Keeping the Root, Meeting Change, Part Five: Boundaries and Where It Comes to Rest

--About“root-guarding strain”System Description (Part 5)

preface

The first four chapters have completed a complete path: from definition (Part 1), to philosophical positioning (Part 2), to identification and return at the operational level (Part 3), to analysis of internal mechanisms (Part 4).

Now I need to answer the last question:What will happen if a person continues to follow the rules and respond?

This is not a commitment to some "ultimate realm". Keep your roots and adapt without committing to a special state, without committing to surpass ordinary people, and without committing to always be calm. It promises only one thing:gradually become a“You can come back if you miss it”people.

However, after "you can come back if you deviate" occurs repeatedly, some changes will naturally appear. These changes are not "the effect of keeping the roots and adapting", but "the natural result of keeping the roots and adapting to become a habit"-just like people who run for a long time, their cardiopulmonary function will naturally improve and do not need to be deliberately pursued.

This article describes these naturally occurring states. They are not goals, but results.

1. Natural appearance of six background colors

However, in the process of continuing to implement root-abiding responses, six states will naturally appear. They are not deliberately cultivated, but sediments after repeated operations such as "deviation can come back".

Keeping the roots and adapting itself is neutral. It does not require a person to be "kind","sincere" or "compassionate". It only requires one prerequisite: having a self-identified frame of reference. The confirmation of this frame of reference is possible because the basement is always present-it is common to all, unsettable, and indestructible.

The basal root is the underlying substrate on which the background color is deposited. The six background colors are not formed at the reference system level, but appear naturally during contact with the basal roots.

1.1 Integrity: Be more honest with yourself

When a person frequently performs "pause → check → return", he will notice a rule: his perception of his true state becomes more and more acute. If you do something that is inconsistent with the frame of reference, you will feel it at an earlier stage-not through thinking, but through physical feelings, emotional reactions, or the perception that something "is wrong."

This is not "moral cultivation". This is not a deliberate pursuit of "not deceiving yourself". Rather, because he continues to return to his place, his perception of "deviation" becomes more sensitive.

Integrity is a by-product of frequent returns.

It does not need to be "cultivated"-it deposits on its own during frequent returns.

1.2 True: clearer about the facts

When a person moves steadily in his own frame of reference, distorting facts to support a conclusion is more energy-consuming than facing the facts directly. Inconsistency needs to be fabricated first, then maintained, and then explained. Facing the facts directly may not be comfortable, but it is more labor-saving.

This is not a "pursuit of truth". But because of frequent contact with your position, you become more familiar with the "undistorted" state. When distorting facts, you can feel the awkwardness-not moral judgment, but a lack of smooth operation.

True, it is a natural tendency arising from being in one's position for a long time.

1.3 Nature: No longer push forward against the trend

When a person continues to follow the root causes, he will gradually discover that some things do not need to be "forced forward." It is not that "it should slow down", but that "continuing to use this rhythm will deviate." Then adjust-not out of strategy, but out of perception.

Nature is not "laissez-faire", but "perceiving the rhythm and cooperating with it." This perception is not obtained through analysis, but is accumulated after repeated returns to your place.

Naturally, it is the inner rhythm formed after frequent returns.

1.4 Boundaries: Know more clearly "where to stop"

When a person continues to implement root-based responses, his perception of "boundaries" will gradually become concrete. Being able to perceive when to stop without having to reason "where to stop" through thinking. It's not "I should stop"-it's "This is it, there's no need to move forward."

Boundary perception is not obtained through analysis. It is formed by repeatedly returning to one's place, confirming that "this is my place" in each return.

Boundaries are the sense of location formed after frequent returns.

It does not need to be "delineated"-it takes shape naturally in continuous return.

1.5 Awed: Perceiving one's own limitations

This is a late state. When a person continues to implement root-abiding responses, he will gradually realize that some things are beyond his own scope. It's not "admitting that you can't do it", but "the operation here is beyond the coverage of my frame of reference."

This perception is not "fear" or "retreat", but an objective judgment: "This position is not something I can reach, and this direction is beyond the boundaries of my frame of reference."-- Then adjust accordingly.

Awed is a perception naturally formed after frequent contact with one's own boundaries.

It doesn't need to be "learned"-it comes naturally in continuous operation.

