lullaby

If a country is governed wisely,
its inhabitants will be content.
They enjoy the labor of their hands
and don't waste time inventing
labor-saving machines.
Since they dearly love their homes,
they aren't interested in travel.
There may be a few wagons and boats,
but these don't go anywhere.
There may be an arsenal of weapons,
but nobody ever uses them.
People enjoy their food,
take pleasure in being with their families,
spend weekends working in their gardens,
delight in the doings of the neighborhood.
And even though the next country is so close
that people can hear its roosters crowing
and its dogs barking,
they are content to die of old age
without ever having gone to see it.
-- Stephen Mitchell, Chapter 80, Tao Te Ching

I was sitting contemplating the consciousness state of humankind.

Jesus and Lao Tzu came in.

"Come with us," said Jesus.

I got up. Jesus took my right hand, Lao Tzu my left.

Within an instant, we were in outer space looking at the Earth.

"I can't breathe," I said.

"Yes, you can," said Jesus.

He was right. I looked "down" and saw I had no body.

"Your body is the entire universe," said Jesus.

"We are an interflow with all that is," said Lao Tzu.

The Earth had a golden glow and was singing a soft harmonious song.

"What is the Earth singing?" I asked.

"A lullaby to its human offspring," said Lao Tzu. "Listen."

The Earth was singing:

"O my children, settle down, settle down,
with your roots in the ground.
O my children, rise up, rise up.
your hearts opening to the sky."

I was filled with calm and peaceful energy.

The next instant, we three were standing together on the grass of the little downtown park..

"Rooting in the ground, opening to the sky," said Lao Tzu.

I understood.

We began moving in rhythmic Tai Chi flow, rooting in the ground, opening to the sky.

The Earth smiled.