May 31st

Actual


When one listens to a barking dog, one might imagine emotion, pain, reaction, anxiety, and self-identification, but actually there is nothing there -- just sound from a long and deep corridor, channeled out of nothingness and fading into nothingness again.

Like that dog, we may all strive, but there is truly nothing to be done. If we look deeply into our lives, there is only a thin veneer of self-generated meaning over an immense ocean of nothingness.

What we do only has meaning in the here and now. It will not remain in the next instant. Just do what you can for the present, and leave everything else to happen naturally. Work. Wash. Meditate. Eat. Study. Urinate. Sleep. Exercise. Talk. Listen. Touch. Die each night. Be born again each morning.

Personal Interpretation

We are only what we are in the moment. We filter our world through our mind and senses, and the same stimulus can cause different reactions in different people. But in the end, the cause of complex responses in us is a simple sound or sight, not remarkable in and of itself. Why cling to the past when it is done? Why look to a future that may never come? Why view things as definite when the universe is defined by fluidity? Let us die each night and be born again each morning, and let us strive with all that is in us to live in the moment. It is such a gift that we call it the present. 

May 30th

Mercy


Uphold precepts, but be merciful.
Gradually absorb, until there is no need for law.
Gain wisdom beyond right and wrong.

There was a young priest who returned to the community of his birth. Instead of the neighborhood he knew as a boy, the community was now predominantly homosexual. He was uncertain : On one hand, he had to serve the people. On the other hand, his sect forbade homosexuality and condemned it as a grave wrong. It would seem that whatever he did, he would be a hypocrite. He eventually decided to accept all who came to him but still uphold the doctrines of his sect. He saw his most important duty as mercy, and so he was able to help others without truly violating his precepts. When there are contradictions between beliefs, one must resolve them in favor of what one judges to be the higher principle.We should not sell our ideals short for the sake of expediency or selfishness. Following a particular spiritual tradition means a full commitment to its rules in order to gain the essence of that tradition. But we cannot afford to be dogmatic. Human law is imperfect : There will always be unprecedented circumstances. Thus, we must go beyond rules and operate instead from pure wisdom. We must act with experience, flexibility, and insight. Let us so absorb integrity -- experiencing both its triumphs and defeats -- that we do the right thing intuitively.
Tradition is first. Mercy is greater than tradition. Wisdom is greater than mercy.

Personal Interpretation

Tradition is important because it connects us to what came before and informs our decision-making, but it should not prevent us from acting in accordance with our innermost principles. Wisdom is knowing when to act according to law or scripture, when to deviate in the name of the greater good, and when to strike a balance between the two.

May 29th

Pivoting


Some days, you and I go mad.
Our bellies get stuffed full,
Hearts break, minds snap.
We can't go on the old way so
We change. Our lives pivot,
Forming a mysterious geometry.

Life revolves. You cannot go back one minute, or one day. In light of this, there is no use marking time in any one position. Life will continue without you, will pass you by, leaving you hopelessly out of step with events. That's why you must engage life and maintain your pace.Don't look back, and don't step back. Each time you make a decision, move forward. If your last step gained you a certain amount of territory, then make sure that your next step will capitalize on it. Don't relinquish your position until you are sure that you have something equal or better in your grasp. But how do we develop timing for this process?
It has to be intuitive. On certain days, we come to our limits, and our tolerance for a situation ends. When that happens, change without the interference of concepts, guilt, timidity, or hesitancy. Those are the points when our entire lives pivot and turn toward new phases, and it is right that we take advantage of them. We mark our progress not by the distance covered but by the lines and angles that are formed.

Personal Interpretation


We all have only a finite amount of time on this planet. We must make the most of every precious moment. We should try to be present in the moment instead of letting our minds drift to the past or future. It is good to have goals, as they give life purpose. Equally important is the act of moving forward. We should try to make progress of some sort with every step taken. Some days we will make more progress and some days less. And that's ok. We should hold onto what we gain until we are sure that we can attain something better. And we should embrace endings if we want to move forward. Sometimes it will mean giving up on something we've invested a lot of time and energy in. We may be forced to pursue another aim, take another path. The future is uncertain. We must live in the now and gain the potential rewards and setbacks of each action that is available to us. The wise know when to spring and when to merely observe. Timing is everything. It can be difficult to learn timing, and it must become intuitive if we are to become successful at the act of pivoting. The more we practice, the better we become. It is a worthy exercise that puts us in a position to be able to respond quickly and efficiently.

May 28th

Translation


Place the word Tao
Into your heart.
Use no other words.

Why do so many people seek foreign religions? Why are so many of our philosophies translations from other languages? Surely we are all human beings, with hearts and minds, two hands and two legs. Each of us needs spirituality, but why must we always look abroad?People who investigate Tao ask whether they have to be Chinese to benefit from it. It is true that part of the study of Tao is strictly Chinese. It is also true that this Taoism has never been exported -- unlike Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, or Judaism -- and has never been preached beyond the Five Sacred Mountains of China. It is elitist, to protect itself from coarse unbelievers. But this Taoism is not the Tao you need.
The true Tao is of no nationality, no religion. It is far beyond the conceptions of even the most brilliant human being, so it cannot be the property of one race or culture. The need to understand Tao is universal; people just give it different names in their native languages. Tao is the very essence of life itself, so those who are alive always have the possibility of knowing Tao. It is meant to be found in the here and now, and it is within the grasp of any sincere seeker.

Personal Interpretation

Tao is right here...there is no need to look beyond the borders of our own homes. The true Tao knows no nationalities, no religions. It is called different things by different people, but it is freely accessible to all who draw breath. Why obscure its truth in meaningless ceremony  and initiation? Tao is the essence of life itself and it is in our innermost natures to connect to it and to rejoice in its presence, and each of us should do that in the way that feels most authentic to us.

May 27th

Subservience


Out-of-season rain
Dashes crowns of princely trees.
Perplexed travelers ask for reasons,
Huddling under worn eaves.

