July 29th

Variation


Never jump out of the same hole twice.

We all yearn for success. Not just the success of money, prestige, or power -- the simple success of having things work. If you have a hobby like gardening, you love to see your flowers respond to your care. If you are in school, you want to master your courses. If you are a scientist, you look for results from your experiments. All of us want to be successful.But once you hit on something that does work, it takes great courage to keep going beyond your limits. This is especially obvious in creative fields such as art, music, and writing. It is hard to reach an appreciative audience; once you find something that works, it is hard to let go of it. You keep doing the same thing, like musicians who make a career of performing the same tune. But no matter what your field of endeavor, you mustn't do that. Don't jump out of the same hole twice. You may not be as materially successful, but you will be more successful on a larger level.
Spirituality is creativity. Only with creativity can you have the power to follow Tao. Only with creativity can you remold your personality into a spiritual vehicle. Only with a great breadth of variation can you follow the constantly changing Tao. Therefore, when following Tao, don't cling to methods and dogma. Be spontaneous.

Personal Interpretation

Success can be difficult to obtain, but when we achieve it after a great deal of effort, it means something special to us. The more difficult thing can be to remain creative. Once we learn "what works," it can be difficult to motivate ourselves to continue to push the envelope and think outside the box. This brand of creativity is precisely what Tao demands of us though. Spontaneity is essential if we are to feel its energy and respond to it in a meaningful way. Popularity is not to be preferred over ingenuity. We must learn to let go of what others think of us and devote ourselves to a life of endless progress. And when one thing fails us, we must learn to try something different. Variety is the spice of life, after all. We will enrich our time on this planet if we embrace variation and creativity in all that we do.

July 28th

Trap

Age is covered with cosmetics,
Gray hidden with dye,
Confidence is sought in men,
Awareness deferred for the future.
She toils on her job,
Enduring tension and fatigue,
Subsisting on tranquilizers,
Pinning futile hopes on her children.

Many people allow themselves to be trapped into a miserable life. When we see this, we might think "How tragic," but in actuality, they did it to themselves. We should all know how our lives are going, for we need only track the decisions that confront us every day.There are people who think that it does not matter what they do. Or they shrug that they are victims of circumstance. That does not justify an unhappy life. Illness, stress, divorce, maladjusted children, and fear of death trap us.
Those who follow Tao do not want to end up in this way. They want to be free. They do not want to be victims. Therefore, although it is a difficult path, they constantly seek to expand the parameters of their lives. They do not suffer to be exploited or enslaved, and they will eschew what is considered "normal" in order to be happy.

Personal Interpretation


It is essential that we strive to expand the parameters of our lives, particularly when we begin to feel trapped. We do not need to repeat the same unhappy routine day in and day out. There are small ways in which we can improve our lives. Happiness is a choice that we make for ourselves. Those who follow Tao eschew what is normal for the sake of happiness.  We can't allow ourselves to do what others do without reflecting on whether or not it is the right path for us. We must be true to ourselves, must place value on the things that truly matter, must sustain ourselves with hope each and every moment of our lives. We must be free. This is the highest mandate of the spirit.

July 27th

Essence


When admiring a painting,
Don't examine the paint.
When meeting an artist,
Don't look at the brush.

Searching for life in the mechanics of cells and molecules is like trying to appreciate a painting by analyzing the paint. It might be interesting in a narrow way, but the true point is to grasp the idea that the painting conveys.Why concern yourself exclusively with the mechanics of a situation? That is like seeking an artist's genius in the brushes; it is the mind of the artist, not the tools, that is responsible for the beauty of a painting.
In the same way, the nature of life cannot be merely understood as the interplay of mechanistic forces. It may only be comprehended by taking in the essence behind the physics, chemistry, biology, math, and other scientific outlooks. All too frequently, we become so mesmerized by life's details that we fail to comprehend the whole.
The essence of life shall never be known by a human being as long as that person seeks to observe life like viewer and subject. The absolutely essential nature of life can only be comprehended by merging fully with the flow of life, so that one is utterly a part of it.

Personal Interpretation


When we get lost in the details we can lose our way. We have to make every attempt to see the bigger picture and to be a part of it in all that we do. The painter's brush and the techniques employed in his craft are important but not essential. What truly matters is how each of us interacts with the end product. Its beauty hits us each uniquely. No one has the same experience. Life is much the same. It is a work of art. Our shifting perspectives let us look upon it in novel ways. We are a part of the rich tapestry that we behold. If we weren't, it would mean far less. We would not reflect on it, find ourselves immersed in it, relate to it. Art is as much about the observed as the artist. Even if we hold that the Universe was created by some god, the gift of free will means that we are the ones imbued with real power, for we get to see and interact with creation as we will.

July 26th

Evolution


Organic molecules from cosmic clouds,
Millions of years in the midst of eternity.
We sprang from the primordial;
Our spirituality came in the evolution.

There is strong evidence that human beings evolved from basic early molecules. Those molecules were formed from the gases and birth processes of the stars and planets. Those stars and planets were in turn formed by the first movement of the universe. That first moment of the universe came from nothingness. So we are on the crest of a certain wave of evolution.Narrowing it down to the human situation from the cosmic, our minds represent the ultimate expression of who we are. Further, spirituality is the ultimate expression of the mind. One might say, therefore, that spirituality is not a belief, mental construct, or opinion. Rather, it can be considered a function or outgrowth of evolution.
If spirituality is simply a function of life, the edge of a cosmic ripple, then where is it going? We don't know. Like the universe, it is still expanding into unknown territory. We can decide to cooperate and go with that wave, or we can ignore our spirituality and thereby ignore one of the basic meanings of being human. If we choose to engage in the full process of being human, then we will truly fulfill our part in the universe's evolution.

