A Sense of Relaxation is the Best Way to Nourish One's Health

A Sense of Relaxation is the Best Way to Nourish One's Health

The term "sense of relaxation" has been selected...

People with a sense of relaxation are always particularly enviable:

They handle their work with ease, balance their work and life well, and make their life full of flavor.

However, most of us ordinary people are often trapped in the "double-speed mode" of the rhythm of life, feeling anxious and internally drained, with our nerves constantly tense.

We can't figure things out, can't let go, and can't afford to lose, which has almost become the norm in our lives.

Especially when we just stepped into 2025, looking back on the past and looking forward to the new year, our hearts are even more anxious and restless.

In fact, it's not difficult to live a life with a sense of relaxation.

An ancient person more than 1,200 years ago was a model of the "sense of relaxation".

From a modern perspective, this ancient person never served as an official throughout his life, nor did he have any great achievements or merits. As an ordinary person, he seemed rather ordinary.

But he was superior in having a good mentality:

He could hold on to his principles, figure things out, be open-minded, and let go.

His life started with seclusion and ended with seclusion. He followed his heart and drifted freely.

He was Meng Haoran, a poet at the top of the poetry world in the prosperous Tang Dynasty.

If you are feeling tired from life, let's travel through time for a thousand years and read about this Master Meng, who is known far and wide for his charm.

Perhaps, you can change your way of living in the new year and adjust yourself to the relaxation mode.

In 689 AD, Meng Haoran was born into a scholarly family in Xiangyang City.

As a descendant of Mencius, his father named him after Mencius' words "I am good at cultivating my noble spirit," hoping that he would inherit the teachings of his ancestors, become an official, and make contributions to society.

Meng Haoran studied Confucianism diligently every day with his younger brother, practiced swordsmanship assiduously, and tempered his mind. For this, he wrote a poem titled "Bamboo Pavilion of My Younger Brother Xiran":

I and a few friends,

Have had a deep friendship since childhood.

We all harbor lofty aspirations,

And once had a heart full of brotherly affection.

Our extraordinary spirit is expressed through our writing,

And the pure breeze blows through the bamboo forest.

We understand the pleasures of wine,

And the accidental sounds from the qin.

He developed a bold, confident, optimistic, and magnanimous character amidst the scholarly atmosphere and the shadow of the sword, and set lofty aspirations for himself.

Confucius once said, "When the world is in order, one should show oneself; when the world is in chaos, one should hide oneself."

During the prosperous Tang Dynasty, in the face of social injustice, the trend of seclusion was prevalent. Meng Haoran was deeply influenced by this and decided that "writing should not be for the sake of becoming an official" and chose to live in seclusion.

He was especially fond of Lumen Mountain in his hometown. The beautiful scenery of mountains and waters there often made him indulge in it and forget to go home.

In this new world, he feasted his eyes on the mountain and forest scenery, indulged in boating and playing in the water, devoted himself to studying while traveling, explored the traces of hermits, and cultivated his "noble spirit" in peace and comfort.

He composed the poem "Climbing Lumen Mountain" with great enthusiasm:

In the clear morning, driven by my interest,

I crossed the Jiang and Xian Rivers by following the current.

The birds on the sand were only recognized when they were near,

And the trees by the river were too far away to distinguish clearly.

Gradually, I reached Lumen Mountain,

Where the mountains were bright and the greenery was light.

The rocks and pools were full of twists and turns,

And the boat turned around many times.

I once heard that Pang Degong went to gather herbs and never returned.

He ate the芝and术 in the golden stream,

And lay on the stone bed covered with moss.

I was deeply touched by these old sages,

And I held the reins and climbed up.

The traces of their seclusion still remain today,

But their lofty spirit has long gone.

When will the white clouds leave?

The osmanthus trees stand tall in vain.

My exploration and discussion seem endless,

And I turn my boat back as the sun sets in the evening.

He gradually fell in love with this kind of peaceful and free lifestyle and formed an indissoluble bond with Lumen Mountain.

During his seclusion, Meng Haoran met Han Xiangke, a talented courtesan.

A talented scholar and a beautiful woman, when they met, it was more wonderful than countless things in the world.

One said, "Just for the wildness in the dream of the balcony, I came down to become an immortal guest."

The other said, "We made an oath together in front of the conjoined branches, and shared our hearts under the lilac tree."

Han Xiangke could see through Meng Haoran's elegant and simple heart, and Meng Haoran cherished and pitied her. The two had similar temperaments and admired each other, so they decided to spend their lives together.