1.6 Compassion: A sharper perception of the state of others

This is an indirect effect. When a person moves steadily in his own frame of reference, the "sense of distance" from others becomes clearer. It is easier to sense whether the other person is also in your position, whether they deviate, or whether they are on the edge. This perception is not deliberately "observed", but information that is naturally received during stable operation.

This is not "empathy improvement." It's just that when a person is in a stable position, the ability to receive signals becomes clearer and differences in state between people are easier to identify.

Compassion is the expansion of natural perception after stable operation.

1.7 The six background colors are a complete deposition system

The above six states-sincerity, truthfulness, nature, boundary, awe, and compassion-do not require "cultivation." They are not rewards for waiting at the finish line, but are naturally deposited as they are repeatedly implemented to keep the roots and adapt.

The relationship between them is not "indispensable", but "will appear in turn after running to a certain depth." Some people may perceive certain of them earlier, and some may be later. They are not lists that need to be "completed", but "operating states" that can be observed.

Operators who follow the root and adapt do not need to deliberately pursue them. Just continue to implement the root-guarding response-and then, at some point, discover that these states already exist.

Second, the mind responds to the object: when you stick to the roots, you no longer need to "stick"

The operations of keeping the root and responding-pause, check, return, and stay-need to be deliberately performed at the beginning. Need to remind yourself: "I missed and need to pause." This reminder itself is an action of "guarding".

When adhering to the root and adapting becomes a habit, this action of "adhering" will gradually fade away. It is not that "there is no need to keep the roots", but that "there is no need to be reminded to keep the roots." The frame of reference has become the default position for operation, rather than coordinates that need to be returned repeatedly to reach.

At this time, the "strain" will take on a different look.

2.1 From "deliberate response" to "natural response"

In the early stages,"response" requires a judgment process-"How should we respond to this matter? How should we adjust in this situation?"

After repeatedly implementing the root response, the judgment process will gradually shorten. Not because "you learned to judge faster," but because you no longer need to think to determine your place. When responding, the response itself flows out of position without going through intermediate links.

It's not "first confirm where it is and then respond"-it's "when you respond, you are already in place."

2.2 Comparison of primary and high order

Initial level of root-guarding response:

A person was criticized and angry. Recognize "I am biased". Pause. Check: Is it still in your own frame of reference? Yes. Return to position. Then responded: "I heard what you said, but I have a different opinion."

High-level root compliance (i.e., mental response):

A person was criticized and angry. Response: "I heard what you said, but I have a different opinion."

The movements are the same. The difference is that there are intermediate links at the initial level (pause → check → return), and there are no intermediate links at the higher level, and the response flows directly from the position. This is not "omitted steps", but "steps have been internalized to the point that they do not need to be called."

2.3 That is, the mind is not "always right"

Even at this stage, the response may still be "wrong." You may still misjudge the situation, react improperly, and say the wrong thing. The difference is not whether it is correct or not, but:

initial-stage: If the response is wrong, it needs to be reflected, adjusted, and repaired afterwards.

high-order: If you respond incorrectly, you will naturally feel that it is "biased" and then adjust naturally. You don't need to go through repeated reflection to let go.

That is to say, the mind responds not to "make no mistakes", but to "come back even if something goes wrong, and come back quickly."

2.4 That is, the relationship between the mind responding to things and keeping the roots and adapting

The term "that is, the mind responds to the object" refers to the direct contact between the mind and the response, without delay, estrangement, or self-censorship. The only way to achieve this state is to repeatedly implement guarding the root until the action of "guarding" becomes superfluous.

It's not "another method." It just appears naturally after keeping the root and adapting it has been run many times.

A person does not need to pursue "immediate response" alone, just needs to continue to implement the root response-practice every day, many times, and on small things. When the frequency accumulates to a certain extent, the "immediate response" will appear on its own.

If you still need to deliberately think about how to achieve this state, it means you need to practice more times.

3. Integration: When a person no longer deliberately adjusts himself

"Harmony" is a word that is easily misunderstood. In order to avoid misunderstandings, this paragraph does not use mysterious expressions, but only describes observable states.

3.1 Harmony is nothing

Integration of Tao is not "one with Tao", not "becoming a saint", not "reaching a certain advanced realm." It does not presuppose "Tao" as an external entity, nor does it require any belief in "Tao".