Personal Interpretation


We are truly made of stardust. We only exist because of cosmic processes that began billions of years ago. It is impossible to separate ourselves from all that is. Attempting to do so will only lead to feelings of misery and isolation. It has been suggested that, as one's mind provide a means for expressing identity, one's sense of spirituality is also an outgrowth of evolutionary processes, the form given the mind's expression. If this is true, then to deny the spiritual is to deny an aspect of what it means to be human. There is no greater crime against ourselves.

July 25th

Scorn


Why do you scorn others?
Can it be that you are that proud?
No matter how accomplished you are,
There are people ahead of you and behind you.
All beings on the path,
All victims of the same existence,
All with body, mind, and spirit.
No one is better than the next person.
Help others for all the times that you have been ignored.
Be kind to others, for all the times that you have been scorned.

The journey of humanity is the journey from ignorance to enlightenment.It's like an endless march of souls through eternity. If you are standing in an infinitely long line of souls, how can you say that your position is superior to others? When there is no head and no end to the line, it doesn't matter what place you hold. Therefore it is foolish to look down on those standing behind. They now occupy the place where you once stood. Instead of pride, you should feel compassion. If you cannot remember this, then just think of all the people ahead of you. You aspire to their place, and you should work diligently.
There is injustice in this world, yes. But there is no need to add to it. When you see someone less fortunate than you, express compassion. When you see someone more advanced than you, try to learn from them. Any other feelings are superfluous.

Personal Interpretation

No human being is more or less than any other. We all must endure the hardships of this world. We all may benefit from the lessons of the flesh. We all have the ability to be moved by a seascape or a work of art or the kindness shown to us by a stranger. There are those further along on the path than ourselves. We should not envy them. Rather, we should try to learn from them. There are those who now occupy the places where we once stood. We should look upon them with compassion. And doesn't it come easier knowing that we have known what they now endure? Each of us must move forward, but we must also be willing to help our brothers and sisters in spirit. After all, we are all on this journey together. Scorn is a useless and deterimental response.

July 24th

Clarity


Can you see a sound?
Can you hear light?
Can you unite your senses?
Can you turn inward?

What we are all seeking is clarity. Forget about religious rationalizations. Forget about elaborate explanations. What we all want is clarity. What we abhor is ignorance. Ignorance confuses us, brings us misfortune and sorrow, and makes us miserable. If we have clarity, then we can live with equanimity.It is a misconception that spirituality brings everlasting happiness. There is no such thing. Sadness still comes to the wise, but, unlike most people, their clarity of mind allows them to see beyond the temporal emotionalism of the moment. They are farseeing, and so happiness and sorrow become the same to them.
True clarity is more than just being smart, more than just being wise. Clarity manifests from meditation. It comes when you can unite all the faculties of the mind and unify them into a magnificent light of perception. It is hard to talk of this in anything but mystical terms. Our language is unfamiliar with the frontiers of the spirit because few have ever seen those limits, let alone described them. But let's try.
If you unite sound with vision, then you will create light.
That light is the concentrated force of the mind.
It is by that brightness that truth is revealed.

Personal Interpretation


We all seek clarity in this world and it can be difficult to come by. Many things conspire to make things less rather than more clear. The very nature of reality often seems at odds with the lessons we learn and attempt to internalize. Our senses deceive us. We don't possess the language to talk about spiritual matters in any significant way and we must think spiritually if we are to disentangle ourselves from the briars of everyday existence. Time is simply time-past, present, and future are human constructs. Likewise, happiness and sorrow are part of the same fabric. The wise do not despair when hardship rears its ugly head, for they know that it will pass. We will never have all of the answers. We can seek them though. We were made to seek them. And as we seek, we should also accept things as they are and trust in spirit.

July 23rd

Accomplishment


The more you cultivate,
The more you accomplish.
Why doubt?
When distance separates you from others,
They cannot overtake you.

In the beginning of training, it may seem as if you are doing very little. You compare yourself to your teachers and to more accomplished people, and you may despair at every reaching their levels. But if you are diligent, then it is inevitable that you will make something of yourself. Once you reach such a plateau, you will be able to relax a bit and contemplate where you are on your journey.One of the most refreshing things to realize is that you now have something that no one can take away from you. Spirituality is yours to keep, yours to touch. No one else can gain access to it, yet this precious accomplishment can sustain and guide you. If will give you increased health, and it will give you knowledge that you could not gain through normal means. Once you tap into this source, you have gained a foothold on the spiritual path.
Uncertainty will not plague you. Who can argue with you? You have seen it yourself. So once you have reached this milestone on your journey, it is proper to rejoice a little, indulge in a little contentment. Then take up the journey once again.

Personal Interpretation


No matter what kind of training we undertake in life, we are certain to feel inadequate in the beginning. We look at our instructors and can't imagine ever cultivating the same level of skill. With practice though comes perfection. Our leaders once felt as we do. The journey means far more than the destination, for it is the succession of experiences that shape us. Once we have achieved some success we can afford ourselves a few moments of peaceful reflection. Where are we on our life's path? We must take up the journey again, but are free to rest whenever the need arises. Achievement has the tendency to make us feel secure enough to relax. And that is as important as treading onward, for it is in the quiet moments when the elusive pieces of the puzzle begin to come together.

July 22nd

Invisibility

Invisibility is the best advantage.
But if forced to a confrontation,
Come out with all your skill.

