This Burden

I did not ask for this burden

when one becomes two

In a moment

everything changes

that is when a teacher is needed

- chop wood carry water -

this is only the beginning

As the old Shaman will tell his

apprentice

'I am sorry that you have become

enlightened,

Now get back to work'

Waking up is nothing

living it free and undetected

in a world without vision

that is the challenge

How do you speak a laungage

that has no words?

While it is true that 'compassion' is one of the
three treasures as set forth in the teachings
of Lao-tzu, ie, Simplicity, Patience,
Compassion, understanding can not be
attained through the process of adding
more knowledge. The master takes
action by allowing things to take their
own course. He has nothing and so, has
nothing to lose. What he desires is non-
desire. What he learns is to unlearn, thus
he can care for all things. When they think
they know the anserws people are difficult
to guide, when they know they don't know,
people can find their own way. He has no
expectation for results, thus he is never
disappointed, his spirit never grows old.
When you realize there is nothing lacking
the whole world belongs to you.

Be content with what you have. True
fullness seems empty, true perfection
seems tranished, true wisdom seems
foolish. The path into the light seems
dark. She lets things come and go
effortlessly without desire. And simply
reminds people of who they've always
been. By not dominating the master
leads. The simplist pattern is the
clearest. Her constant practice is
humility. Return is the movement
of the Tao. Yielding is the way of
the Tao.

She doesn't glitter but allows
herself to be shapped by the Tao
and appears as rugged as a stone.
The master does nothing, yet leaves
nothing undone. Ordinary man keeps
reaching for power, thus he never has
enough. The master does what she
needs to do and demands nothing of
others. She doesn't try to be powerful,
thus she is truely powerful. True words
seem paradoxical. She steps out of the
way and lets the Tao speak for itself -
allow things to happen without
interference. The way forward seems
to go back. The direct path seems long.

There is no greater illusion than fear.
Less and less do you need to force
things until you arrive at non-action.
When nothing is done nothing is left
undone. True mastery can be gained
by letting things go their own way. It
cann't be gained by interference. The
master has no mind of his own, thus
he is truly present. Let the Tao be
present in your life and become
genuine, present in your family
and the family will flourish, present
in your Country and your country
will become an example for the
whole world, present in the Universe
and the universe will sing. How do we
know this is true, by looking inside
ourselves.

the Tao says 'Hope is a hollow as fear'
whether we go up the ladder or down it
our position is shaky better to always
have both feet planted on the ground
'Success is as empty as failure' we
observe the turmoil of all beings
yet contemplate their return…
hold on to the center…
be content and their is no need
of others approval… self acceptance
means the whole world accepts you
for complicated minds extreme
measures are needed
infinate and eternal never born
always constant unchanging
master nature not in the sense
of conquring it but becoming it
giving up all concepts and desires
the mind grows naturally compationate
find deep within ourselves the central
truths to the art of living paradoxical
only on the surface… the more truly
solitary we are the more compassionate
we can be… the more we let go of the
the things we love the more present our
love becomes… the clearer our insight
into what is beyond good and evil the
more we can embody the good until
finally we can say in all humility
'I am the tao the truth the life'
moral in the deepest sense unencumbered
by any concept of sin the Tao does not
see evil as a force to resist but simply
as an opaquness a state of self obsorption
that is in disharmony with the universal
process so that as with a dirty window the
light cann't shine through this freedom
from moral catagory allows us great compassion
for the wicked and the selfish thus the master
is available to all people and doesn't reject
anyone ready to use all situations and doesn't
waste anything this is called emboding the light
a work in progress please disreguard
any lapse in logical content
drawn from the Stephen Mitchell
translation of the Tao Te Ching on tape



i should clarify that the Tao says
many things yet it is up to us
individually to decipher its meaning
when a wise man hears of the Tao
he embraces it completely
when an average man or woman
hears of the tao they half believe it
half doubt it
when a foolish man hears of the Tao
he laughs out load - if he didn't laugh
it wouldn't be the Tao

a tinge of a murmur
love whispers
trace of a hint
ghost like in shadow
shades of suggestion
a semblance of intimation
tell me truly and to the
ends of the earth
i would follow

the soft overcomes the hard
the slow overcomes the fast
let your workings remain
a mystery - just show people
the results… if you wish
to take something you must
first allow it to be given
if you wish to shrink
something you must
first allow it to expand
if you wish to get rid of
something you must first
allow it to flourish
this is called
the subtle perception
of the way things are
the master teaches
without a teaching
the Tao never does
anything yet through
it all things are done
know when to hasten
and when to relax
be aware of what
bodes well and
what bodes ill
knowing when
to stop
at sufficentcy
is not something
of which the ignorant
are capable…
the ordinary man
is always doing things
yet many more are
left to be done…
the master does nothing
yet leaves nothing undone
the ordinary man keeps
reaching for power
thus he never has enough
the kind man does something
yet something remains to be done
the just man does something
and leaves many things to be done
the moral man does something
and when no one responds
he rolls up his sleeves
and uses force
when the Tao is lost
there is goodness
when goodness is lost
there is morality
when morality is lost
there is ritual
ritual is the husk
of true faith
the beginning of chaos
if powerful people
could remain centered
in the Tao
the whole world
would be transformed
in its natural rhythms
when there is no desire
all things are at peace

“The practice of virtue is the study of body and mind,
nature and life. It is a very refined and subtle
science, in which the slightest deviation can produce
an enourmous loss. It can be accomplished only by
constancy and consistency, thoroughly investigating
its principles, fulfilling nature and arriving at the
meaning of life.”

“When the primal energy appears, this is what is called
the 'living midnight' in our bodies. At this time we are
merged in the qualities of heaven and earth, joined with
the light of sun and moon, harmonized with the order of
the four seasons. This is the gate of yin and yang, the
door of life and death, the wellspring of essence and life,
the root of strength and submission, the crucible for
creating life, the alchemical furnace.”

i ching

like thunder
rumbling
in the clouds
like sweet rain
falling of itself
after a long darkness
the light is brilliant
return to the fundamantal
exalted illumination