Those who follow Tao make much of knowing and acting in conformity to the cycle of seasons. They have made a science of studying the exact ways in which events progress. Some have become so skillful that their lives are admired as nearly magical. Yet when things happen out of turn, even these wise ones are surprised.Such is the case with unseasonable rain. It is supposed to be hot summer, yet it is a day like midwinter. What is there to do but to accept it? Following cycles does not mean that you can then expect things to occur with precision and regularity. The actual ways that circumstances develop will always remain beyond complete regimentation. Nature doesn't act according to human theories. Rather, our sciences are imperfect at analyzing nature.
The follower of Tao is always flexible and adaptable to circumstance. Even if there is personal desire to do something and advance preparation has been made, the follower must nevertheless bow to nature. Knowing how to put aside personal priorities in order to fulfill the demands of the time is among the greatest of skills.

Personal Interpretation

As followers of Tao we build our lives around the seasons and cycles of nature. Sometimes Nature does things we don't expect though, and we must be able and willing to adapt to changing circumstances. Rain may ruin our plans. Drought may destroy a harvest and make life more difficult for a spell. The truly flexible become creative under such dire circumstances. Our lives too, that we have spent a great deal of time building, may not always follow the path we might have chosen. Sometimes we are forced to take another route or to wait out some tragedy. But even the worst storms pass. And that is something to take comfort in as we survey our surroundings and try to determine what to do next.

May 26th

Insignificance

Spasms of molten rock
Piled a cone three miles high.
Rain and wind split a hundred towering fingers.
In time, trees strove for leverage in the fissures.
After a million years, condors and snakes took up residence.
Mighty rock, carved walls adorned with
Chartreuse and vermilion lichen --
Man yet more puny on those stones.
How long will it take to see Tao?
Until you no longer hold self-importance.

Compared to the massive movements of heaven and earth, compared to the immensity of geologic time, the greatest acts of humanity and their monuments are beneath significance. We climb the highest mountains, we dive to the depths of the sea, we fling ourselves as close to the sun as we dare, and we are not even on the scale of nature's measure. In our egotism and our view of ourselves as the center of the universe, we imagine that our lives have some meaning and importance when placed beside the stars and mountains and rivers. They do not. We cannot hope to have any true meaning in the history of the universe. But we can know it better, we can be a better part of it.If you want to know the force that keeps the sky blue, the stars burning, the mountains high and still, the rivers running, and the oceans flowing, then remove the veil that stands between you and Tao.

Personal Interpretation

Human endeavor is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. This does not mean that we should cease to endeavor. It means only that we should understand our lives and their meaning in the context of Tao. We are a part of something larger than ourselves. We were born from it and, in the end, we will be reclaimed by it. So what then is the purpose of our lives? To seek happiness and unity. To learn what we can. To attempt to understand. To treat those we encounter with kindness. In so doing, each of our lives contributes to the light. We may be insignificant, but so is every atom that makes up the universe. And yet, were those tiny elements not united, none of what is could be. Our value is not in our individual lives, but in what we can contribute to the whole.

May 25th

Views


Red sea through pine lattice.
Islands kneel like vassals before headlands.
Rain clouds snag on coastal ridges.
Yarrow stands spectral in the lighthouse beam.

It is difficult to take in the details of a landscape all at once. Our eyes can only focus on one point at a time. We look near, then we look far. We look left, then we look right. Our view of any one subject, if it is large, is never whole but is a composite image in our minds. The same is true in regard to our approach to Tao.Tao is continuous, flowing, and changing, but there is no knowing it in a single view. We rely on composite images that we form in ourselves. For a beginner, glimpses of Tao will be random and fleeting. You will stumble on it from time to time, or you will see it in the brief spaces between events. For the mature practitioner, your composite view comes from training, technique, research, and the experience of self-cultivation. But even after years, it is impossible to take in the totality.
There is a way to know Tao directly and completely. It requires the awakening of one's spiritual force. When this happens, spirituality manifests as a brilliant light. Your mind expands into a glowing presence. Like a lighthouse, this beacon of energy becomes illumination and eye at the same time. Significantly, however, what it shows, it also knows directly. It is the light that sees.

Personal Interpretation


 Our human eyes can only take in a limited amount of information at any given time. We must look in different directions in order to capture a whole landscape. Do we think Tao is any different? In the beginning, we must see it in bursts, in the spaces between events. With the cultivation of our spiritual selves however, we are capable of gaining ability that far surpasses our present capabilities. In order to really see Tao, to experience it fully, and directly, we must awaken the spiritual forces that dwells within each of us. The energy that is released from this experience will act as eye and illumination at the same time. We see what is, but we are also a vital part of it, a conduit for Tao.

May 24th

Latent


Prophets and priest teach the form of Tao.
Tao's essence cannot be taught.
It is latent,
And cannot be known by learning.

Why do religions wither and become extinct? Because they are only the works of people. After all, religion and spirituality, though related, are not synonymous. Religion is the creation of people and cultures. Spirituality is the direct personal relationship with Tao. Religions often degenerate into convention, ritual, and corruption. They are imperfect. When their creators fade, even the holiest words gradually lose their power.Our spiritual problems don't substantially differ from those of our ancestors, and today's truths still attempt to find the same spirituality as before. Why? Because all truths eventually point to Tao, and Tao has always existed latently, unbroken and eternal. We may begin our investigations in the realm of the religious, but once we clear away the distortions and interfering aspects of our own consciousness, we enter the realm of Tao. Once that happens, there is no need for religions.
If we were to have a genuine spiritual experience, it would be lunacy to then go out and try to become religious leaders. We would only be repeating the same mistakes of countless other genuine seekers. It would be far better simply to be a nameless follower of Tao. Then we avoid the contradictions of social action.

Personal Interpretation


Religion and spirituality are not the same thing. While religion is a human construct, spirituality refers to a personal relationship with Tao. The latter is to be favored over the former because it reaches beyond humanity to all that is. It is not lost to the ages when believers die. Anyone can have a spiritual experience if he or she is open to it. There are no rituals that have to be performed, no songs which must be sung. Those who come to feel connected to the divine should refrain from creating a religion based on their experiences. We will all experience Tao differently, but to set it down on paper, to reduce it to a series of exercises and creeds, is to minimize it.

Tao has always been and always will be. It is at the root of all things and lies latent in each of us. To discover its power, we need only look within ourselves.

May 23rd

Intuition

Hawk doesn't think during the hunt.
It does not care for theory or ethics.
All that it does is natural.

