The Ending Game
Do you know when to Stop? Your activity, day, career, desire, policy? It is easy to Start. It takes Awareness to Stop. Life is an Ending Game. Choose wisely and know when to Stop.
🪷
It is impossible to relax if you do not know when to Stop. Not Quit. Stop!
In your daily activity. Within next hour. Desires. End of day. Career. Identifications. End of Life.
If you feel stressed about — work, home, relations, feelings — you are not alone.
You probably don’t know when to stop your psychological dramas about — work, home, relations, feelings. You know when to start, but are not trained when to stop or stay distanced. Neither are you trained to swiftly shift from one activity or thought to another.
It is not your fault. You are trained to remain entangled with stimuli. From outside. And inside. On top of it, you are trained to singularly make your activity, desire, career as the most significant aspect of life. Within your psychology.
It is not that, these things are not important. It is just that they become a huge weight in your mind. As if, the outcomes of these stimuli means everything.
The truth is, Life is a bigger phenomenon than any of your desires. Or ideas. Life keeps you alive. You assume your psychological dramas do.
It is not that you get caught with external stimuli only. You can get horribly caught with internal stimuli too. Emotions and Logic. A web of past mishaps, future prospects, present skirmishes. With your deep and private desires.
You have not learnt risk management techniques to avoid such entanglements. You have seen it happen to your parents, partners, priests and professors. Everyone succumbs. At some point.
You are trained to believe it is normal, to remain caught with stimuli until the end of life. As if your desires and ambitions are the only reason for birth and manifesting them the only goal of life.
Laozi entered the room in a loin cloth. He was bare chested. Slim and muscular, he glided towards the cane chair. King Jian paid respect by bowing down.
He asked his people to offer fruits, grains, farming and sharpening tools. Jian had traveled long to meet Laozi and did not want to rest before the meeting.
Laozi smiled and asked about his travels. He inquired about his family’s health and specifically asked about the Kingdom’s Arsenal?
King Jian bowed again and replied with respect. He mentioned his fourth son had difficulty in breathing. He updated Laozi on the arsenal.
Laozi closed his eyes. Everyone waited.
After what seemed like eternity, Laozi opened his eyes, looked intensely at Jian and advised him to take a decisive stand with the neighboring kingdom. He told him to immediately double the arsenal in less than a year. Jian should send his foreign ministers to other nations surrounding the neighbor immediately to procure defense equipments and further trade. He asked him to open the borders for all other neighbors, except the next door, encouraging religious and cultural celebrations.
He asked Jian to personally pay a visit to the neighboring kingdom and discuss the specific grievances directly, without mincing words. He asked Jian to take his defense minister with him. He should spend only one night and hold a single meeting with a specific agenda. He asked Jian to address the issue of illegal entry from the neighboring kingdom, infiltrating their land, deliberately working cheaply with businesses to establish stronghold. By mixing with the community, the illegals were upsetting the fabric of the culture.
He insisted Jian recalibrate the social programs needed for the downtrodden in the beginning to lift them out of poverty. After a decade of successfully implementing, it was time to either let go or gradually shut down the program.
Laozi reminded Jian to take this trip immediately and allow the foreign minister to meet other neighbors simultaneously. He asked Jian to forewarn the neighbor of dire consequences if an amiable conclusion is not agreed.
Laozi closed his eyes, waited few seconds and looked at Jian again, asking him to meet once his trip was successful.
Jian waited in anticipation. Laozi gave him permission to leave after suggesting to boil the bark of a specific tree available in highlands and let his son drink it thrice a day for two weeks. It will help in opening the bronchioles.
King Jian bowed and left the room with Purpose and Drive!
Six months later.
Laozi declined Jian’s invitation to visit him. He instead accepted another invitation to connect different regions of the kingdom by organizing an annual sports competition.
While disappointed, Jian knew Laozi would not come. He had precisely guided on what the kingdom urgently needed. Jian and ministers had successful meetings with neighboring kingdoms.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say Laozi had foreseen the mess and averted a serious challenge to the kingdom - due to illegal infiltration, debasing cultural fabric and lethargy amongst locals to participate in the kingdom’s organic growth.
King Jian had worked actively with defense manufacturer’s and managed to scale the arsenal. He was surprised that three manufacturer’s had enthusiastically agreed to work with his team, offering timely services at a nominal 15% profit margin.
Jian was bewildered by this gesture, as it would avoid a heavy dent on the treasury while manufacturing weapons within the deadline. Only upon further investigation, Jian realized that Laozi had already spoken and convinced the manufacturers, incentivizing them of continual future orders — domestic and exports.
Perplexed by Laozi’s involvement, Jian finally sat with Dan Kuo, the family advisor to the court.
Jian openly asked him: ‘ How did Laozi know about state matters and could guide with clarity? ‘
Kuo: ‘ Laozi has clarity and wisdom stemming from deep perception and keen involvement. He has guided me many times, narrating the importance of “Ending” in matters which are cyclical and needs a fresh start. ‘
‘ He understands human nature. When citizens have it easy, they become lethargic. Liberal ideas reign. Working to create livelihood seems cumbersome. People from far enter to find prosperity or are planted to disturb peace and prosperity. This is a cycle which keeps repeating from time immemorial. ‘
‘ Laozi pushed you towards “Ending” ideas and processes which were archaic or not benefitting the kingdom. He insisted you visit with the defense minister to our neighboring kingdom, clearly warning them about the issue of infiltration and cultural degradation. He wanted you to press them in knowing you were in touch with other neighbors and if push comes to shove, you were prepared to use force. In parallel, he asked the foreign ministers to visit other kingdoms and seal support for trade and defense. ‘
‘ He wanted you to End the Cycle of Lethargy within our kingdom, by addressing the nuisance stemming from our neighbor in a decisive manner. He guided you to End the Cycle of Diplomacy and warn the neighbor of punitive action if necessary. He wisely and subtly hinted you to End the Cycle of Socialist attitude by the governance for the populace. ‘
King Jian settled with Dan Kuo’s sharing of Laozi. He felt blessed that he was guided by a living Sage. He realized the significance of an Enlightened Soul guiding the political head of a kingdom.
Laozi was not only Selfless but knew the Nature and Cycles of Life and Human Psychology. His guidance was for longterm wellbeing of the populace, keeping a skeptical eye on governance, with specific actions in short term. He gave Ending matters equal importance as Starting.
Jian asked his administrator’s to arrange a trip to visit Laozi, requesting if him and his key ministers could stay back for few days. Laozi obliged. Jian and a small entourage went with an open mind, softened heart, willing to get Laozi’s blessings and learn from the Master - the Art of Ending to sustain the Kingdom!
Musings from a Nomad’s Desk is an independent publication. If you find value and wish to contribute to this work, you can Participate below — Voluntarily, without Expectation.