The small Daoist canon has three chapters dedicated to methods of self control and how to cure oneself of the illnesses of consciousness.
The third section of this chapter contains two major lists, one comprised of illnesses and one comprised of medicines. A semi regular feature on this blog will be to post one or two illnesses and their remedies. The first two illnesses are:
喜怒无常是一病。
xi nu wu chang shi yi bing:
the inconstancy of affection and anger are one disease.
忘义取利是一病。
wang yi qu li shi yi bing:
forgetting righteousness and grasping at benefit are one disease.
The medicine are:
体弱性柔是一药。
Ti ruo, xing rou shi yi yao:
a supple body and softened consciousness are one medicine.
行宽心和是一药。
xing kuan xin he shi yi yao:
Vast in action with a harmonious heart is one medicine.
As you can see all illnesses of the mind have remedies and they are not overly complex. Simply being more calm, more relaxed, and in harmony with your environs is already enough to cure the first two diseases of excessive emotion and greed.
These types of practices are defined in Daoism as “Ren yuan” the practice of humanity, and are designed in such a way that the mind and the body are in cooperation at all times, not just on the meditation pillow.
This type of practice is not meditation, but it uses the benefit that meditation provides in order to maintain a more just and better life.