The Chinese character for “practice” occurs only once in the entire Dao De Jing. I found that intriguing and thought we could explore the practices suggested in that chapter. Close the mouth – Quietness The first practice is described as closing the mouth. This of course could literally mean not talking. And certainly many of …
As a person who often advocates “practice,” I’ve been exploring what it means to practice something. We might have lots of practices. I practice martial arts, for example. Some of us practice mindfulness, meditation, yoga, loving-kindness, and more. When we have an intention to cultivate or develop a skill or a habit, we devote time …
Summer is the season of pure yang energy. Its element is fire. Its organ is the heart. Yang energy is active, hot, rising, powerful. When someone is wildly successful, driving forward, dominating the competition, unstoppable, we might say, “Wow, she’s on fire!” Our western culture highly values yang energy. Idle hands do the devil’s work, …
What is the difference between an enlightened person and an unenlightened person? The unenlightened person sees a difference.I read this joke recently in Miracles Magazine. I wanted to find the source for it, so I Googled the question. And what do you know? I found LOTS of answers seriously offering a variety of litmus tests to …
The last several days, I have been caught up in a spiritual tantrum. A patient friend listened to me rant about my frustration. I’m not feeling very kumbaya. I don’t want to cultivate compassion or acceptance. I feel judgmental and angry. I don’t like people very much right now. I’m mad at the universe for …
The words are spoken in silenceHeard only in the heartDo not doubt what they revealMore real than any heard in mindTrust the truth of what is known beyond knowingAnd do not be misled by thoughtThat seeks to hold illusionBe thou thus ignited With what has always burnedDeep Deep
What is left to say when all is silent What is left to grasp when all is released What is left to believe when all is surrendered What is left to fear when all is love What is left to be when all is one
Listen Come and listen Not to me But to what is spoken In all our hearts Just so Your soul will recognize the sound Humming humming Silently Vibrating all into resonance Can you not hear it Listen
A poem a dayI don’t know howWords crafted by designI cannotNo words come todayAnd so todayMy poem is silence
Darkness darkness, be my pillow Take my head and let me sleepIn the coolness of your shadowIn the silence of your dreamDarkness darkness, hide my yearningFor the things that cannot beKeep my mind from constant turning Towards the things I cannot see ~Stephen Stills Today is the first day of winter, the season we associate with …
The theme of this chapter can be summed up like this: Do not interfere. One can rule a country with predictable justiceOne can wage a war with unpredictable strategyBut one can harness the power of the universe only by non-interference We don’t have to look far to see where interference, even well-intentioned, has caused more harm …
One who knows does not speakOne who speaks does not know Upon reading these opening lines, our first instinct might be to be quiet, to show that, or at least hope that, we are among those who know. But then, after a while, we want to talk about it, either to share what we think …
To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight, and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings. ~Wendell Berry As we passed the equinox in September, I wrote about the season of darkness, about …
Why Am I Talking? So much of the news today seems to be about what someone said on social media. Or what someone said in an interview or on the phone or in a meeting or on a blog or in a hotel room or inadvertently in front of a hot mic. Then other people …
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls. ~Psalm 42:7 For the last six weeks, my usually busy schedule has been emptied. I suspended my martial arts classes, my piano lessons, my Chinese tutor. I made a choice to devote my mornings to a writing project. (Mornings, I’ve discovered, are really the only …
No words can paintThe pastel shades of mistOr sing the morning lightSoft dancing with the waterI stand silentIn the splendor of defeat
Heavy is the root of lightTranquil is the master of restless This opening couplet captures the essence of this chapter. The first line reflects a principle shared by martial arts as well as many wisdom teachings and even some mythology. In Greek mythology, Anteaus was the son of Mother Earth. He grew up to be …
Speaking little is naturalStrong winds do not last the morningHeavy rain does not last all day When we exert our ego energy to impose our will on the world around us, we cannot sustain the effort. Sooner or later, our energy is depleted and we fail. The nature of the manifested universe is impermanence. As …
Winter is when the earth is pregnant. ~Dave Fall was the season of courage, a time of gathering and preparing. Now winter draws us into the dark mystery of life. Outward activity slows as we burrow into our cozy nests and settle down for our “long winter’s nap.” Winter is the season of stillness, allowing …
Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have swept over me. ~Psalm 42:7 There are waterfalls roaring in the world right now. Hatred, terror, murder, rage–so much fighting, so many enemies, so much suffering, so much…. Too much. Breakers and waves sweep over the shores of …
