Taoist philosophy is Wu Wei, that can be translated as "non-action, "effortless action", or the paradoxical "action of non-action.

In a practical sense, we can describe Wu Wei as the state of flow, often referred to as "The Zone". 

Now, what is "The Zone"?

The state when we engage in action without striving, and move through time and space almost effortlessly. There are no extremes, no worries, no ruminations, everything seems to flow in a natural course. 

Back to Taoism

The essence of Taoist philosophy is living in harmony with the "Tao", also called the "Way". What is the "Tao"? We don't really know what it is, and it's futile to try asking about it. Our understanding of the Tao only goes as far as the limitations of our perception. What the "Tao" really is and what it looks, still remains a mystery. 

Moreover, the Tao we speak of isn't the real Tao, according to Lao Tzu. Hence, the famous opening of Tao Te Ching goes like this:

"The Tao that can be described is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be spoken is not the eternal Name"- Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 1.

How do We Live with the "Way"?

Taoist literature doesn't give one practical method to achieve this. However, we can find many clues that point to achieving stillness of mind, curbing the senses, being humble, and the cessation of striving, in order to open up ourselves up to the workings of the universe.

The Taoists observe that stillness of mind can be combined with action, and if we are completely in the present moment, our actions will go effortlessly, without friction and accompanied by razor sharp focus.

"It was almost as if we were playing in slow motion. During those spells, I could almost sense how the next play would develop and where the next shot would be taken."- Bill Russell, Second Wind.

The Power of Gentleness

By forcing and striving, we might get the job done, but at the same time we spend much more energy than necessary and possibly suffer from collateral damage. On the other hand, someone in a state of flow approaches a task intelligently, knowing when to act and when not to, and finds a balance between action and non-action. 

It's a matter of not too hot, not too cold. It's the golden path between anxiety and boredom. We are encouraged to be ambitious, to take control and to strive. Meanwhile many people suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, and sleep disorders. 

Are we burning ourselves out? We look down on passivity, and often mistake it for laziness. But these are different things. When we look at nature, "doing nothing" makes way more sense than we tend to think. Results do not equal the amount of energy we spend. Results are the consequence of a series of actions. 

How does Taoism Pictures Itself?

Taoism compares life to a river. The river already has a course or several courses, and once we find ourselves in that river, we can swim against the current, we can hold on to a branch or we can let go and go along with the stream.

Most of our lives, we swim against the current and we don't even realize it. Our mind believes that it can and should control the environment, in order to survive, which is kind of egocentric because the vast majority of processes which as well as outside ourselves are not in our control. When we flow along with the current, we align ourselves with this natural course. This is the path of least resistance, it gives nature a chance to unfold, without us resisting it. 

Another aspect of the river that characterizes Taoism, is the water itself. The characteristics of water are softness and humility that basically symbolize Taoist virtue.

"The supreme good is like water, which benefits all of creation without trying to compete with it. It gathers in unpopular places. Thus it is like the Tao"- Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 8.

Water may be soft, but it overcomes hardness which we can see in the erosion of rock. And water not only seeks the lower places, it also has no purpose, no goal, no specific desire. Yet, it nourishes everything that it passes. It's an incredible life force, that literally does God's work, but without any ambition. 

"Water is the softest and most yielding substance. Yet nothing is better than water, for overcoming the hard and rigid, because nothing can compete with it."- Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 78.

What We've learned

Instead of worrying about the future, focusing on what's in the present. No matter if you're completely immersed in sports, writing, a video game, or dancing. When you're in a state of flow, you forget the results, the pressure, the anxieties about the future, the failings at the past. It's just you, and the task at hand. You're completely in the present. And the only way to do this, is by letting go. 

Letting go means stop swimming against the current, stop holding on to some branches. It means letting go of the past, letting go of the future, focus on this moment entirely, and just live it, without hesitation.

most information are taken from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtGtqmC5wU4&t=132s

Yes, I did summarize the whole thing and I didn't copy any words from other websites.

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Perbedaan Simplified Chinese dan Traditional Chinese

Ketika orang - orang mulai belajar bahasa Mandarin, pertanyaan yang sering muncul adalah: apa perbedaan antara traditional Chinese dan simplified Chinese? Dan manakah yang harus dipelajari? Di dalam postingan ini, kita akan menelusuri beberapa perbedaan umum di antara kedua sistem penulisan ini dan memberikanmu beberapa ide untuk memilih mana yang tepat bagi anda. 

1. Di mana Mereka  Digunakan?

Sekarang, simplified Chinese secara resmi digunakan di mainland China, Singapore, dan Malaysia. Traditional Chinese digunakan di Taiwan, Hong Kong, dan Macau.

Pada awalnya, traditional Chinese merupakan bahasa standard di wilayah yang berbahasa Mandarin. Beberapa mengatakan, karakter hanzi disederhanakan untuk memudahkan membaca. Bentuk sederhana karakter - karakter tersebut juga pernah muncul di dokumen dari dinasti Qin. Namun, sebagian besar karakter yang digunakan sekarang mulai dikembangkan di tahun 1950an sampai 1960an oleh pemerintah dari People's Republic of China. Pemerintah mengimplementasikan sistem resmi simplified Chinese, dengan harapan untuk membantu meningkatkan literasi masyarakat China.