There was once a roadside vendor who sold rheumatism formulas to the passersby. He was a cheery old man who was faithfully at his spot for years. One day a young bully began to harass the vendor. The old man tried very hard to avoid the confrontation, but eventually the bully became convinced that he had a coward to abuse as he pleased. When the moment of attack came, the old man defeated him with superior boxing skills. Significantly, the old man was never seen again. He had manifested his superiority at a critical moment, but once he had exposed himself, he disappeared.In this competitive world, it is best to be invisible. Go through life without showing off, attracting attention to yourself, or making flamboyant gestures. These will only attract the hostility of others. The wise accomplish all that they want without arousing the envy or scorn of others. They make achievements only for the sake of fulfilling their inner yearnings.
Yet it is inevitable that you will have to prove yourself at one time or another. When that is necessary, then you must marshal all your skills and do your very best. Prove yourself when it is demanded, and when you must prove yourself, be superior. At that moment, it is no time to talk of philosophy and humility. Act. Do. Then fade back into invisibility.

Personal Interpretation

^{It is best to avoid confrontation, but when necessary, one should be capable of standing up for oneself. In this moment, one should call upon the skills which he or she has spent a lifetime cultivating. There comes a time when only action will bring resolution. The wise know when to respond and when to wait. Once we have acted, we should fade into the landscape once more. By living invisible lives, we increase our odds of finding and holding onto happiness. We avoid the envy and scorn of others. We are free to live in accordance with the inner urgings of our spirits.} 

July 21st

Unexpectant


Meditate with no thought of gain.
Expect no ambitions to be fulfilled;
Only then will the inner force manifest.

In the competitive world, we give expression to our ambitions, shrewdness, and aggressiveness. We must do this to survive. In the meditative world, we cannot use these attitudes. What works well on the outside will not serve us on the inside.When we meditate, we must expect no gain. If we look for results, then those results will elude us. In contrast, if we suspend our ambitions, then the results will manifest very quickly. It may sound like absurd mysticism, but it is an undeniable, empirical truth. If you have no expectations, you will feel the divine. If you strive and have selfish desires, then you will feel only frustration.
When the mind is occupied with meditating for gain, it creates a barrier to precisely the results that you want. Spirituality is a mode that is far beyond the machinations and imaginations of the rational mind. It is created by an aspect of the mind that is not a part of everyday thought. In fact, the part of the mind that brings spirituality is very nearly antithetical to the common ways that we think. Therefore, we can only reach this type of spirituality by suspending our everyday thinking.

Personal Interpretation


The mind that serves us in our everyday lives does not serve us well in meditation. When we reflect on the divine, we must have no ambitions. We must not hope to gain anything by clearing our minds. When we are capable of this spiritual mindset, we will gain. Striving to do so blocks our ability to benefit from meditation. While this may seem antithetical, it is simply the reverse side of the coin. Dualism defines our universe and is a key topic of exploration in Taoism, and for good reason. Learning to accept the dual nature of our universe and of our own selves is one of the keys to enlightenment.

July 20th

Appearances

Some look fierce, but are mild.
Some seem timid, but are vicious.
Look beyond appearances;
Position yourself for the advantage.

Without experience, we are easily fooled by appearances. A large man speaks loudly, so we judge him crass and belligerent, but he may turn out to be quite kind. If we approach him defensively, we may not notice his good points. On the other hand, when we meet a petite and quiet woman, we may become complacent in our attitude. If she turns out to be a treacherous person, our laxity contributes to our victimization.Sometimes people are exactly as they appear. Other times, they are only showing camouflage.
Humans, like animals, have different strategies for survival. Coloring, movement, scent, and so on are all ways in which animals practice deception. People are no different. They promise a great many things, but they seldom come through. They proclaim lifelong friendships, and yet they never return again. They promise you many things, but they are only looking for a way to take advantage of you. We must learn to clearly discern the personalities of others in spite of the facades they project.
Position yourself in the most advantageous way at all times. Use experience to pierce the trickery of others. That is the right way to cope with appearances.

Personal Interpretation


We should remain vigilant so that we are not caught off guard when people reveal their true natures. Appearances can be accurate or they can be deceiving. Wisdom and experience are the greatest tools in our arsenal when it comes to seeing past the facade. It is best to make goals that don't hinge on others, because others can disappoint and betray us. We must still maintain some amount of faith in humanity as a whole, but this does not mean that we must allow ourselves to be manipulated.

July 19th

Choosing


One side of a ridge is cold and foggy,
The other is hot and dry.
Just by choosing where you stand,
You alter your destiny.

Those who follow Tao talk of destiny. They define destiny as the course or pattern of your life as it spontaneously takes shape. They do not think of destiny as a preordained set of circumstances. There is no rigid script for this mad stage that we are on.Those who follow Tao then talk of location. By this, they mean something as literal as where you situate your house or where you stand politically. They think that these factors are very important. Let us imagine for moment that you had a job offer in another city far from where you were born. You move there with your family. Do you think that your life would change? We can refine this perception : If you went to a certain school, you would be educated differently. If you went into a different profession, it would change your outlook. If you lived in one neighborhood or another, you would be a different person. Every choice you make changes you.
No matter how minor or how great, you must make choices each and every minute that passes. The irony of life is that it is a one-way journey. You cannot go back, you cannot make comparisons by trying one way and then another. There are no double-blind studies when it comes to your own life. Therefore, only wisdom will suffice to guide you.

Personal Interpretation


Destiny in not preordained; rather, it takes shape as we live our lives, which will necessarily be comprised of a myriad decisions. We cannot test one choice against another, but must decide and live with the consequences of our actions. Wisdom is the greatest tool in our arsenal, and it is something that can only truly be gained through experience.

We are changed by every choice that we make, and it is essential that we know where we stand, for it is the surest way to know who we are at each and every step along the journey of our lives. Where we decide to live is important, but so is our political standing, how we situate ourselves in relation to the environment, the profession we choose to devote ourselves to. No one has all the answers, but the more we live, the more we are changed by the life, and the wiser decisions we can make in the future. And that gives us ultimate control over the destiny, which each of us must forge for ourselves.