3.2 What is harmony

In the context of staying rooted and adapting,"Harmony" describes the following state: when a person stops deliberately adjusting himself, there is no longer obvious deviation between the trajectory of movement and the original direction of things. It is not "following the Tao", but "not deviating from it."

3.3 The feeling of harmony

If a person continues to implement compliance, he may experience the following changes:

Not so "hard". Still work hard, but no longer need extra effort to maintain direction. Things are moving forward, and there is no need to deliberately confirm the direction every time.

The judgment becomes lighter. There is no longer a need to weigh repeatedly before making a choice. See the options, then choose-the thinking process is still there, but no longer with fear.

Difficulties will still be encountered, but difficulties are no longer like "obstacles" and more like "signals of adjustment." It used to be "Why is there a problem again", but now it is "Here needs to be adjusted".

I no longer care so much about "whether I am on the road". Just keep doing things and living, and then look back one day-and realize that it has been a while since I have deliberately confirmed it.

This is not "becoming another person." Personality, habits, and preferences have not changed. The change is that there is no extra burden when doing things.

3.4 Integration is not the goal

If a person "pursues integration", he may have deviated from it. Because "pursuit" means thinking that you are not on the Tao at the moment-and the judgment that "you are not on the Tao at the moment" may itself be a deviation.

Integration is not a place to reach. It just stops deviating from the state nature is in when it stops deviating. There is no need to "pursue harmony", just continue to implement and adapt. If the union will happen, it will happen when it is no longer concerned whether it occurs.

4. What has changed and what has not changed

The following lists the parts that will change and the parts that will not change to more clearly describe the state "after continuing to stay rooted and adapt."

4.1 It will change.

Recovery time will be shortened.The time required to return after deviation becomes shorter and shorter, and the feeling of deviation becomes lighter and lighter.

Identification of signals will be more timely.You will notice the deviation earlier and notice it before it expands.

The return action will become lighter.You no longer need to "work hard" to get back to your place, you just need to "stop doing unnecessary things."

Your understanding of your true state will deepen.You can also confirm whether you are in your place without relying on external feedback.

The sense of distance from others will be clearer.Instead of judging "good or bad", you naturally perceive differences between different states and distances.

No more frequent questions“is that right”--but implemented naturally.“check→return”There is no need to ask this question.

4.2 that are stable in

Still deviate.Deviations will not disappear, they will only be identified and corrected more quickly.

There will still be emotions.Keeping the roots and adapting does not eliminate emotions. You may still feel anxious, angry, and sad, but these emotions don't make you stray from the frame of reference and are more like information that needs to be processed.

There will still be difficulties.There will still be problems, there will be pressure, and there will be mistakes. The only difference is whether the position to deal with difficulties is clear-not "less difficulties", but "less to be taken away by difficulties."

Character will not change.Keeping the roots and adapting is not a tool to transform personality. It does not turn introverts into extroverts, and it does not change basic preferences. It only allows a person to know more clearly what they are doing and maintain constant contact with their own state.

is still“own”。This may be the most important "constant change". Continue to stay rooted not to become another person, but to get closer to who you are.

conclusion

After continuing to stay rooted and adapt, a person will not become a "Superman".

It won't be peaceful forever. It won't always be right. Will not merge forever. I will still be biased, wrong, and tired.

The difference is: you can come back if you miss it. After coming back, I will not continue to walk with the blame of "I missed again". It just veered and came back-it's like walking slightly off the course, naturally adjusting direction, and then continuing.

What keeping the roots and adapting ultimately points to is not a special state, but a return to stable contact in life. It is not to a distant shore, but to return to the position at your feet step by step, and then continue to maintain contact and continue to walk through the changes.

Keeping the roots and adapting is this kind of continuous contact. You may not necessarily notice that it is happening, but you will find out at some point: there has been no deviation for some time.

At that time, there was no need to confirm that "I did it" was already there.

End of the full text

All five chapters of "Keeping the Roots and Changing: System Description" have been completed:

What is staying at the root and adapting?--Definitions and clarifications

Location on the philosophical map--Dialogue with Confucianism, Taoism, Zen Buddhism and systematic science

How to identify and return--A complete description of the operational level

Internal mechanism of root-keeping strain--Explain from the perspective of negative feedback

After continuing to stay rooted and adapt--Six background colors, that is, the heart responds to the object and the Tao