The Search for Peace in Times of Chaos—Volume ǣ It is a central concept of Taoism closely tied to the practice of Wu Wei, or effortless action Ziran refers to a state of as-it-isness, the most important quality for anyone following Taoist beliefs To become nearer to a state of Ziran, one must become separate from unnatural influences and returned to an entirely natural, spontaneous state ǯǣ It is translated as “uncarved block,” “unhewn log,” or “simplicity.” It represents a passive state of receptiveness P’u is a symbol for a state of pure potential and perception without prejudice It is believed to be the true nature of the mind, unburdened by knowledge or experiences In the state of p’u, there is no right or wrong, beautiful or ugly There is only pure experience or awareness, free from learned labels and definitions ǣ It is the symbol of natural and complementary forces There are many things in life that have two sides They may be masculine and feminine, or they could be darkness and light, wet and dry, or action and inaction They are opposites that work together in perfect harmony The yin yang concept is sometimes confused with the Western concept of good and evil, but good and evil are at war; yin and yang are in harmony Yin and yang are not static, the balance ebbs and flows between them Yin and yang are opposites, both of which could not exist without the other The idea is that everywhere in nature, opposites must coexist harmoniously Wherever there is light, there will be dark; where there is up, there must be down; where there is winter, so shall be summer A balance of opposites creates the best situation for harmony and calm Taoists put great emphasis on the importance of nature due in part to their beliefs in a yin-yang ideal Yin-yang is said to exist everywhere in nature Where there is life, there must be death; a bountiful season may be followed by a drought If one learns to accept these things are part of a balanced and harmonious life, instead of always wishing for the yang, one might find themselves at greater peace