The Dao De Jing teaches that nothing is more soft and yielding than water, and yet nothing is more powerful. Water yields without resistence when pushed, yet simply by following its intrinsic nature, water carves out great canyons, wears down intransigent rocks, cascades through quicksilver rapids, and plunges over thundering waterfalls. People think that softness […]
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Water Moves the Color: Reflections on the Dao De Jing I don’t remember how I first came across the Dao De Jing, also spelled Tao Te Ching, but I do remember that I was in my early 20s. My soul immediately responded to the poetry of this ancient wisdom teaching. Its words have sung to
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Everything we hold on to will be relinquished. The people we love, the things we have, the beliefs we defend, the identities we treasure, the bodies we inhabit – all will be left behind. Like the great closing sale of life – everything must go! Every loss we fear will come to pass. What does
One of the images often used to describe Dao, or a person who is aligned with Dao, is the Chinese character 朴 . It means simple, pure, in the original or basic state. It literally means an uncarved block of wood. In that uncarved block are many possible forms that might emerge under the carver’s
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I was practicing push hands recently with a taiji buddy. (Push hands is a partner practice, sort of like taiji sparring.) He shared something from his teacher who reminds him from time to time to “trust where you are.” That intrigued me and I asked what it meant. He explained that his teacher observed that
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Ceaselessly you are engaged in teaching the world what you believe holds the greatest truth, the greatest value. ~The Way of Mastery Chapter 67 of the Dao De Jing speaks of having three treasures – mercy leading to courage, economy leading to generosity, and humility leading to leadership. This got me to wondering what my
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No one tells you There is a sadness When all is left behind Although shed willingly Touch lingers A last caress Of what was once a treasure There is no going back Nor would you want to Yet there were moments When happiness kissed your lips And longing stirred your soul When the dream sang
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Just a simple little key, right? A little house key that got lost when I went for a walk. When I got back home, the key was not in my pocket. What happened to it? It probably fell out when I pulled a poop bag out of my pocket to clean up after my dog.
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I was looking online for a new game to play with my grandson. The name of this game caught my eye: Fun Dispels Joy. Umm, I’m not sure that this sobering caution was the intended message when someone translated the name of this child’s game. I can just see a three year old pointing excitedly
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