Animals live simple lives close to Tao. They do not need to think or reason : They never doubt themselves. When they are hungry, they eat. When they are tired, they sleep. They respond to the cycles of the day according to their intuition. They mate at the proper season, and they nurture their young according to their own understanding. When they die, they fall under the teeth of predators or the dispassionate turning of the seasons.By contrast, we as human beings depart from the natural norm, and worry about ethical action. Extremes of behavior have become more varied running the gamut from the sadistic to the moralistic. Tao considers all this artificial and unnatural. Why divorce ourselves from nature?
The follower of Tao prefers to live completely in concert with Tao, avoiding the interference of theory and excessive thought. Though one must first learn skill and ethics thoroughly, one must come to embody them so completely that they become subconscious. Reacting to a situation by asking what is right and wrong is already too slow. One must intuitively do what is correct. There should be no foreshadowing of an act, nor doubt about oneself.

Personal Interpretation


Animals live close to Tao. They do not question. They do not doubt themselves. They address their needs as they arise and act in accordance with nature. We have many characteristics in common with our more Tao-aligned brethren. We need to eat and sleep. We reproduce and look after our young according to what we know. And yet, happiness eludes us. It is as if we suspect that joy lies in our ability to understand our world. But perhaps it is the opposite. Perhaps it is understanding that breeds contempt and sorrow.

We should not cave to the will of others, and we must live our lives for their own sake, but we must also submit to the natural order of things. Let us question and reason until the best behaviors are so ingrained in us that we no longer have to reflect on whether a particular action is right or wrong. If we knew what the rest of nature seems to, there might be no need for learning. The more complicated things seem, the simpler they often are. Why not accept that what is is? Why not embrace the life we were given and make the most of today? We isolate ourselves by thinking of ourselves as "Other." The moment we do away with these distinctions is the moment that we begin our journey back to Tao.

May 22

Leisure


Birds chirp, vanguard for coming rain,
Dog bark skitters through twilight village.
Smoke raises a column through the pines,
Contented families dine in golden windows.

Life's pulse is gauged in the hollows, the intervals between events. If you want to see Tao, you must discern these spaces. This requires leisure, the chance to sit and contemplate, and the opportunity to respond to inner urgings.If you can find a place to retreat, you can make a life where Tao will flood into you. Out in the woods, or in the mountains, or even in small villages where the times are slow paced and the people sensitive to nature, there is the possibility of knowing the deep and the profound. Only when you have the time to accumulate an unshakable belief and faith can you glimpse the Tao in which there is restfulness and a natural sense of what is right.

Personal Interpretation


Tao is accessible to us all, but we must seek the quiet of the spaces between if we want to feel it flow into our lives. Leisure is a necessity, particularly as we live out our lives in a world that has forgotten how to be still. Let us quiet our minds, observe the tranquil beauty of natural surroundings, and enable Tao to find a home in us.

May 21st

Wrinkles


Lines on the face, tattoos of aging.
Life is proved upon the body
Like needle-jabs from a blind machine.

The older one gets, the more one is conscious of aging. We can barely remember childhood innocence and exuberance. We are surprised by the youthful vitality and unmarked face when we see earlier photos of ourselves. When we look in the mirror, we reluctantly acknowledge the aging mask. It seems that there is no escaping the marks of life.Every experience that we have, everything that we do and think is registered upon us as surely as the steady embroidery of a tattoo artist. But to a large degree, the pattern and picture that will emerge is up to us. If we go to a tattoo artist, it is we who select the picture. In life, it is we who select what we will become by the actions we perform. There is no reason to go through life thoughtlessly, to let accident shape us. That is like allowing oneself to be tattooed by a blind man. How can you help but turn out old and ugly?
Whether we emerge beautiful or ugly is our sole responsibility.

Personal Interpretation


Wrinkles are an indication of the passage of time. We bear the marks of life, but which marks we bear is up to us. If we proceed thoughtlessly through life, we make no effort to shape what we are becoming. Would we allow a blind tattoo artist to apply ink in random patterns to our skin? Or would we spend a great deal of time creating the design that we want to greet us for years later? The choices we make now are as permanent as ink injected beneath the skin. It is up to us to choose wisely now. If we can do this, then the marks of aging we bear can be worn with pride, for they will come to indicate joy, laughter, and purpose.

May 20th

Dissent

Old man : Dissent is not disloyalty.
Be careful before you retaliate.
Your steel wrapped in cotton
May only be brittle bone wrapped in fat.

No one is a supreme authority. People seek leaders, priests, gurus, and hermits thinking that someone has a precise formula for living correctly. No one does. No one can know you as well as you can know yourself. All that you can gain from a wise person is the assurance of some initial guidance. You may even spend decades studying under such an extraordinary person, but you should never surrender your dignity, independence, and personality.There is no single way to do things in life. There are valid paths, even though they may differ from the ways of respected elders. Diversity is good for tradition. Too often, elders confuse dissent with disloyalty and punish people for the crime of having a different view. They are no longer in touch with Tao but instead mouth self-serving convention. Perhaps the panic of their own impending death makes them clutch. When the leaders become repressive, it is a sign that their time is drawing to a close.
A saying about old masters was that they were like steel wrapped in cotton : They appeared soft on the outside but still held great power on the inside. We all hope for elders like that. But oftentimes, the old masters have lost their mandate of Tao. Then, when tested, they are merely brittle bone and fat. How can we respect such people?

Personal Interpretation 

Even the greatest authorities are not infalliable. We must make our own way through life. No one has all the answers, and no one knows us better than we know ourselves. It is not disloyal to disagree with another, and the perceived wisdom of the other should not be used as a shield against difference in opinion or interpretation  of evidence. We should seek out leaders in the beginning, when we are new to the path and in need of initial guidance. But  let us all be careful that we do not come to rely overly much on wisdom that may not be applicable to our own lives and situations.

May 19th

Marriage


Wall of flames, bridge of tears.
Snowflake on newly forged links.

