Have you ever heard of the Uncarved Block? It’s a concept from Daoism that serves as a powerful metaphor for personal growth and resilience. In this post, I’ll share how we can leverage the idea as a tool for our self-discovery and growth and what it means for the future we are creating.
Last week, I shared a compelling vision for our future and asked you to consider joining me in manifesting it. Perhaps that post ignited you and made you ready to go, or maybe you feel stuck and unsure where to begin. Does the thought seem insurmountable? All feelings are real and valid. The most important thing is that we don’t let the feelings stop us.
A critical point in my post is that we have to start living as though we are already there. We cannot prepare to get there or wait until we’ve arrived. We must start living it now. I recognize this sounds impossible. How do we live in a future that doesn’t exist? It requires co-creation, not just a dream for the future, but a willingness to live in that future, right here and right now.
To start, we need to get back to our authenticity. Many of us have experienced events in our lifetime that have caused our most authentic selves to retreat behind walls of armor. We cannot create the future without first reclaiming our core self. For about four years, I had the unique opportunity to study Daoism under an Abbott named Lao Shi. My work with Lao was primarily centered around helping me discover who I am at my natural self, returning to the “uncarved block.” We worked to identify the authentic me. The me that transcends the labels and expectations. I don’t consider myself a “Daoist,” but the work I did with him helped me heal old wounds, reduce my anxiety, and live in the present moment.
You can learn to do the same. In this post, I will give you some practical guidance on the steps that I have taken to live my most authentic self and to work to manifest the future right now!
Table of Contents
The Uncarved Block: Authenticity, Presence, and the Future
Your Uncarved Block: Reclaiming Your Nature
Finding your Uncarved Block: Start with Foundations
What is the Uncarved Block?
In Daoism, “Pu” 樸 roughly translates to “simple or plain.” It’s also sometimes translated as “unworked wood” or, perhaps most popularly, “the uncarved block.” The metaphor associated with Pu can serve as guidance as we seek to live the future we desire. The idea is that from birth, we begin to be molded and shaped by everyone around us, slowly being carved into something we were never meant to be. The metaphor of the Uncarved Block represents raw, untapped potential—pure and unaltered by outside influences. It invites us to look within and rediscover a harmonious way of living that aligns with our true nature. By understanding and applying this concept to our lives, we can begin to manage chaos with resilience and grace. We must return to that uncarved natural state to manifest our desired future.
Tao Te Ching Chapter 28 – Translation: Steven Stenudd
Knowing the manly, but clinging to the womanly,
You become the valley of the world.
Being the valley of the world,
Eternal virtue will never desert you,
And you become like a little child anew.
Knowing the bright, but clinging to the dark,
You become a model to the world.
Being a model to the world,
Eternal virtue will never falter in you,
And you return to the boundless.
Knowing honor, but clinging to disgrace,
You become the valley of the world.
Being the valley of the world,
Eternal virtue will be full in you,
And you return to the state of uncarved wood.
When the uncarved wood is split,
Its parts are put to use.
When the sage is put to use,
He becomes the head.
The best way to carve is not to split.
Note: For interpretation and commentary on chapter 28 see “The Tao Te Ching Taoism of Lao Tzu” or “Center Tao”
Returning to Your Uncarved Block
How do you find your true nature? How do you recognize the carvings in your block? Start by looking at your language and how it separates you from others. How does your language deny yourself any chance of seeing the interconnectedness of all things? For example, when you say, “I am ______,” you continue to carve the block and further distance yourself from your true self.
Consider this: suppose you say, “I am a failure,” here you are taking away any possibility of experiencing reality as a success. How many people believe they are a failure? You cannot be a failure. You can only fail, and even then, that’s subjective. What does it mean to fail? If you believe you are a failure, then you will behave in a way to make that true. But how many ‘failures’ succeed in amazing ways? And vice versa. You are not a failure; you are simply you.
To go back to your nature is to see the situation for what it is, not what you think it should be. It is to accept and allow reality to happen, not try to control it. Instead of believing yourself to be “a failure,” you might look at the situation and contemplate, “I did not achieve the outcomes I expected – I wonder what will come of this.” Here, there is no judgment and no trying to control. We cannot control the future; we can only live right here in the way we want the future to be.
I am not a hunter. I have never tried hunting and haven’t ever had a desire to. I am not against hunting. I just haven’t ever been interested in participating myself. Let’s suppose the food supply becomes extremely limited. Would I then decide to hunt? By flowing with the situation, I would find myself hunting in the woods. And I would do so without any emotional turmoil. I do not believe I am an “anti-hunter.” I just don’t participate in hunting at this time. However, if I had an anti-hunting identity (having carved my block in this way), I would struggle when food sources diminished. I might choose to go hungry or possibly starve because of the moral contradiction between my identity and the reality in front of me.
As we move through this time of great unknown, we must accept that we cannot know where life will flow day to day. We must learn to move with life rather than resist it. We must live today in alignment with our desired future and then adapt as circumstances around us change. We cannot change what comes at us; we can only work to bring our most honest and authentic selves to the table and live a life of integrity and adaptability. By relaxing in life and living as though we are already where we want to be – we will see all the miracles that come our way. But, if we get stuck in the carvings we’ve made for ourselves, it will be difficult to realize this future vision. It will seem as though roadblocks are always in the way.
Returning to Your Uncarved Block: Reclaiming Your Nature
How do you find your true nature? How do you recognize the carvings in your block? Start by looking at your language and how it separates you from others. How does your language deny yourself any chance of seeing the interconnectedness of all things? For example, when you say, “I am ______,” you continue to carve the block and further distance yourself from your true self.
