spiritual math

True words aren't eloquent;
eloquent words aren't true.
Wise men don't need to prove their point;
men who need to prove their point aren't wise.

The Master has no possessions.
The more he does for others,
the happier he is.
The more he gives to others,
the wealthier he is.

The Tao nourishes by not forcing.
By not dominating, the Master leads.
-- Stephen Mitchell, Chapter 81, Tao Te Ching

Jesus, Lao Tzu, and I strolled over to the university.

"Where is everybody?" I asked.

"Spring break," said Lao Tzu. "They have been released."

We walked into an empty classroom and sat down.

Jesus arose and walked over to the large board at the front of the room.

"Time for a spiritual math lesson," he said.

He wrote 1 + 1 on the board.

"What do you think of that?" he asked.

"Well, now you've got two," said Lao Tzu.

"That's this world, the world of duality, the horizontal world of linear time," said Jesus.

I said, "My grandfather once asked me: 'When you have to and you don't want to, what do you do?'"

They looked at me.

"You give one away," I said.

Lao Tzu groaned.

Jesus smiled.

He wrote 1 x 1 on the board.

"Ahhh!" said Lao Tzu, tilting his head back and spreading wide his arms. "That's it!"

"What's it?" I asked, frowning.

"What is 1 x 1?" asked Jesus.

"1," I said, still looking confused.

"Spiritual math," said Jesus. "If you are looking for God, the Wellspring, the Source, the Origin, you do not add yourself. You merge."

"1 x 1 is the spiritual path," said Lao Tzu.

"It is not out here," said Jesus, erasing the board. "It is within you."

We left the building, arm in arm, a strong and gentle force, merging, on the move.