2. Bentuk dari Karakter

Perbedaan yang paling nampak antara traditional Chinese dan simplified Chinese adalah bentuk dari karakter hanzi. Karakter tradisional lebih rumit dan memiliki banyak garis, sedangkan untuk simplified, seperti namanya, lebih sederhana dan memiliki sedikit garis.

Seperti yang telah dibahas, semua karakter hanzi awalnya sama, jadi beberapa karakter ada yang diubah, dan beberapa lainnya tetap digunakan. Hal ini dikarenakan karakter - karakter sudah cukup sederhana, sehingga tidak perlu untuk diubah bentuknya.

Berikut adalah contoh karakter yang sama di traditional Chinese dan simplified Chinese:

Meskipun beberapa karakter seperti berikut ini sama di kedua sistem penulisan, simplified Chinese mengganti banyak karakter untuk memudahkan mereka dalam membaca dan menulis. Hal ini dilakukan dengan menyederhanakan radikal tertentu atau komponen yang membentuk karakter hanzi.

Cobalah lihat karakter berikut:

Seperti yang anda lihat, semua kata, radikal 言 di karakter traditional menjadi 讠di bentuk simplified tiap karakter. Perubahan sistematik ini membantu anda dalam mengenali dan mempelajari karakter dari sistem yang lain.

Namun, bukan berarti semua karakter itu sederhana. Ada ratusan karakter simplified Chinese yang bisa dikatakan berbeda dari traditional Chinese. Bahkan, banyak karakter yang sangat berbeda sampai - sampai orang yang mampu membaca dan menulis traditional Chinese dengan fasih harus menghafalkan karakter versi simplified.

3. Jumlah Karakter

Selain menyederhanakan karakter secara individu, simplified Chinese juga menggunakan sedikit karakter secara total. Simplified Chinese sering menggunakan satu karakter yang mewakili kata yang berarti berbeda namun sama dalam pengucapan. Di traditional Chinese, setiap kata mempunyai karakternya masing - masing.

Berikut adalah contohnya :

most information are taken from:https://ai.glossika.com/blog/differences-between-traditional-chinese-and-simplified-chinese

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 Calisthenics vs Weights ( Which is better? )

What is Calisthenics?

en.wikipedia.org

Calisthenics or Callisthenics is a form of strength training consisting of a variety of movements that exercise large muscle groups ( gross motor movements ), such as standing, grasping, pushing, etc. These exercise are often performed rhythmically and with minimal equipment, as bodyweight exercise. 

What is Weights?

wallpaperflare.com

Weights is the synonym for "Bodybuilding". Weights is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's muscles ( muscle building ) by muscle hypertrophy for aesthetic purposes. It is distinct from similar activities such as powerlifting because it focuses on physical appearance instead of strength. An individual who is engaged of this activity is is referred to as bodybuilder.

Which is better?

Although weightlifting and calisthenics are both forms of strength training. they yield different results. The best choice ultimately depends on your fitness goals. 

Benefits of Calisthenics 

1. Affordable and convenient 

Calisthenics primarily uses your bodyweight for the exercise, thus it can be done without any equipments.

2. Uses multiple muscle groups at once

A major benefit of calisthenics is that it involves compound exercises. This means it uses multiple muscle groups at once. It requires a high amount of movement, allowing you to burn a lot of calories in a short period of time. 

3. Improves flexibility, balance, and more

Calisthenics can improve :

• Coordination
• Flexibility
• Balance
• Endurance

Benefits of Weightlifting

1. Easy to progress 

Compared to calisthenics, progressing your effort is more straightforward. For instance, you can simply use heavier dumbbell to make your workout harder ( be sure not to push yourself too hard though! ).

2. Can isolate specific muscle groups 

Performing an isolated exercises is easier when weightlifting. These movements use just one primary muscle group, which works against all the resistance. This concentrated load can make it easier to increase the size of specific muscle groups. 

For Building Strength 

If you want to build strength, weightlifting is the way to go in long run. 

Using external weight makes it easier to overload muscle groups, promoting tiny tears in the muscle that stimulate repair. The result is muscle growth, or hypertrophy, which increases muscle strength.

That’s not to say calisthenics doesn’t make you strong. The dynamic, compound movement of calisthenics requires a great deal of strength. Plus, with the right technique, you can add enough resistance to increase muscle size and strength.

For Burning Calories 

Calisthenics is better for burning calories, which in turn may help you lose weight and body fat. That’s because it uses a lot of movement. This requires more energy, which your body gets by burning calories. The more calories you burn, the more weight you lose.

Calisthenics can also be used in more vigorous workouts, like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or circuit training. This can add even more movement and further increase your caloric burn.

The isolated movements of weightlifting don’t require as much energy. Yet, it’s worth noting that it will still contribute to overall weight loss. Building muscle increases your basal metabolic rate, or the number of calories you burn at rest.

Key Takeaway 

If you’re stuck between calisthenics vs. weightlifting, consider your goals and workout style. Calisthenics uses your bodyweight and involves compound exercises. It requires a lot of movement, making it better for losing weight and defining your muscles.

With weightlifting, you use external weights like dumbbells. It involves isolated exercises that increase the size of a muscle group. When done regularly, weightlifting is best for building strength and muscle size.

Both techniques are excellent forms of strength training. If you’d like to combine them, try doing calisthenics and weightlifting on the same day or on alternative days.

most informations are taken from https://www.healthline.com/health/calisthenics-vs-weightlifting#best-for-building-strength

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