For a marriage to last, a couple must go through great travails and hardships. It is like a process of forging steel links together. The iron must be heated to a high degree and then plunged into cold water. A marriage alternates between the heat of passion and love and the chilling times of tragedy, conflict, and adversity. An enduring marriage becomes like tempered steel.It is difficult to go through life alone. We all need support and the sense of belonging that comes from working toward goals shared with another. For such a relationship to work, there must be a basic compatibility of values, outlook, and purpose. It is an inadequate cliché that husband and wife must be friends as well as lovers. Two mates can know a loyalty found in no other type of relationship. Yet even in the face of such strength, Tao reminds us of the need for moderation.
Ultimately, all relationships are temporary. False attachment to another can become an addiction, a voluntary bondage detrimental to clear perception. We should not bind another to ourselves, should not define ourselves by our marriage, should not force another to stay with us. But if chance allows us to walk together, who is anyone to challenge our choice of walking companions?
When it is time to part, then it is time to part. There should be no regrets. The beauty of marriage is like the fleeting perfection of a snowflake.

Personal Interpretation


Iron must be heated and then plunged into water in order to make steel, and romantic relationships are no different. When choosing to share one's life with another, one should be ready for good times and bad. Partners will endure hardship as well as marvel at their love. They will be tested. Adversity will rear its ugly head. Not all such arrangements will endure, but those that do will be all the stronger for it.

Life is a difficult thing to go through without companionship and the wisest practitioners of Tao see marriage as a potentially beautiful bond between two people who come to care very deeply for one another. Even as we unite our lives with another though, we should be careful to maintain ourselves. As with everything else in this world, our relationships are transient and doomed to end. We should not seek to define ourselves by them, nor should we force our will upon our partners. Equally important is the cultivation of sufficient strength to resist the efforts of our partners to control us. The best relationship consists of two whole people.

When the relationship is brought to an end by a change in circumstances or sentiment, or the arrival of death, we should not resist the end. The wise know how to embrace endings as well as beginnings. We must strive to rejoice in memory rather than lose ourselves in lamentation when what we love is taken from us.

May 18th

Scholasticism


Ocean inside a skull-cup,
Seeking the universal code in letters.
The mind is like a flower on icy water :
An eye within the petals.

The intellect is one of the thorniest problems for a spiritual aspirant. One cannot do without it -- indeed, it is essential -- and yet one cannot allow it to remain totally dominant. The intellect must be fully developed before it is brought to a point of neutrality. Unless this is done, it will act as a block, and there will not be any ultimate spiritual success.Scholarship is thus an important first step. Education is a means of gaining access to the conventional world, of satisfying our curiosity, and of avoiding superstitious tendencies. There can be no talk of delving into philosophical mysteries if one has not even satisfied one's curiosity about nature, civilization, mathematics, and language. But once mental cultivation is achieved, one must focus increasingly on a part of the mind that is far beyond the scholarly.
The intellect uses discrimination, categorization, and dualistic distinctions in highly sophisticated ways. By contrast, spiritual contemplation involves no discrimination, no categorization, and no dualism, so it has very little need for scholasticism. It is pure action that requires the totality of our inner beings. It needs pure involvement, no mere study. The proper use of the intellect is to give it free play, develop it to an extraordinary degree, and yet to leave it behind when spiritual action is required. A sage knows how to balance and combine both.

Personal Interpretation

The intellect is a fundamental aspect of ourselves, but it can also be a barrier to spiritual enlightenment if we give it too much priority in our lives. We should satisfy our innate curiosities, but then we should resolve to turn to Tao. Balance in all things should be our top priority. The true sage knows how to balance intellect and spiritual awareness and action.

May 17th

Vulnerabilities


A warrior takes every person as an adversary.
He sees all their vulnerable points,
And trains to eliminate his own.
A sage has no vulnerable points.

A warrior takes everyone as a potential adversary. He assesses each person that he meets for their strengths and weaknesses, and he places himself strategically. No confrontation is ever a surprise. Protection, competition, honor, and righteousness are his principles.He is the weapon. Therefore, a warrior trains body and mind to perfection. He knows that the average person has hundreds of points where death can enter. For himself, he seeks to eliminate as many of his own vulnerabilities as possible. In combat, he defends one or two points, and the rest of his attention is devoted to strategy and offense. Yet no warrior can eliminate all vulnerable points. Even for a champion, there is always at least one. Only the way of the sage eliminates all weaknesses.
It is said that the sage has no points for death to enter. This makes the sage, who is perfect in Tao, superior to the warrior, who is merely skilled in Tao. The warrior accepts death, but does not go beyond it. The sage goes beyond concepts of protection, competition, honor, and righteousness, and has no fear of death. The sage knows that nothing dies, that life is mere illusion : Life is but one dream flowing into another.

Personal Interpretation

We should seek the ways of the sage over those of the warrior. While warriors assess those they encounter for personal weaknesses, the sage sees beyond the illusion to what lies beyond it. He or she is perfect in Tao and as such, has no true vulnerabilities. The warrior can never eliminate all of his own weaknesses because he understands only the world of which he is a part. The sage sees that life is but one dream flowing into another and is thus, more adept at manipulating it. How can death defeat the sage who knows that life is a cycle rather than the end of a line of events? Let us all strive to be more like the sage. We should not be quick to conflict. Nor should we pass judgment too quickly. There will be times in life when it will be best for us to observe and other times when it will be best to act. In time, we can come to exercise good judgment.

May 16th

Judgment



The accused stands helpless before the judge.
Pen is poised to determine right from wrong.
In one arbitrary stroke,
Life is suddenly decided.

Do judges have Tao? Dispassionate to the point of cruelty, making distinctions on the basis of arbitrary rules, can they be a part of a humanistic view of Tao? The answer depends on the context. If you are speaking of the Tao of nature-loving hermits, the answer is no : No one has the right to pass judgment on another. If you are speaking of society, however, those who follow Tao accept the necessity of set rules.These laws are the Tao of the society. Once you are in the world of people and away from the world of nature, you are immersed in dualistic distinctions. Then concepts such as righteousness and mercy have meaning. Judgment is the process of comparing ideas in order to find agreement or disagreement with the Tao of society. The facts must be thoroughly examined. Judges must clearly and wisely apply distinctions. That which agrees is the truth.
In the same way, we are all compelled to examine the ongoing circumstances of our lives. That is part of the responsibility of being human. Embracing Tao will not exempt you from the need to render judgments and make decisions. We are both the ultimate judge and the accused. When your final day comes, you yourself must be the examiner. Did you do well? Or did you squander your precious existence? You must decide.

