Untouched land beyond.
A fallow field is
The secret of fertility.
In the city, we see millions of lives represented in the windows, doors, and many floors of each building. We see excitement and the glories of civilization. But no matter how much those who follow Tao may enjoy the city, they understand the need for retreat into nature.In the countryside, they find the nurturing quality of freedom. They can see new possibilities and can wander without societal impositions. In the past, pioneers saw the open prairies and were filled with dreams of dominating nature with the glories of man. Now we know different : We must preserve the wilds for our very survival.
We need time to lie fallow. If you cannot leave the city, just find a little quiet time each day to withdraw into yourself. If you are able to walk in fields or in the hills, so much the better. But none of us can maintain the fertility of our beings without renewal.
Personal Interpretation
The most productive land is given a chance to rest between plantings. If we want to live the lives of our choosing, we have to escape from the bustle of our lives on occasion. Otherwise, civilization will quickly wear us down so that good things are no longer able to grow and thrive within us.
We are constantly trying to impose our will on nature, but Taoism teaches us that we are a part of what we would bring to heel. By working to preserve nature, we preserve ourselves. By looking to natural cycles, we come to see and understand how our lives are microcosms of the universe.
There is a time for everything. A time to work, yes. But also a time to rest. Cessation of physical activity does not mean idleness though. We must make ourselves still so that we can reflect upon our being.
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