Consider this: suppose you say, “I am a failure,” here you are taking away any possibility of experiencing reality as a success. How many people believe they are a failure? You cannot be a failure. You can only fail, and even then, that’s subjective. What does it mean to fail? If you believe you are a failure, then you will behave in a way to make that true. But how many ‘failures’ succeed in amazing ways? And vice versa. You are not a failure; you are simply you.
To go back to your nature is to see the situation for what it is, not what you think it should be. It is to accept and allow reality to happen, not try to control it. Instead of believing yourself to be “a failure,” you might look at the situation and contemplate, “I did not achieve the outcomes I expected – I wonder what will come of this.” Here, there is no judgment and no trying to control. We cannot control the future; we can only live right here in the way we want the future to be.
I am not a hunter. I have never tried hunting and haven’t ever had a desire to. I am not against hunting. I just haven’t ever been interested in participating myself. Let’s suppose the food supply becomes extremely limited. Would I then decide to hunt? By flowing with the situation, I would find myself hunting in the woods. And I would do so without any emotional turmoil. I do not believe I am an “anti-hunter.” I just don’t participate in hunting at this time. However, if I had an anti-hunting identity (having carved my block in this way), I would struggle when food sources diminished. I might choose to go hungry or possibly starve because of the moral contradiction between my identity and the reality in front of me.
As we move through this time of great unknown, we must accept that we cannot know where life will flow day to day. We must learn to move with life rather than resist it. We must live today in alignment with our desired future and then adapt as circumstances around us change. We cannot change what comes at us; we can only work to bring our most honest and authentic selves to the table and live a life of integrity and adaptability. By relaxing in life and living as though we are already where we want to be – we will see all the miracles that come our way. But, if we get stuck in the carvings we’ve made for ourselves, it will be challenging to realize this future vision. It will seem as though roadblocks are always in the way.
Take Inventory of Yourself
What hinders your wholeness? Ask yourself:
- Do I measure my worth by external success?
- Am I caught in patterns of comparison or fear of failure?
- Are my decisions colored more by who others think I should be than by who I actually am?
- How often do I believe I’m not good enough, incapable, or can’t do something?
- What do I identify as/with? How are those labels helping me? How are they getting in my way?
Chapter 33 of the Tao Te Ching offers profound wisdom here:
“Those who understand others are clever,
Translation: Steven Stenudd
Those who understand themselves are wise.
Those who defeat others are strong,
Those who defeat themselves are mighty.
Those who know when they have enough are rich.
Those who are unswerving have resolve.
Those who stay where they are will endure.
Those who die without being forgotten get longevity.”
To live in harmony with the Uncarved Block, we must start by stepping back and observing our patterns and thoughts, not judging. Take the time to do this. Pay attention to what you think and how you show up, and notice when it isn’t you.
Finding your Uncarved Block: Start with Foundations
After you have done an inventory of yourself, you find that you are stuck. Perhaps you have been spinning in fear and anxiety, or you are stressed, irritable, discontented, scared, and unsure of who you are. Breathe. This is just the beginning. The first step to claim authenticity is taking care of yourself. Ask yourself, how well am I taking care of me? More than likely, you are missing a vital component of your basic human needs. This means getting to the basics of what your human life requires.
The following are the “foundations” I learned from Lao. Whenever I felt out of sorts, he’d always say, “Ryan, go back to your foundations. What is off?” And sure enough, something was always off. These foundations are critical to our ability to be present in the moment and recognize when we are not living authentically.
- Sleep: Do you sleep enough? Deep enough? Often enough?
- Rest. Do you rest your mind? Or are you constantly thinking and analyzing?
- Relax. This isn’t just about lying around doing nothing. It’s about returning to a place of carefreeness, allowing yourself to just ‘be’ present and in the moment, and relaxing all the expectations and tendencies to behave a certain way. How often do you permit yourself to do this?
- Eat. How’s your nutrition? Are you eating enough or too much? Do you have any negative reactions to the foods you consume (bloating, gas, heartburn, skin problems, migraines, etc.)? Do you eat ultra-processed foods? Consider whether you have an opportunity to nourish your physical body better.
- Drink. Do you drink enough water? Not liquids, but water? There are many opinions on this, but people are often underhydrated. Water is critical!
- Play. Playfulness is not necessarily a goofy kid thing. Playfulness is being light, bright, and taking things easy. This is about making sure you are not always too serious. That you are giving yourself a chance to be in the moment. To laugh. Smile. Have fun.
- Intimacy. How often do you connect with someone you trust? How often do you see them, listen to them, and experience them? How often do they do that for you? This is not about physical intimacy, though that can play a part; it is about a deep interpersonal connection and trust.
Pay attention daily to these foundational elements. Where are you imbalanced? Now, begin to live as though you are not imbalanced anymore. Remember, every time you say “I don’t deserve …” or “I’m not capable of…” or “I’m not a …” you are simply continuing to carve the block. This is your old tape; this isn’t you. Just recognize it and move on. You must not skip this step. Nothing else is impossible if you don’t take care of these foundations.
Conclusion
In this time of great uncertainty, perhaps the most revolutionary act is to return to our original nature – to embrace the wisdom of the Uncarved Block. Like a blank canvas holding infinite potential, our uncarved nature contains all possibilities. Over the coming weeks, I will share more posts with additional skills you can take to move toward a place of wholeness. But do not underestimate these foundations. They are crucial to stepping into your role and your purpose. Each of us possesses unique talents and gifts that we all need. But you cannot even see them if you are trapped within yourself. Work on these foundations every single day. From there, you will begin to understand who you truly are and can learn to express your true self with authenticity and courage. We are already there; we must wake up to that reality and live that way. The foundations will prepare you for what is to come.
