Honest selfishness

Via Apophatic Mysticism

Honest selfishness

“Fully provided for by heaven and earth, by giving away to others, he only gets even more for himself.”
— Zhuang Zi.

Here there is not the idea of selflessness, putting others first, or sacrifice. There is no need for Zhuang Zi to kid himself and think he is not interested in pleasing himself. He allows his motivation to be transparent.

What Zhuang Zi has realized are the dynamics of qi. There is a reciprocal exchange and increase of qi when qi is concentrated and expressed outward. This is why Lao Zi says, “Don’t honor the sage.” The sage is no less selfish than you or me, she has simply learned a much more enlightened selfishness.