Meng Haoran's series of "unconventional" actions made his father extremely angry, and the old man threatened to cut off the father-son relationship.

But Meng Haoran was unmoved and still adhered to his bottom line and choice.

He disliked the fame and fortune in the mundane world, loved the charm of the mountains, waters, and nature, and adored his beloved who had a deep connection with him. What was wrong with that?

He stuck to his original intention and choice and was willing to indulge in the free and carefree life of seclusion.

This kind of abandonment also made him exude a fresh and clean temperament from the inside out, becoming a spiritual idol of the world.

Yes, in this chaotic and complex world, the one who should be treated tenderly the most is ourselves.

Only by staying true to our hearts, loving what we love, and guarding our own energy field in our own rhythm can we live a good life.

When Meng Haoran was on the verge of stepping into middle age with the rhythm of his youth, his steps were not so light anymore.

His father had passed away in disappointment because he didn't listen to his persuasion. The old man's unfulfilled wish made him unable to let go for a long time.

At the same time, the poor family situation and the expectation of his relatives for him to become an official and revitalize the family also put him under an invisible pressure.

After careful consideration, Meng Haoran decided to rely on his profound knowledge of poetry and prose to embark on an official career and create another possible life for himself.

At the age of 39, after careful preparation, he went to Chang'an with a beaming face to take the imperial examination.

But the reality was harsh and dealt him a heavy blow. He failed the exam.

It didn't matter too much. He was full of talent and had made friends with many first-class figures in the political and poetry circles. Naturally, they would give him a helping hand.

Premier Zhang Yue was amazed by his talent and promised to recommend him to a higher position. But perhaps due to bad luck or fate, Meng Haoran didn't manage to enter the imperial court because of this.

Han Chaozong, the then governor of Xiangyang, was Meng Haoran's fellow townsman. When he heard the news, he came to visit immediately and invited him to become an official.

The two made an appointment to go to the capital together to make friends with officials. But when it was time for the appointment, Meng Haoran didn't show up.

Han Chaozong quickly sent people to look for him and found that this old friend was drinking heartily with his friends.

The messenger quickly reminded Meng Haoran: You forgot your appointment with Governor Han of Jingzhou today. Why haven't you gone yet?

Meng Haoran was in the mood for drinking and waved his hand: "I've already started drinking. Why should I care about other things?"

Don't you see that I'm having a good time drinking? I'm not going.

Meng Haoran, with his true nature, casually wasted a chance of being recommended like this.

His old friend Wang Wei invited him to get together. Just then, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang came to visit. The emperor asked him to compose a poem on the spot to see if his talent was suitable for official use.

This was a god-given opportunity, but Meng Haoran somehow recited the line: "I, lacking in talent, have been abandoned by the wise emperor; being sickly, I have been neglected by my old friends."

As soon as Emperor Xuanzong heard this, he was immediately displeased: I have never abandoned you, but you falsely accuse me of not using you. Go back where you came from.

And then, there was nothing more.

In fact, from the moment Emperor Xuanzong left in a huff, Meng Haoran knew that everything was over.

Looking at the back of Chang'an Street, he asked himself in his heart over and over again:

What on earth do I really want?

After seeking an official position for many years, I still haven't been able to fulfill my father's last wish, and I have also let down the expectations of my family. Is this really important to me?

I have a straightforward nature and am used to a leisurely life. If I really embark on an official career, can I really adapt to the hypocritical officialdom?

No, I can't do it. I have already wasted a lot of time. Let what has happened pass with the wind. There's no need to blame myself or have internal conflicts, and there's no need to live up to other people's expectations.

In the remaining years, I will just be myself, pursue the freedom I yearn for, and do the things I like. This is my original intention.

The small days of "I don't know it's dawn when I sleep in spring, and I can hear birds singing everywhere" in Lumen Mountain in his early years came back to Meng Haoran's mind.

At this moment, looking in the direction of his hometown, Meng Haoran's heart was as calm as a lake, and he felt a long-awaited sense of relief.

He knew how to spend the rest of his life.

Tao Yuanming once said, "I realize that the past cannot be changed, but I know that the future can be pursued."

In one's life, things are unpredictable, and gains and losses are hard to foresee.

When a regret has been caused, what we should do is not to beat our chests in frustration, be entangled in internal conflicts, but to look down on gains and losses and allow everything to happen.