July 18th

Internalizing


People think they don't have to learn,
Because there is so much information available.
But knowledge is more than possessing information.
Only the wise move fast enough.

The amount of information available to day is unprecedented. In medieval times a few volumes could form an encyclopedia of all known facts, or a despot could control his subjects simply by isolating or destroying a library. Now information is available to us in tidal proportions.Some people take a lethargic approach to this enormity. They feel that if there is so much at hand, they do not need to actually learn anything. They'll go out and find it when they need it. But life moves too fast for us to rely on this laziness. Just as the flow of information has increased exponentially, so too has the pace of decision making accelerated. We can't be passive; we have to internalize information and place ourselves precisely in the flow.
It has been stated that the average human being utilizes 10 percent of his or her mental capacity. A genius uses only 15 percent. So we definitely have the capacity to keep up -- if we unlock our potential. This requires education, experience, and determination. One should never stop learning, never stop exploring, never stop going on adventures. Be like the explorers of old. What they acquired for themselves will always surpass those who merely read about their exploits.

Personal Interpretation

Information is not knowledge, and thus, in a fast-paced environment where there is seldom time to access the necessary facts, it behooves us to process in advance. The act of learning is essential if we are to stay afloat. We have to be able to apply our learning at a moment's notice. Our lives will be made richer by the effort. Learning should be a lifelong process as well. Education is essential, but so is experience. Let us explore our world and all that it has to offer, make the most of our defeats, celebrate our triumphs and remain open to new developments in the world around us. Then we can truly be ready for anything.

July 17th

Conservation


Don't let a thread fall without noticing it.
Don't rake dry brown leaves carelessly.
Think how difficult it was
For something to take this existence.

Frugality is lauded in almost every culture. Nearly all of us have been taught to conserve and save. Those who do not waste and yet do not become misers are most admirable.We can be aware of conservation every day. We should think whether what we discard can be reused or recycled. We should consider whether our expenditures are really necessary. We should be aware if we are wasting our time and efforts on frivolous activities. We should not abuse our environment with garbage, pollutants, and recreational activities.
Conservation is impossible without a sound understanding of the wholeness of cycles. Unless we remember how precious something is, how much effort it took for it to come into being, we will not value it. Unless we think about its proper transformation into its next phase -- a leaf withering, a flower browning, a lake drying up -- we will not know our relation to it. Everything lives or dies in its own time. We too are part of the same cycles, only we have the option of contemplating and acting within that context. To do so with grace and awareness is the essence of one who follows Tao.

Personal Interpretation


Whether we recognize it or not, we are part of the circle of life and each and every act that originates with us has an impact on the universe, which, ultimately, comes to impact us in turn. Nothing exists in isolation. We should work to conserve whenever we have the opportunity to do so. Why discard a thing that can be used again or undervalue a thing because its time on the Earth has come to an end? Decaying matter gives rise to new vegetation after all. When we conserve, we value all things, ourselves included. How are we to know where we stand in the universe if we can't understand and respect the other processes going on around us?

The fundamental frugality that is a defining characteristic of Tao can be applied to everything in our lives. It is best to conserve our strength for when we'll need it most. It is best to size up a situation before responding to it. In all things, let us practice frugality.

July 16th

Smothered


It's daybreak and already
The prostitutes are on the street,
Addicts are searching the corners with a feral glint.
An obese woman, winded from a few steps,
Passes an anxious man scavenging a garbage can --
Jester to winos in a fiefdom of pigeons.
The summer sky is obscured with leaden clouds.

Tao is all around us, but sometimes the weight of our poor habits, our bad circumstances, or our lack of exposure to philosophy hampers us. Although every person should be equally valued as a human being, not every person is equally sensitive to Tao.Ignorance is our predominant mode in life. We may pass through ghettos and consider ourselves more fortunate, but don't we all have dense layers of misfortune, confusion, and selfishness to dissolve?
Tao can be known by progressive purification and cultivation. The opposite is also true. Ignorance can be compounded, made denser, until the light of our spirits is smothered.
The light of the soul is bright, but dense clouds of human ignorance obscure it. Where are you in terms of your effort to make your life brighter?

Personal Interpretation


In order to live in the light of Tao, we must clear away the dense layers of ignorance that have accumulated. This is no easy task. We are quick to judge the actions of others but slow to look at our own unhealthy behaviors. Misfortune manifests itself in many ways. Sometimes it is hidden from sight, but this does not mean that it does not exist. We must work to purify ourselves at every turn. Enlightenment truly lightens the load by bathing our world in knowledge. To seek to understand is the prime directive of human beings. When we choose a life of ignorance, we turn our backs on a key component of our identities.

July 15th

Mandala



What did I do today?
I exercised. I said good-bye
To a departing friend.
I went to market, ate my meals.
Took a walk. Took out the garbage.
Read a little. Meditated. Slept.
This was my mandala.

A mandala is most commonly a diagram or painting that one uses during meditation. the painting is usually brightly colored and extremely complicated. By beginning at the outer perimeter of the picture and gradually working inwards (sometimes pausing at certain parts to contemplate), the meditator becomes completely absorbed. By the time that the center is reached, all normal egoistic notions should have been dissolved and the profundities of the mind should have been opened.Other religions have various other ways : mass, chanting, sacrament, reciting holy scripture, contemplating. These too become their mandala -- their objects of worship.
But it is not enough to go to church or temple once a week, or to read a bit of a holy book every morning. Can Tao be confined to such simple rituals? No. We could fly to the very height of the cosmos, plunge to the greatest depth, swim the length and breadth of eternity, and still not come to the limits of Tao. Therefore, we should look for Tao in every day. We should ask ourselves each day how Tao manifested itself to us. Our daily activities are our mandala.
Tao reveals itself to us in our mundane doings.

