Ancient Texts: "Heaven"

In every single Chinese text, i.e. Tao-te-ching, I Ching, etc., there is always a reference to heaven. As I mentioned the ancients did not have a singular god with any ideology that Heaven is this place all go after death where some utopia type existence is believed. I have been studying these ancient texts for a while along with my practice and study of karate-do which as the Yin half the study of the ken-po goku-i along with its connections to those same texts. I have come to an initial conclusion as to what heaven is in this context.

There is the physical and there is the non-physical; Yang-n-Yin. One cannot exist with out the other much like up-n-down; good-n-bad; hard-n-soft and so on. When they mention heaven-n-earth this duality also must be as one will not exist with out the other. Neither will exist if not for the great tai chi or the Tao.

Where I want to focus as to try and explain the totality of heaven in the texts I would prefer to give my views as to how that works with humans, mankind, persons, etc. We directly deal with the physical but with out the non-physical we would be no more than animals. It is the heaven aspect as I perceive it that gives us that unique "thing" which makes us human. It also makes us non-human for with out the ability to be both you cannot be "one human."

Heaven deals with that which constitutes a "spirit" within each of us. Not as in ghost type spirit but that innate quality that makes us either human or non-human with all the variations that fall between the two extremes. Simply stated heaven in humans can be either "love" or "hatred." After all we all experience both to one extent or the other.

To truly adhere to the ancient texts teachings of "heaven" we must find those aspects/qualities that promote love, love of self; love of others; love of mankind; love of nature; love of the entire Universe.

We learn to kick and strike with karate efficiency and deadly intent. The difference between brutality is this aspect spoken of as our relation to heaven, listening to heaven, and letting heaven guide us. This begs the question, what are the traits that cause this heaven influence to guide us to the proper path?

I will now list those adjectives that I believe help us to "begin to understand" what the ancient classical texts are trying to teach humankind, for over a thousand plus years.

Benevolence
Filial Piety
Respect
Loyalty
Honesty
Rectitude
Courage
Honor
Goodness
Righteousness
Good Faith
Virtue
Equanimity
Gentleness
Economy
Balance
Proper Attitude
Attentiveness
Acceptance
Kindness
Morality
Civility
Patience
Tolerance
etc...

These are what is meant by influence of heaven; and all the other references lead to a "pattern of behavior; the actions we take; the example we set; the deeds we perform." A good beginning.