Personal Interpretation

We may sometimes be tempted to interpret tao as the ancients interpreted it, but we are not the ancients. Our lives are not theirs. We live in society, and there is no escaping that fact. We must act both as judge and accused. Dualism dominates that reality of our modern-day lives and we must operate within that framework while also recognizing that there is something beyond it, that the only reality we are capable of knowing right now is colored by our perceptions. But it is upon those perceptions that we must rely when we render the final verdict. Have we lived a good life or have we fallen short? We should be careful about the sort of judgments we make of ourselves and others. But we will always need to make those judgments. Let us be merciful. Let us also push ourselves when need be and surround ourselves with those who contribute something meaningful to our lives. Life is too short to live otherwise.

May 15th

Visions


Neither drug-induced
Nor self-induced visions :
Pierce all visions,
To see the void.

Tao is not to be found through drugs or any external means. While you most assuredly will have visions, how will you know what they mean? No matter how vivid, no matter how seemingly profound, they must be understood in order to be useful. By contrast, meditation also brings visions, voices, feelings, and absolute certainties. But prior philosophical inquiry is essential preparation for these experiences. The practitioner can instantly fit new experiences into a frame of reference. There is no confusion, and one can distinguish the true from the false. After all, even the perceptions of meditation may leave room for doubt.Not everything that one receives during spiritual inquiry is true. Some are deceptions, and one must be able to see through them. The form that visions take is a function of your own degree of mental sophistication. As such, they are still in the circumference of your mind. If you want to receive impulses from the true Tao, you should know that they do not come as visions. Receiving Tao is to enter into a state of consciousness. Followers of Tao may indulge in spiritual visions for a time, but they eventually learn that there is something more important than the endless exploration of visions. The eventual object is to transcend all enslavement to perception. Only in attaining that state can one adequately judge reality.

Personal Interpretation


Visions can help or hinder us-they are, after all, products of our own consciousness. In order to get in touch with the true Tao, we must move beyond them. Only when we transcend the subjective experience of this life can we know the absolute truth. Perhaps there is no ultimate truth. One thing is for certain. We should glean what wisdom we can from this world, and learn to discern between what seems to be true or false. Both will present themselves to our minds. When we can identify deception, it is an easier matter to avoid it. Let us stay to the road that feels truest to our hearts and seek respite from the world on occasion. And let us rejoice in those moments when we can glimpse Tao, for it has the power to restore our faith in our purpose.

May 7th (because somehow I missed posting it)

Concealment
Hide what you know.
Conceal talent.
Shield your light.
Bide your time.

Once you can follow Tao with skill, hide your abilities. Privately accumulate extraordinary knowledge and skill, but keep a plain appearance.There is great wisdom in being inconspicuous. Do not brag or try anything beyond your means. Don't let yourself become unbalanced before you have fully mastered an art. Thus, you will not be expected to use your talents on behalf of others unless you yourself volunteer, you will not become the victim of others' resentment, and the depth of your character will not be judged. When you know how to hide, you avoid the attention and scorn of others, but retain the strategic advantage of surprise. You need to do this not for personal advantage, but to manage yourself and your skills well.
Knowledge and skill are neutral. They are meant to be used. That is all. Mastery should not be used to bolster self-image. We should not allow ourselves to be categorized by what we do know. It is far better to simplify ourselves and free ourselves from the limits of tightly defined identities.

Personal Interpretation


Wise practitioners of Tao know when to act and when to hold back. They also know when to reveal their skill and when to conceal it. We should all strive to live modestly, to show the world a plain appearance, to be humbled rather than the thing that humbles. What others do not know cannot breed resentment. Concealment is also essential for good strategy. It enables us to use our skills when the situation calls for them rather than for self-glorification.. We must live our lives on our own terms and this means controlling what others know about us and our capabilities.

May 14th

Relaxation

Relaxation
Is total peace.

When you relax completely, there is total silence. No thought enters the mind, no problems arise from the body, no memories grip the spirit. This overwhelming sense of tranquility is really all meditation is about. The neutral stillness of the mind renews the tired soul, and this is regeneration.Even if you don't follow a formal meditation program, it is good to sit quietly for a little while every day. This form of rest should be as regular as sleeping each day. If you can sit still and just relax completely, you are actually meditating. All the various forms of complicated techniques and visualization exist because people can't bring themselves to this very simple state of relaxation. Their minds are constantly racing, their bodies are out of balance, and the worries of the day weigh heavily upon them. They cannot let go, so they need a formal routine to follow. But if you can simply sit down and empty yourself, you will experience a wonderful silence and a deep, satisfying sense of peace.
One should try to return to a relaxed state on a regular and periodic basis. The simple reason for relaxation is that it renews us, purifies us, and leaves us with a profound feeling of serenity. It is not a ritual. It is not a religious obligation. It is a wonderful state away from problems. In it, we are poised in our natural state.

Personal Interpretation

Relaxation is necessary for the rejuvenation of the spirit. While many complicate the concept of meditation or insist that it is an obligatory component of spiritual practice, it is in truth the natural state in which we were made to exist. It is simple and requires little more than absence of activity of mind or body. This does not make it easy. We live in a fast-paced society and most of us have difficulty disconnecting from the world. We must make an effort to do so too, if we want to avoid dangerous levels of stress and maintain our sanity. We must live in the world. There is no denying that. But as we must live in it, so must we also retreat from it on occasion.

May 13th

Cooper

Barrel maker planes staves to exact angles.
His shavings glow in the afternoon sun.
He joins fragrant wood together,
Fitting shoulders like building an arch.
Until the bands, there is no barrel.

There is no barrel until the cooper builds it. Until then, there are pieces of straight-grained wood, shavings, a round bottom, and metal bands, but there is no barrel. All parts are there, but they need to be composed in order to take shape. It is the same with the facets of our personalities. Until they are held tightly together as a single unit, there is no completeness, and usefulness will not be forthcoming.Spiritual practice can be the outside order that the personality needs. While such an order can be initially restricting, perhaps even feel artificial in its arbitrariness, it is absolutely necessary. It is a means to an end. Perhaps at the end we will not need such structure, but neither will we reach the end without the means. Before we leave the image of the barrel, there is one more thing to notice about it. A barrel encloses only one thing : void. That is the way it is with us, too. All the pieces of our personality, no matter how perfectly formed, only enclose what is inside us. All spiritual practice, while it may bind us into a cohesive whole, points to the emptiness of the center. This emptiness is not nihilism but the open possibility for Tao to enter. Only with such space will we have peace.