In the days to come, we should do our best, accept the will of fate, be brave enough to let go, be brave enough to turn the page, let the joys and sorrows follow fate, and face everything indifferently, so that we can have a clear conscience.

When a person lets go of his obsessions and smooths out the countless wrinkles in his heart, he will welcome a new life like being bathed in the spring breeze.

The distance didn't keep me, so I bid farewell to the distance.

Meng Haoran bid farewell to the wasted years and returned to Lumen Mountain without hesitation, truly living the life of seclusion that he had always longed for.

Besides reading and writing poetry, he either visited famous scholars, wrote poems and made friends, or traveled around, enjoying endless pleasures in "exploring the ultimate beauty of the mountains and waters".

He especially admired the idyllic pleasures and the simple and ordinary rural life.

Once, Meng Haoran passed by the farmstead of an old friend. He saw that the farmhouse courtyard opened its windows facing the threshing ground and vegetable garden, surrounded by green trees and blue mountains, with a pleasant scenery.

He happily gathered with his old friend in the courtyard, tasted the rural delicacies, raised his glass and chatted about the growth of the mulberry and hemp. Thus, the poem "Visiting an Old Friend's Farmhouse", which has been passed down for thousands of years, was born:

An old friend prepared chicken and millet,

And invited me to his farmhouse.

Green trees surround the village,

And blue mountains slant beyond the outer walls.

Opening the window, we face the threshing ground and vegetable garden,

Holding the wine cup, we talk about the mulberry and hemp.

When the Double Ninth Festival comes,

I will come back to enjoy the chrysanthemums.

Meng Haoran blocked out the hustle and bustle and restlessness of the world, savored the beauty of life carefully. Just like having washed away all the vanity, he became more and more natural and peaceful.

He was infinitely attached to the mountains and waters of Lumen Mountain and sincerely loved the plants and the world here:

On a refreshing autumn day, when he was in the mood, he climbed high and looked into the distance, sighing, "In the white clouds of the northern mountain, the hermit enjoys himself happily."

On a clear summer night, he lay on the rocking chair, closed his eyes and relaxed, listening quietly to "The lotus breeze sends the fragrance, and the bamboo dew drips with a clear sound."

As the sun sets in the west, he listened to the mountain songs of the woodcutters and felt, "Most of the woodcutters are on their way back, and the birds are just beginning to settle in the smoke."

Nature soothed his soul, making his heart more and more peaceful, and he became more and more calm about the world.

In his later years, Meng Haoran found his true self in the mountains, waters, and fields. He truly integrated poetry into his life and turned his life into poetry. He lived freely and unrestrainedly, relaxed and self-consistent, reaching the realm of doing whatever he wanted without exceeding the norms.

The so-called noble spirit actually exists between heaven and earth and in one's heart.

People often live up to other people's expectations or have deep obsessions with fame, fortune, and material desires when they go through life, and encounter countless troublesome and bad things.

If we get entangled in them and can't extricate ourselves, we will be like a silkworm spinning a cocoon around itself, feeling anxious and confused, uneasy all day long, and unable to be happy.

The greatest sobriety of a person is to know how to let go.

When we let go of the external things that bind us and live in the way we like, life will no longer be a sea of bitterness.

Our hearts will become more and more transparent accordingly, our living state will become more and more relaxed, and we will be closer to true happiness.

Bi Shumin once said, "Only when people are relaxed can they achieve long-term goals."

Living an easy life was a truth that Meng Haoran understood when he was young, which allowed him to taste the sweetness of life and the joy of life early.

In his middle age, he was once trapped by the pursuit of fame and fortune and was once torn between the contradiction of being an official and living in seclusion.

Fortunately, he had a good mentality, could look down on gains and losses, and allow everything to happen, without falling into the quagmire of internal conflicts and pain.

Finally, in the complex and ever-changing world, he gradually pursued his true self step by step, regained a happy life in his later years, and reached the realm of following his heart.

Thousands of years have passed, and the name "Meng Haoran" has not been forgotten by people with the passage of time.

His principles of dealing with things and his attitude towards life are the source of the sense of relaxation, and this is exactly the most scarce mentality for us living in this world.

The world is noisy. Life is not just about being busy, but also about the art of relaxation.

Liking the sense of relaxation without deliberately pursuing it, facing reality directly and being able to deal with it indifferently, this is what life should be like.

So in the new year, let's put down all the burdens and distracting thoughts, move forward with a relaxed heart, and live a life full of joy and satisfaction.