Personal Interpretation

The mundane activities that comprise our everyday lives are our mandala, our object of contemplation, the things that ground us. Tao cannot be confined to ritual. It is in all that we are, know, do, encounter. It can be sensed but never understood completely. It is elusive and yet, it makes up all that is. When we think about the myriad ways in which Tao manifests itself in our lives, we will begin to see that our time on this planet is a wondrous thing indeed.

July 14th

Gratitude


When you drink water,
Remember its source.

If your spiritual understanding is sound, then you will constantly be aware of the subtleties of life. If you fritter away your concentration on minor entertainment and trivial distractions, then you will never attain a profound level of awareness.It is not the grand sweeping religious celebrations and heroic moments in life that are the only important spiritual occasions. Every ordinary moment, every little detail should be a celebration of your personal understanding. Your smallest act should be permeated with reverence.
One of our most basic acts is drinking water. Without it, we could not sustain ourselves. Water cleanses us, cools us, and is an essential component of most of our biological processes. But when we drink it, are we aware of what it does? Do we think of its source and all the efforts that make it possible for us to have this simple glass of water?
Being spiritual means not taking things for granted. Quite the opposite, you remember how everything that comes to you fits into an overall scheme. You acknowledge the precious quality of everyday things. An you maintain a gratitude for both the good and the bad in your life.

Personal Interpretation

Many of us take some of the most wondrous things in life for granted. We should work to correct this tendency in ourselves. Spiritual understanding often comes in burst, and the smallest acts sometimes have the greatest potential to make us see things in a whole new light. Take the act of drinking water for instance. Many processes have to take place before that water reaches us. When we stop and reflect for a moment, we come to recognize how incredible its journey truly is. Our journey is no less incredible, and it is the moments in between life's more memorable occasions that afford the greatest look into our souls. Let us have an attitude of gratitude in our lives, for both the good and the bad. The darker times make the better ones shine all the brighter, and cause us to appreciate what is in our lives.  If we are having difficulty understanding how beautiful our lives truly are, it would perhaps benefit us to get out into the world a bit more, witness those whose suffering exceeds our own. Perspective is everything. And with a greater sense of perspective should come the desire to alleviate pain. Compassion should be our default response.

July 13th

Searching


Where is Tao right now?
You say that it is all around me, but I
Only see my surroundings, only feel my own heartbeat.
Can you show me Tao without reasoning it out in my mind?
Can you help me see it here and now?
Can you help me feel it as doubtlessly as I touch?
You argue that Tao is beyond the senses,
But how do I know it exists?
You say that Tao is beyond definitions,
Then how will I understand it?
It is hard enough understanding the economy, my relationships,
The bewilderment of world events, violence, crime,
Drug abuse, political repression, and war.
With all these things requiring years to fathom,
How can I understand something that is
Colorless, nameless, flavorless, intangible, and silent?
Show me Tao! Show me Tao!

Look within, beyond the physical body; you have the faculties to do so. Focus your mind away from sensual input, and you will discover a new mode of perception. With this mode of perception, you can sense Tao. Once you search in this way, you will find Tao and have no doubts about it.

Personal Interpretation


If we try to perceive Tao with our traditional senses, we will always be disappointed. We must look beyond, must open a part of ourselves that has always been closed. When we meditate in the quiet of a dark room, when we shut out the sensory input of the world for a few minutes' time, we will be amazed by what we find on the other side. Perhaps Tao can never be named or defined, but this does not limit its power. If anything, it increases it, for what power must reside within a force that defies definition and explanation.

July 12th

Immediacy


hen washing your face, can you see your true self?
When urinating, can you remember true purity?
When eating, can you remember the cycles of all things?
When walking, can you feel the rotation of heaven?
When working, are you happy with what you do?
When speaking, are your words without guile?
When you shop, are you aware of your needs?
When you meet the suffering, do you help?
When confronted with death, are you unafraid and lucid?
When you meet conflict, do you work toward harmony?
When with your family, do you express benevolence?
When raising children, are you tender but firm?
When facing problems, are you far-seeing and tenacious?
When you are finished with work, do you take time to rest?
When preparing for rest, do you know how to settle your mind?
When sleeping, do you slip into absolute void?


Personal Interpretation


As we seek to know ourselves, live a pure life, comprehend the cycles of all things, find contentment, work toward harmony, and approach every situation with compassion in our hearts, we should understand that these lessons can never be learned by looking beyond the ordinary in the hopes of glimpsing the extraordinary. The extraordinary in fact exists WITHIN the ordinary. No elaborate rituals are needed to glean the secrets of Tao. We need only live our lives and avoid taking for granted the seemingly trivial aspects of life. Maybe they aren't as trivial as we think.

July 11th

Austerities


Self-discipline leads to higher spiritual states
Only if practiced with understanding.
The clearer the goal,
The greater the result.

We must distinguish between discipline with a purpose and blind discipline. Discipline with a purpose is merely a means to an end and is healthy. Blind discipline does not have a true purpose and so becomes fanaticism. In the past, there were many spiritual people who believed in harsh asceticism. They would flog themselves, live in cold and damp caves, twist themselves into uncomfortable postures, fast for dangerous periods of time. All too often, these people lost sight of their goals. We must be strongly disciplined, but we must not lose sight of our inner meaning.Austere living with a clear understanding of why and how we are doing things does not require esoteric practices. Few of us mind going through extra effort and even hardship if we know that we will gain something better for it. That is all that discipline and austerity are about : You make extra efforts to gain a better life.