Personal Interpretation

Before the cooper assembles the barrel it is little more than wood and bands. It takes a skilled hand to assemble the end product, a thing that has been used for myriad purposes throughout the ages, and which, despite its usefulness, contains only void.

We are like the unassembled barrel. We need something to bring together the various aspects of ourselves. But what can do that? Spiritual practice fits the bill particularly well, and while it may seem stifling at first, it can liberate us in ways we never expected were possible. In the end, we too receptacles, containers that can only be filled once we empty ourselves. The void is so intimately connected to Tao because the former is the prerequisite for the existence of the latter. Through Tao all things are possible, and through nothingness is Tao itself rendered possible.

May 12th

Recognition


Spokes on the heavenly wheel
Keep rotation constant.

Those who follow Tao believe that Tao progresses through phases. They apply this principle to all levels of their outlook, from cosmology to the stages of growth in a person's life. On the macrocosmic level, they point to the rotation of the stars as evidence of smooth progression. In a person's life, they recognize the stages of aging beginning with childhood and ending with death.Each one of us must go from phase to phase in our development. If we stay too long in one stage, we will be warped or stunted in our growth. If we rush through a stage, then we will gain none of the rewards or learning experiences of that phase. Subsequent growth will be thrown off-balance; we will either have to go back and make it up, or, in the cases of experiences that can never be repeated, lose out on them forever. The proper discerning of these transitions is essential.
As we go through our various stages in life, it is important to mark the shift from one stage to another. Recognition is very important. We must understand that we are leaving behind one part of life and entering another. Sometimes, we mark this with a rite of passage such as graduation or marriage. At other times, it may be a personal declaration made privately. Whatever the reason, it is important to know exactly when to close one phase and when to open the next. That is why it is said that one counts the spokes on the heavenly wheel as it turns : It is the measure of our lives.

Personal Interpretation

Everything happens in phases. Learning to discern the transitions in our lives and in life is general can only serve to enlighten. And with enlightenment there can be informed action. We all go through stages as we grow. In this, we are no different than the butterfly, the mighty Oak, the Earth itself. We may operate on different scales, but we all follow the same basic order of operations. We must try not to rush through a life stage, but neither should we insist on staying when it is time to move on. We must all mature, but this is not just a matter of ages, but of acquiring wisdom. Sometimes the life events we miss out on as a result of failing to recognize a time of transition can never be repeated. Let us make the most of each moment that we are given and learn to acknowledge when it is time to move on. Even if it feels uncomfortable, it is sometimes what we need most.

May 11th

Meaning


Lightning tears temple asunder.
Divine wrath, or natural disaster?

There was a seaside temple in India that was struck by lightning. That minor storm was the vanguard to a full hurricane that eventually ravaged the entire countryside. The old temple was split from its roof line to its foundations. One entire end of the building was parted from its body like a severed head. Was this karma? Was this the punishment of the gods? Or was it simply an old building and an unfortunate accident?What you say shows your attitude about nature, reality, and whether you believe gods intervene in human affairs. If you insist that there was some reason that lightning cleaved the temple, then you live in a world where uncertainty is the by-product of some supreme being's emotional whims. If, however, you accept this incident solely as a natural disaster, then you also accept random occurrences in life. Such a viewpoint does not preclude any notion of the divine, of course. It merely states that not everything in nature is administered by some heavenly bureaucracy.
It is a simple fact that lightning split the temple. The meaning of this incident -- if there is any -- is determined by each person. One person regards it as a disaster, another as a good thing, while a third views it dispassionately. There is nothing inherent in the incident that dictates its meaning. It is enough that we all recognize that it happened.

Personal Interpretation


We are likely to witness much loss and devastation in our lives. Is it all part of some deity's plan or mere randomness? What we believe speaks measures about how we see the world and respond to crisis. It is enough for Taoists to admit that a thing happened and to attempt to move on. We don't have a profound need to know why because such resolution cannot possibly change what has happened. Ultimately, nature is not good or evil.  It simply is. Erupting volcanoes obliterate the surrounding area and also enrich the soil. Rains nourish crops and destroy homes. Nature gives and nature takes away. We must be able to respond to whatever happens. In the end, we have free will and are responsible for using it as we see fit. Our exposure to destruction is the foundation on which we can build the most meaningful lives. When we operate within a dualistic frame of mind, we may find ourselves less troubled by disaster.

May 10th

Struggle

Life acquires meaning
When we face the conflict
Between our desires
And reality.

We all have differing personalities vying for predominance in our lives. Some come out at just the right moment. At other times, our aspirations and our fondest hopes find little support in our environment. Only a few can truly say that they are living their lives exactly according to their desires. For the majority of us, life is a series of conflicts between our inner ideas and outer constrictions. How will we test ourselves against the flexing of external circumstances?Goals are important. Forbearance is also important. But the very process of struggle is equally essential. Rice must undergo the hardship of pounding in order to become white. Steel must endure the forge in order to become strong. Adversity is the tempering of one's mettle. Without it, we cannot know any true meaning in our accomplishments. Of course, when things happen without struggle, it does not mean that we did not deserve it.
A musician may compose a brilliant piece in an afternoon. An artist will dash off a masterpiece in a single sitting. A writer will write significant passages as if they were dictated. Each might say, "It happened so fast!" But in reality, it took all of them years of dedication and struggle to come to that moment of climax. Thus even the virtuoso performance is the tip of a lifetime of struggle, and the gem of meaning is set in the metal of long perseverance.

Personal Interpretation

For most of us, life is a constant struggle between our innermost desires and external constrictions. We can't always realize our dreams when we must hold down an unsavory job in order to pay the bills. We don't always have the time to devote to our pursuits when we must meet the needs of others who are dependent on us. Day-to-day life can be hectic and draining. We might often wish to do things that we simply don't have the excess energy for. Somehow, we find a way to do what we love, even if it is in short bursts, but it is often a challenge. There will of course be times when we seem to create masterpieces effortlessly, when the pieces seem to fall together without our thinking about them, when we are promoted and find ourselves doing the work we always dreamed of doing. Think of all the struggle we endured before these breakthroughs though. Even they did not truly come without conflict. The struggle is universal and eternal, and we must understand that it is what forces us to grow strong.

