There is a very clear general focus in the Tao Te Ching on the intricate relationships between individual parts and the smaller and larger units these individual parts are parts of, as well as on the webs of larger units smaller units are parts of. Microcosms are macrocosms are microcosms are … loops, circles/cycles, ellipses, eights, endless spirals in movement. This is the more profound meaning of working with concepts such as the 小周天 “microsmic orbit”, the 大周天 “macrocosmic orbit”, and 內景圖 “the map of internal landscapes” in internal Chinese movement practices.

Individual, and human consciousness in general are components in smaller and larger containers. Without all this amount of unconsciousness, consciousness would neither exist, nor could it function. Unconsciousness is of utmost importance for consciousness to work meaningfully (有之以爲利無之以爲用). Therefore this focus on unconsciousness in Taoist philosophy (and in its practices). Related to this in the context of communication is the focus on (operational) patterns in Taoist philosophy and why its proponents observe patterns so closely, accommodate accordingly, and communicate with and via general basic patterns. It is about going with the flow and not against it; it is about not forcing “one-self” upon anything or anyone (無為 – non-action). This is how a profound 内功 nei kung practice really works and what it is designed to move towards.

To detach the individual bodymind practice from its wider conceptual framework and its political aspects, and to make it a simple strength, fitness or health routine, is a very unfortunate, though wildly popular mistake / act of manipulation.

All of this is closely related to the concept and practice of spirituality in Taoist philosophy, because an isolated, possibly moreover, less coherent, heavily distorted and inflated consciousness causes havoc in its environments. Spirituality in Taoist philosophy is about fostering the creativity of consciousness for the well-being of the ecosystems it is a part of and about preventing unhealthy individual consciousness from disturbing its ecosystems.

Meditative practices (坐忘、心齋), basically all kinds of profound nei kung practices, including sleep practices, help to balance the ego by diving in(to) unconscious spaces.