Personal Interpretation

Fanaticism has its roots in blind discipline. When we have no end goal in mind, we cannot properly direct our energies and soon find ourselves at the mercy of practices that lack purpose. Some of these practices are little more than punishment, for they serve no greater objective. We should work to understand why we do what we do. Austerity is a laudable quality to possess, but it must be understood to be embraced in a way that is meaningful and beneficial to our spiritual growth. Most of us will endure intense hardship if we sense that we may benefit from the experience. That should be the goal of discipline and austerity-to gain a better life. While the good life will mean different things to different people, one thing is for certain-the better life is the life that embraces the quest for understands, formulates healthy goals, and proceeds to attempt to fulfill those aims by seeing beyond the veil of the world.

July 10th

Fields


Worship by cultivating nine fields :
Diet. Herbs. Clothing. Recitation.
Movement. Meditation. Creativity. Teaching.
And most important : Compassion.

Worship is not a matter of making an obeisance to a god. It is a matter of achieving godlike qualities in yourself. This is done through the cultivation of nine areas :Diet should be moderate, healthy, and of living foods. If you want to be sustained, eat things that themselves sustained life.
Learn to use herbs, for they heal and maintain health
Be moderate in your clothing; wear natural fibers. What you wear is an expression of your state of mind
Recitation includes prayer, song, chanting, and finally, the practice of silence. What you say becomes reality
Stretch, move, and exercise every day. The universe moves; so too should the energy within your body
Meditate every day -- once in the morning and once in the evening, if possible. Only then will you attain tranquility and triumph over your dilemmas
Be creative. Thus we contribute, and thus we elevate our souls
Acquire a good education. Treasure what you learn, and preserve it so that it may be passed on to others. Never be selfish with what you know
Above all, be compassionate. This is a stand against all evil, and it opens your spirit
People ask, "How can I worship properly?" Cultivate these nine fields

Personal Interpretation


The purpose of worship is to achieve the qualities of the divine within our own lives. Followers of Tao believe in cultivating nine "fields" or areas of concentration. These are diet, herbs, clothing, recitation, movement, meditation, creativity, teaching, and compassion.  A healthy and modest diet, the use of herbs to heal ailments, simple clothing appropriate to one's environment, the repeating of words and actions done in the name of remembering wise creeds and skillful ways of living, daily exercise, quietude and reflection, creative expression, the willingness to teach important lessons to others and to be receptive to learning, and the application of compassion are paramount in the quest for enlightenment. If we cultivate these fields, we can instill a deeper sense of meaning into our lives.

July 9th

Nonyielding


When in the arena,
Yield not to an aggressor.
When outside the arena,
Affirm compassion.

This world and this society are competitive. Tao uses the metaphor of the warrior to meet that competition. Warriors never yield to their opponents. They may sidestep, but they do not give way.Whether you are a lawyer, police officer, fire fighter, doctor, businessperson, athlete, or any one of numerous other professions, you compete against either other people or natural forces. But there is a right way and a wrong way to compete. Avoid anger and greed. Use concentration and awareness.
Coincidentally, concentration and awareness are also necessary for spirituality. That is why the follower of Tao incorporates the way of the warrior into training. The warrior and the sage both seek to transcend emotion and petty thinking, to perfect themselves, and to live lives of the deepest truth.
But when outside the arena, do not forget to be kind. Leave behind competitive aggression. You must still have awareness, concentration, and reflex, but the expression will be different. Your compassion must not falter. That is why the combination of the way of the warrior with the way of Tao is the ultimate symbol of versatility. Such a follower of Tao commands the extremes of the universe.

Personal Interpretation

When faced with the competition that defines the world, we must never yield. We must ourselves compete in a number of different arenas, but we should not allow our lives to be dominated by a sense of superiority or inferiority. We must not let the competition of the world undo us, nor should it be a way of life. We should compete when necessary, and in the right ways. Anger and greed won't yield the kind of results we're looking for. The concentration and awareness that competition causes to spring up within us are infinitely useful to us in our quest for spiritual enlightenment when properly harnessed and applied. When we are not competing, we should bring a sense of compassion to all that we do. Incorporating the ways of the warrior and the sage promises a meaningful life in Tao's embrace.

July 8th

Victory

Can you be both martial and spiritual?
Can you overcome your ultimate opponent?

To be martial requires discipline, courage, and perseverance. It has nothing to do with killing. People fail to look beyond this one narrow aspect of being a warrior and so overlook all the other excellent qualities that can be gained from training. A warrior is not a cruel murderer. A warrior is a protector of ideals, principle, and honor. A warrior is noble and heroic.A warrior will have many opponents in a lifetime, but the ultimate opponent is the warrior's own self. Within a fighter's personality are a wide array of demons to be conquered : fear, laziness, ignorance, selfishness, egotism, and so many more. To talk of overpowering other people is inconsequential. To actually overcome one's own defects is the true nature of victory. That is why so many religions depict warriors in their iconography. These images are not symbols for dominating others. Rather, they are symbols of the ferocity and determination that we need to overcome the demons within ourselves.

Personal Interpretation


Killing is not what defines a warrior. True warriors are defenders of ideals like freedom and honor. They gain keen insight by training their minds as well as their bodies. They are as knowledgeable in the art of avoiding conflict as they are in claiming a life. Warriors must work to conquer the demons within themselves. This is no small task, for in life, no opponent will prove so fierce as one's own self. We all have the potential to be warriors and in fact, must rise to the occasion if we are to weather the storms of life. To do this, we must direct our efforts inward. Our outward strength is a reflection of our inner resilience and constancy. When we learn to overcome the baser qualities within ourselves, we will have achieved victory.

July 7th

Caring



Don't go out looking for good deeds to do,
But if one comes your way, do not refuse.
If you meet someone who is suffering,
You must help them.