May 9th

Uncertainty


Kicking a pebble by the side of the road,
Watching it tumble pell-mell.
Chance and randomness become order.

There is chance in this world. Things happen randomly. When a pebble is accidentally kicked down the hill, there was no arrangement, there was no plan. It simply happened -- a colliding of bodies. Some people argue that there is order to this universe, asserting that "God doesn't play dice." What is the relationship of order and disorder?We might say that randomness becomes order. There might be an overall framework to things -- like procreation, for example -- but within that framework, we have the random combination of cells that accounts for the vigor and creativity of the system. By the same token, we may have some constants to a system, such as gravity, but within the constraints of that system, there is chance. One wonders if this means that everything tends toward disorder.
For this to be true, there would have had to be order in the first place. Where did it come from? How was it imposed? Or was there always disorder and chance inherent in the universe, and did they somehow become part of the fabric of reality? Those who follow Tao say that there is no definitive way to resolve this question. They are more interested in accepting the fact that there is always uncertainty in the universe and working with that. For them, incorporating uncertainty into life is at the heart of Tao. That is when they feel the most human.

Personal Interpretation

Uncertainty is part of life. Followers of Tao worry less about why this is so than most other spiritual adherents. They embrace the truth of chance in the universe. That is enough. But what is the relationship of order and disorder? Perhaps our understanding of chaos can come to color our worldview. Does the universe tend toward chaos? Was there once order or is chaos inherent in the design of things? Whatever decision we come to, the acknowledgement of uncertainty means that free will matters. Nothing is predetermined. It is our decisions that will ultimately determine the flow of our lives.

May 8th

Limits


Every river has its banks,
Every ocean has its shores.

Constant expansion is not possible. Everything reaches its limits and the wise always try to identify these limits. In the environment, they do not willfully expand civilization at the expense of natural wilderness. In economics, they do not spend beyond the market. In personal relationships, they do not demand more than others can fairly give. In exercise, they do not strain beyond their capacities. In health, they do not go beyond the limits of their age. With such attitudes, the wise can even exploit what others think to be barriers.When one senses that one has come to the limits of the time and situation, one should conserve one's energy. Often, this will be in preparation for a challenge to the limits, or a changing over to a new set of constraints. Whenever one comes upon the circumference, it is best to consider carefully and marshal one's resources before crossing the line. There is always uncertainty, and we must be wary.
We can also utilize limits for our own purposes. We can trap someone because we know of the limits ahead. Defense is possible by utilizing given limits, as a wall protects our backs in a fight. Work is easier when we know that we will be working for a limited time. We can take advantage of opportunities because we know that they are only there for the moment. Limitations should not always be seen as negative constraints. They are the geography of our situation, and it is only right to take advantage of this.

Personal Interpretation

Everything has its limits. We should not encroach upon nature, nor demand more than our loved ones can give, nor push our bodies to achieve feats that are beyond their ability. Limits define our world. When we reach them, we should conserve our strength for whatever comes next. Sometimes, with enough time and energy, we can defy the limits that are set before us. Sometimes we will move on to something else. The less attention we draw to ourselves, the more of an advantage we will have over people that would thwart our efforts and situations that would defeat us. Limits also give value to things. We take advantage of opportunities because we know they won't be available to us forever. We may come to recognize that there is only so much abuse we can take in a relationship before we are forced to move on (an act which can liberate us in unexpected ways and enable us to look after our own needs). Limits serve the greater good, force us to live within our means, help us channel our energies effectively. It is true wisdom to know when to be hemmed in by limits and when to defy them. Before we can do either, we must learn to live within them.

May 6th

Metaphor

Spirituality is
Applied poetry.
Metaphysics is
Applied metaphor.

All the methods that we have for knowing Tao came from observing the outside world and then applying it to the human dilemma. In the past, the body was seen as a microcosm of the universe, spiritual energy was compared to the sun, the duality of the body was matched to the duality of day and night, the habits of animals were copied for their innate wisdom, and the psychic centers of the body were imagined as opening flowers. Even if we apply these ideas today, they yield results.Metaphor is essentially a way to shape thoughts. The insights of poetry can often guide us out of our problems; the imagery of an opening flower is often used in meditation. Yet poetry is only a sensation of the mind and there is no opening flower inside of us. Human beings take objective reality and absorb it partially through a poetry of the mind. Without this, there could be no sense of humor, no creativity, and no spirituality. For until we make the connection between all things, we have no way out of the isolation that often infects us.

Personal Interpretation


When in doubt we have always looked to Nature for the answers. It is a practice that continues today. The psychic centers of the body are envisioned as opening flowers, the sun as the symbol for the spiritual energy that fills our forms. Poetry is the result of Nature's impact upon our minds and hearts, and our imagining of reality is often poetic. None of us see the same world, not entirely. Rather, the way in which we interact with our world and the correlations we create in our quest for understanding determine reality for each of us. To be otherwise is to be isolated, and that does not seem to be in our natures.

May 5th

Resolve


Banish uncertainty.
Affirm strength.
Hold resolve.
Expect death.

Make your stand today. On this spot. On this day. Make your actions count; do not falter in your determination to fulfill your destiny. Don't follow the destiny outlined in some mystical book : Create your own.Your resolve to tread the path of life is your best asset. Without it, you die. Death is unavoidable, but let it not be from loss of will but because your time is over. As long as you can keep going, use your imagination to cope with the travails of life. Overcome your obstacles and realize what you envision.
You will know unexpected happiness. You will know the sorrow of seeing what is dearest to you cut down before your eyes. Accept that. That is the nature of human existence, and you have no time to buffer this fact with fairy tales and illogical explanations.
Each day, your life grows shorter by twenty-four hours. The time to make achievements becomes more precious. You must fulfill everything you want in life and then release your will upon the moment of death. Your life is a creation that dies when you die. Release it, give up your individuality, and in so doing, finally merge completely with Tao.
Until that moment, create the poetry of your life with toughness and determination.

