In harmony with the Tao,
the sky is clear and spacious,
the earth is solid and full,
all creatures flourish together,
content with the way they are,
endlessly repeating themselves,
endlessly renewed.
When man interferes with the Tao,
the sky becomes filthy,
the earth becomes depleted,
the equilibrium crumbles,
creatures become extinct.
The Master views the parts with compassion,
because he understands the whole.
His constant practice is humility.
He doesn't glitter like a jewel
but lets himself be shaped by the Tao,
as rugged and common as a stone.
-- Stephen Mitchell, Chapter 39, Tao Te Ching
They walked into my room where I sat mourning.
"Wake me when the world is over," I said.
They looked at each other.
"He needs an advance," said Jesus.
"You mean a retreat," I said.
"All retreat is an advance," said Lao Tzu.
"Come with us," said Jesus.
We walked out into the starry night.
"Why is there evil in the world?" I asked.
"There are humans in the world," said Jesus.
"No humans, no evil," said Lao Tzu.
"Why are we so stupid?" I asked.
"Self-infatuation," said Jesus.
"The question is not why," said Lao Tzu. "The question is how."
"How what?" I asked.
"How to be wise," he said.
"Regard the whole world as yourself," said Jesus.
"Condense it, put it in your pocket, and walk the Path."
"Move from your heart."
A shooting star blazed the heavens.
the sky is clear and spacious,
the earth is solid and full,
all creatures flourish together,
content with the way they are,
endlessly repeating themselves,
endlessly renewed.
When man interferes with the Tao,
the sky becomes filthy,
the earth becomes depleted,
the equilibrium crumbles,
creatures become extinct.
The Master views the parts with compassion,
because he understands the whole.
His constant practice is humility.
He doesn't glitter like a jewel
but lets himself be shaped by the Tao,
as rugged and common as a stone.
-- Stephen Mitchell, Chapter 39, Tao Te Ching
They walked into my room where I sat mourning.
"Wake me when the world is over," I said.
They looked at each other.
"He needs an advance," said Jesus.
"You mean a retreat," I said.
"All retreat is an advance," said Lao Tzu.
"Come with us," said Jesus.
We walked out into the starry night.
"Why is there evil in the world?" I asked.
"There are humans in the world," said Jesus.
"No humans, no evil," said Lao Tzu.
"Why are we so stupid?" I asked.
"Self-infatuation," said Jesus.
"The question is not why," said Lao Tzu. "The question is how."
"How what?" I asked.
"How to be wise," he said.
"Regard the whole world as yourself," said Jesus.
"Condense it, put it in your pocket, and walk the Path."
"Move from your heart."
A shooting star blazed the heavens.
this doesn't seem like a good idea, george. how can one move from one's heart when it is so heavy? i don't want to take on all this ugliness as part of myself! i don't want my heart to sink like an anchor. i want to remain blissfully ignorant! safe in my snowy, flagstaff bubble. surrounded by family and friends and wispering trees. ~apl
ReplyDelete"how can one move from one's heart?", because it is the only way to go. Let the heart lead, if we allow the ourselves to stay the heart will just get heavier and heavier.
Deletei was out, too. i saw the shooting star one night, then 3 more in the wee wee 3 am hours the next day/night (i lose track of measured time). anyway. . .
ReplyDeletehappy you saw the star. i was wondering, at that moment, if anyone else was seeing it and how they were ex-spearincing it.
ah, geo. magic.