What good is self-cultivation and wisdom if you just keep it for yourself? Knowledge is meant to be used, and if you can use it on behalf of others, you should.There was once a man who prayed daily to a particular god among many in the temple. Eventually, he noticed that the incense he lit drifted over all -- other gods were getting the benefit of his efforts! He built a paper cone over the incense burner so that all the smoke would be directed right at the nose of his god. Unfortunately, this turned the face of his god black with soot.
Those who follow Tao believe in using sixteen attributes on behalf of others : mercy, gentleness, patience, nonattachment, control, skill, joy, spiritual love, humility, reflection, restfulness, seriousness, effort, controlled emotion, magnanimity, and concentration. Whenever you need to help another, draw upon these qualities. Notice that self-sacrifice is not included in this list. You do not need to destroy yourself to help another. Your overall obligation is to complete your own journey along your personal Tao. As long as you can offer solace to others on your same path, you have done the best that you can.

Personal Interpretation

Self-cultivation and wisdom are meaningless if not applied to our lives. We should proceed from a sense of compassion, offering help when we can. Followers of Tao draw upon 16 sacred qualities when they interact with others. It is important to note that self-sacrifice does not appear on this list; is not considered virtuous. We must not forget ourselves when we stoop to help those less fortunate than ourselves. We can be nothing for anyone else if we are not something for ourselves first. It is not selfish to have a strong sense of self. It is what makes it possible to humble ourselves, what makes it possible to give of ourselves, what makes it possible to make manifest our caring.

July 6th

Artist


Facing blank paper
Is an artist's terror.

When an artist creates, he or she is like a shaman. Inspiration comes as a gift. Those who follow Tao are the same. Their awareness of Tao is not something they have cleverly formulated, nor is it something that they possess. Tao comes to them like a gift. That is why the arts and Tao are so closely allied : The act of receiving and expressing is the same.Just as an artist dreads not being able to make art, so too does one who follows Tao dread not feeling Tao.
There are many times when we are called upon to be creative : an athlete on the field, a lecturer before an audience, a musician on stage, a cook at the stove, a parent with a child. How do we keep the channel open? Some people try by maintaining tidy and regular lives, others by being constantly active. We are all different, and there is no right or wrong. The only thing that counts is feeling Tao in your own life and maintaining that feeling as much of the time as possible. If you find those special things that are latent in you and learn to express them, then you will know Tao.

Personal Interpretation


The expression of creative energy is a gift that is bestowed upon the artist. Tao is made manifest in this expression. While the artist fears not being able to produce art, the practitioner of Tao fears not being able to sense Tao in his or her life. Some find themselves more in the flow of Tao when they make an effort to be constantly active. Others require contemplative silence on a daily basis. Let us do those activities that we enjoy, express ourselves in the ways that feel right to our souls, and approach the world with compassion. Tao will never be far from us when we are true to our spirits and the things they need to express. While creative output will vary, this is merely an indication that all things work in cycles. There is a low point as well as a high one. Sometimes seeking inspiration will yield incredible results, but more often inspiration will find out those who keep their minds open and receptive.

July 5th

Point


Make the mind.
A single point.

The key to any meditation is to concentrate the mind into a single point. There are many methods for doing this, from singing, to listening to holy words, to contemplative procedures. But the end result is the same : to focus our minds sharply.A point has a definite position in space but neither size not shape.
A point marks an actual place in time, such as a point of departure.
A point is the very essence of something, as in the point of an idea.
A point is a coordinate for navigation.
A point is the dominant center, as in the principle point of perspective.
A point determines our outlook, as in point of view.
Once the mind is made into a single point, it takes on the above attributes. In contrast, a mind that is not focused is dispersed over a wide area. Its thoughts are scattered, its energies are in disarray, and it cannot move clearly in any direction. It is at the mercy of a thousand influences and is easily disoriented. The result is confusion, ignorance, unhappiness, and helplessness. A mind that is clearly focused, however, receives all things and can abide in utter tranquility. It is no exaggeration to say that its world revolves around it. It no longer has to chase after all that appears before it.

Personal Interpretation

We should work to make our minds a single point. Focus is key. This can be accomplished in a number of ways. How we choose to proceed is not important. What matters is that we approach the world from an enlightened perspective. The mind that is concentrated embodies the essence of all that is, exists, but does not have a definite form, dominates the center, and lends an even greater sense of perspective to all the experiences and events of our lives. We cannot be so easily blown off course when we keep to the center, constantly define ourselves, and occasionally clear away the detritus of mortal life.

July 4th

Flame

Enter the cavern with its
Walls of tangled strands.
Find the living flame
That burns on blood.

The brain is a physical object that generates mental energy. It is a tangle of strands, an unknowable, dense web. It is a mass of emotions, memories, instincts, reactions, and thoughts. Whatever comes into its scope of awareness is channeled through its dark core. Energy sparks through at speeds faster than lightning, but still, there are many areas that lie dormant, unused, nearly petrified with age.With the proper methods, we can enter into the center of the brain. Metaphorically speaking, this area is like a cavern with a subterranean river running through it. That river can be kindled with a spiritual spark, and the whole river can be set aflame. This illumination is spiritual energy. It can be used to rejuvenate the brain and to supplement the limitations of our normal mental abilities.
Methods that deal with the mind only as a brain will always be limited. Coping with life only through physical faculties will always fall short of the ultimate answers. Only through lighting a living fire within ourselves can we dance quickly and spontaneously enough to meet the rhythm of life.

Personal Interpretation


The brain is a physical organ, capable of amazing feats. And yet, it is more even than the sum of the mind-boggling operations it can perform. With practice, we can learn to access the hidden regions that lie dormant under ordinary circumstances. We can ignite this once-dark aspect of ourselves with the flame of spiritual insight. The result can only be life-altering. When other methods fail, perhaps it is time to turn to Tao, to the spirit of the Universe. It is the only thing that can truly empower us and bestow upon us the ability to meet the rhythm of life.