Personal Interpretation


We must have the resolve to live our lives fully until we heave our last breath upon this Earth. Life will not always be pleasant or predictable, but it will largely be what we make of it. We will experience unexpected joy and watch our loved ones die. We will endure heartbreak and connect with kindred spirits. It is alright to have our moments of weakness, but we must always be willing to get back up. We don't know what the future has in store for us, and we must be able to adapt when necessary, but we must also devise plans and do our best to fulfill the goals we make for ourselves. We must strive to give purpose to our days here.

May 4th

Defiance


Every god can be defied.
No choice, no devotion.

There have been many rebels who have chosen to defy their gods. Without this option, there can be no true devotion to a holy concept. For devotion is only valuable when a conscious decision is made to follow that course, even in acknowledgment of the difficulties ahead. Choosing to be a devout person is good. Choosing to defy the gods is also good, for it reaffirms the basic ability of human beings to make choices. We cannot support religions which say that there are no choices.Metaphysical totalitarianism of any kind stifles the freedom we have as human beings. It is not acceptable to have a religion where the alternative to faith is punishment -- that's how you train dogs, not develop people. Spirituality is only great when it allows that utmost freedom to follow it. If we suffer from difficulties, that is not holy retribution, and we should not allow it to create debilitating questions.
If you endure a crisis in your life, it may well challenge your faith. Perhaps you will even respond bitterly to your gods and cry out : How could anything holy permit this atrocity to happen to me? But gods are not our parents or protectors. They are there only to inspire us to be better people. They symbolize the inherent choice of this existence. It is secondary whether we choose belief or defiance. What is precious is that we are always able to choose.

Personal Interpretation


It is up to each of us to decide where to place our faith. We have the ability to sing the praises of our gods or defy them. The idea of gods exists to make us into better people, and in the end, it matters little whether we choose to have faith in the concept we have developed for the divine or whether we have chosen to defy it.  The important thing is that we create our own vision for that greater power that directs our lives and that we recognize that we have a choice. Of course, we must also be willing to  exercise our free will at every opportunity. Adversity will come our way. We should not view it as divine retribution, but as part of what it means to be alive. If we can gain some insight from tragedy, something that can benefit our selves and our world in the future, then we have won even if it feels as if we have lost.

May 3rd

Center


From a bud, only a promise.
Then a gentle opening :
Rich blooming, bursting fragrance,
The fulfillment of the center.

True beauty comes from within. Take a flower as an example. In the beginning it is only a bud. It does not yet show its loveliness to the world, it does not attract bees or butterflies, and it cannot yet become fruit. Only when it opens is beauty revealed in its center. There is the focus of its exquisiteness, there is the source of its aroma, there is its sweet nectar. In the same way, our own unique beauty comes from within.Our glory has nothing to do with our appearance or our occupation. Our special qualities come from an inner source. We must take care to open and bloom naturally and leisurely and keep to the center. It is from there that all mystery and power comes, and it is good to let it unfold in its own time.
Just as a flower goes through stages -- bud, open, bloom, pollinate, wither, fruit, fall -- each of us will go through the obvious stages of birth to death. We aren't of a single character throughout our lives. We change and grow. Our identities unfold and bloom. Unless we attain the center and keep to our progressions, we cannot ever reach true independence in our lives.

Personal Interpretation


 Only when the bud of a flower opens itself to the world does it begin to blossom. It reaches instinctively for the light, and the flow that is Tao nourishes it through all of its growing pangs. It is the same with us. We must open ourselves to enlightment if we want to grow. We must recognize what lies within us, for the center of the self is the source of life and inspiration. Life can be tumultuous and if we want to maintain ourselves through the many changes that will surely shake us, we must hold to the center, must seek balance, must realign ourselves constantly. First and foremost, we must discover who we are and maintain that, no matter what. Anyone who asks us to sacrifice our sense of self does not have our best interests in mind. It  may sometimes be painful to be so knowledgable about ourselves. In fact, there may be things about ourselves we don't wish to acknowledge, but must must acknowledge them if we are to prosper.

May 2nd

Validity


A river new --
Ancient words unneeded.
See, touch, rushing beauty,
Drink crystal flow.

When we stand on the banks of a river, we must realize that it is constantly new. Although we might say that it was running long before we were born, its exact configuration -- the particular currents, the way it flows around rocks, the shape of its banks, the paths of fish in its depths -- is subtly unique at any given moment. To know the river, we only need to experience it directly : to touch it, to swim it, to contemplate it, to drink it. The same is true of Tao.Tao is ever flowing. Although it was present since the beginning of time and though many have experienced it, it is here for us to explore today. Touch it. Swim it. Contemplate it. Drink it. If you have touched Tao, you should harbor no doubt about it, nor should you wonder that you need scripture to confirm it.

Personal Interpretation


We need no ancient words in order to observe and appreciate Tao at work in our lives. Tao is like a river, and while it has always been, it is always renewing itself. Our relationship with Tao is our own, and it is different from anyone else's. The best way to know Tao is to look upon its beauty, swim in its waters, drink from it when our spirits thirst.  We won't be able to put our experience of it into words, but this does not invalidate our experience of it.

May 1st

Sanctuary


Golden light skims azure bay,
Dense air heavy with laurel.
Windless dusk smears to night,
Sonorous pool in a sheltered grove.

Though this world is turbulent, there are still days and places where we can be afforded some tranquility. When this happens, it is right to rest from the tribulations and striving of being in the world and to take advantage of what is offered. Sometimes it will be the peaceful feeling of sunset, when the blazing sun becomes reconciled with the horizon and a sense of acceptance lingers in the air. At other times, it will be the chance encounter with a secret place -- perhaps a grove of trees that promises a mysterious comfort.In such private places, we can often find peace. Such stillness can even be precious, as when we notice the deep voice of a stream which we were always too busy to hear before. Indeed, sometimes we are so worn out by our daily activities that we forget to notice our need for recharging.
Renewal is a profound tonic. With sanctuary and rest, we can prepare to go forth again.

Personal Interpretation


It is important to rest when we are weary. This is true when it comes to our physical forms and it is also true when it comes to our spirits. There are places in this world where peace is to be had. Perhaps it is our need for rest that allows us to recognize these sources of rejuvenation. Perhaps rest is thrust upon us by a chance encounter with a shimmering stream or a mysterious grove of trees. One thing is certain. When we are too exhausted from the trials and tribulations of life, we cannot function. We must rest. It is one of the seeming paradoxes of taoism that rest is when we accomplish the most.