July 3rd

Site


Desert: visions.
Tropics: possession.
Forests: alchemy.
Mountains: asceticism.

Throughout the world, the site where people practiced spirituality has been significant. In the deserts of the Middle East, holy people had visions. In the tropics, sorcerers used spirit possession. In the forests of Europe and Asia, alchemists perfected their arts. In the Himalayas, sages hid themselves away for ascetic practices. Of course, these were not the only places for such arts, but it is more than coincidental that certain practices are tied to the place. If you go to any of these lands, you can still feel the essence that inspired generations.Thus it is that you should be sensitive to where you situate yourself in the world. Selecting a spiritual site requires subtlety. If you do not know the science of geomancy, it is better to go to a place known to be conducive to what you want to achieve. Then narrow your choice by what you see and feel. If you sense that there is great well-being, that the plants and animals of the area are healthy, that the place is not subject to extremes of weather that would adversely affect your health, then that is the place for you. When you move there, you will be sustained.
No site is forever. If you find that the flow of energy has gone elsewhere or that others begin to ruin an area, then search for a new place of vitality. That is why those who follow Tao seldom have fixed homes. They wander from site to site so as to constantly remain in the stream of Tao.

Personal Interpretation

Environment is of the utmost importance to the practitioner of Tao. Different sites have different energies connected to them-the flow of Tao is not the same anywhere. We are as diverse as the locations that might serve as our homes. We need to be in touch with our innermost selves in order to identify the environment that will serve us best. Furthermore, a single site may not serve our needs forever. We should be willing to acknowledge when a place no longer feels "right." There is no shame in moving on. The Universe is in flux, as are we. We must go where Tao directs us if we are to attain peace in this world.

July 2nd

Middle


Those who attain the middle
Dominate the whole.

Today is the 183rd day. It is exactly the middle day out of 365. Once you reach the center of anything, you can dominate the whole in any way you please. In chess, those who gain the middle board are usually in the superior position. In a storm, those who reach the eye are safe. In making decisions, those who cleave to the center are wise.There are 182 days on either side of today to make a year. There is no center day in an even-numbered period. It is the odd-numbered set that has a center. It is the odd numbered set that is dynamic.
In all areas of life, it is good to establish goals and parameters. Define the scope of anything that you do. That way, you will know when you have reached the center and perseverance will be easier.

Personal Interpretation


It is wise to achieve the middle for it is a position of great advantage. In order to know when we have reached the middle, we must strive to have some direction in our lives, some goal, some sense of a continuum and our position on it. Knowing where we are situated makes perseverance easier and it is perseverance that insures that we are able to get what we really want out of life, even when the storms of misfortune buffet us.

July 1st

Flow


If the boulders are moved,
Even a river will change its flow.

Except for occasional flooding, the mightiest river keeps to its bed. It flows where it finds openings between cliffs and rocks. If the river is dammed, if the cliff walls are moved, if the boulders are shifted, it will flow a different course. It could even be made to flow backwards if the earth moved far enough.So it is with the flow of our lives. Once the fixed objects of our lives shift, our circumstances change. If we move to another city, life will change. If we marry one person over another, life will be different. If we situate our business in a good neighborhood, life will be prosperous. If we choose a house in a good setting, life will be healthy. If we arrange our furniture properly, life will be comfortable. If we eat correctly, life will be prolonged. In short, followers of Tao realize that the flow of life can be affected and to some degree consciously manipulated simply by altering its parameters.
Life is the flow of energy. It is the air that we breathe, the force that moves the weather, the force of all minds combined. It keeps the rivers flowing, our hearts beating, and the sky blue. This flow of energy moves constantly according to the fixed points that exist at any given moment. Therefore, by manipulating the cardinal points of our lives, we can change the flow. The freedom to choose and to change belongs to us.

Personal Interpretation


Flow can be interrupted. This is meaningful for us because it means that the way we shape the paramaters of our lives can influence the quality of the lives we wind up living. There will always be variables that are beyond our ability to control, but there will also be things we can decide for ourselves. Where we live, what work we do, who we decide to share life's journey with, how we choose to let misfortune impact us, how we arrange the furniture in our home, what value we place upon our possessions, what food we choose to eat. The list goes on and on.

Circumstances won't always favor us, but we can change them with a little willpower and determination, or at the least, allow them to exert less influence upon our lives. We are more than the accumulation of our misfortunes after all.

June 30th

Axle

The mind is in spinning wheels at the
Navel, heart, throat, head.
The connecting shaft is emptiness.
Without an unobstructed route,
Energy cannot flow.

People search for the sacred and are told it is within themselves. It is sometimes difficult to see how literally the sages mean that. They see the mind as existing in other areas of the body in addition to the brain. These centers, nominally functional in the average person, are called chakras or wheels by those who follow Tao. Through meditation, one becomes acquainted with each of them and learns how to release power so profound that one is literally divine.The concept of void is central to many philosophies including that of Tao. However, it seems so abstract at times. Here void has a functional role. The pathway connecting the energy centers of the mind is like a long shaft beginning from the perineum and ending at the top of the head. If not for emptiness, or hollowness of this shaft, the sacred energy of the body could not be conducted.
All the diversity of our lives is merely a manifestation of our minds, expressed through the turning of the various wheels within ourselves. The more they turn, the more complex circumstances and thinking become. However, if we want simplicity and tranquility, we need only go to the center of the spinning mind where it is empty and still. Thus it is said that diversity comes from the revolving of the wheels and origins come from the central void.

Personal Interpretation


The sacred lies within each of us, in our chakras, which are located at various points in our bodies. The emptiness that connects them is essential for the free flow of energy among them. The best way to seek simplicity is to try to achieve the center, to focus on the source of energy at the core of the spinning mind. When we can do this successfully, the endless machinations of the world will come to exercise less influence over us.