Tao of the Day

Today I covered #1 and #2 with Julie and Melissa joined for #30.#1 "Expressing Tao"Words are particular,They cannot express Tao.To have a name is to be limited to manifestationThat which is nameless is the source of manifestation.Self-referential, those who name, name themselves.Want to experience the depth of the mystery? Stop identifying.Want to experience the shallowness of the manifestation? Differentiate.Either way no one can tell,The difference is in your experience.#2 "Identifying the Manifestation"Opposites exist amongst the particular.Identifying the beautiful creates the ugly.Identifying good creates evil.Identifying the particular separates all manifestations:Reality and fantasy are opposing thoughts.Difficult and easy are opposing degrees.Long and short are opposing perceptions of time or space.Because of this the Master doesn't rely on words.She teaches by being without explanation,In this way she is the most helpful.She inspires all things to be without rejecting them.She gives them life but refuses to possess them.Her actions spring forth from perfection,They are not hers to ownThus they will never be forgotten.#30 "Tao Does Not Dominate"Governing, in any capacity, when led by TaoDoesn't use force to gain power.Every force applied will suffer equal counterforce.So violence, however it is intended,Will always rebound upon itself.Where armies march briers growAnd in their wake follows hunger and villainy.Skillful in what she doesThe Master achieves her goal and stops;Neither forcing nor manipulating further.She knows that dominatingGoes counter to TaoAnd whoever opposes TaoWill certainly die early.

Today I started us off with #61 and Lo joined for rndom #13. Melissa joined me and we dove deeper into #61 together.#13 "Finding Equality at the Extremes"To succeed and to fail are equally undesirable.Creation and destruction are equally present within us.What do I mean by "To succeed and to fail are equally undesirable?"The more success you have the more you protect it by hiding failure.The more you associate with failure the more you embody it.When neither success nor failure is identified as the destinationBeing becomes the objective.What do I mean by "Creation and destruction are equally present within us?"Having a body and a mind, with which I identify, gets me involved in the manifestation.The manifestation convinces me of my actionsAnd so naming them I both create and destroyNeither of which are unique.To see yourself with indifferenceYou will have faith in all things.To see the world with indifferenceYou will be able to care for it all.#61 "Being Great"Being great requires the ability to be humbleSo as to receive that which is attracted with tranquility.Attraction is the most primal of expressionsTo receive that which is attracted is to know oneself.All great beings realize when they error, having realized itThey admit it and correct it to the best of their ability.The greatest beings seek out those who can help identify their faults,They consider their enemy a part of themselves that requires attention.To be centered in Tao is to nourish all related things,To not interfere or meddle in the errors of others.

Today all my teachers go back to school and Mellissa joined for #14 then Marianne came up for #67. after they joined me Dayo came up and used Google to select #17.#14 "Hidden in Plain Sight"Look and there is nothing to see.Listen and there is nothing to hear.Reach and there is nothing to grasp.These three nothings, come together,They combine and are one.This is a mystery and cannot be named.It is present within all manifestationAnd is forever retuning to nothing.So subtle it cannot be identified,So conspicuous it is never hidden.Consider a time before historyTo show you how to yield.You cannot know (if you're doing) itYou cannot prove (that you're doing) it,But still you can be (doing) it.You are using it now, but for what?#17 "Of Masters and Leaders"In the time of the great Masters there were no leaders.Then, those whom the people loved, led the way.After having created the positionThe people feared their leaders,Then they despised them.Having created leaders, their faith in Tao was diminished.Having become a leader, his trust in the people was diminished.When there are great Masters there are no leadersShe works day and night and says nothing about it,When the work is done the people say"Amazing! We did it all by ourselves!"#67 "The Three Lessons"Caught in manifestation some people say Tao is stupid.Others say it is a beautiful idea, but it cannot be achieved.They cannot see it is neither an idea nor something to be achieved,Lost in a world of endless solutions they cannot recognize truth.Tao asks us to live with only 3 thingsCompassion, moderation, and humilityWith compassion you will be able to care for all thingsWithout having to ask if they deserve it.With moderation you will be able to be generous,Without them needing to prove they are worthy of it.With humility you know you are going to die like all things,Thus you treat all things with dignity and respect.Abandoning these will only lead to trouble.

I started us off with #64 and Peter joined me for a very relatable #75 afterwhich Johnny came up and asked for a random numer and we read of #81 together.#64 "It's so Easy"It is easy to stop something before it is set into motion.It is easy to plan something before beginning it.It is easy to break something before it has grown strong.It is easy to hide something before it has grown big.Preventing problems has never been the problem.Tiny sprouts do this and grow to unimaginable heights,Every journey has started with the first easy step.Avoiding the easy is what has created all difficult problems.Rushing past the easy things will end up costing you,Grasping onto the destination you lose sight of where you are.Forcing things to be what you want, when you want,Will only turn those things against you.Therefore, the Master monitors her desire for an outcome.She remains as calm at the beginning as at the endSo she can see what is in front of her.She embraces the mundane and doesn't prize rarities.Doing this the Master reminds those around herOf who they have always been, and they are inspired.Caring about nothing but Tao she cares for all things.#75 "There Needs to be a Purpose"People are starved for purpose because everything they do is taxed.That being so, why would they venture to do anything?By being intrusive governments corral their peopleForcing them to "Make a Living," instead of simply living.People have no purpose when their purpose is appointed.Without purpose, why would they want to live?All of this is intrusive meddlingIt robs people of their lives andLines the pockets of those in authority.#81 "Blossoming Leader"True words may not sound comfortingYet comfort those they are meant for,However, comforting words are never true.Connected to source there is no desire to proveDesire to prove only exposes separation from source.The Master's possessions are not part of the manifestation.Giving away her possessions she only receives more.Tao blesses everyone in this way.When this blessing can be received,Domination and power will yieldWhile all people will blossom as leaders.

I was excited to share #16 for New Years eve but didn't get to far into it when Lo joined me for #76 and then Jay K for #42 and Melissa for #79. Happy New Year everyone.#16 "Stillness and Integration"Being empty of mind is of the utmost importanceAnd it is to be guarded with fervor.We have all seen states of action arise,And always beyond it returns stillness.When any state of action is completeIt naturally returns to stillness.This allows integration of what arose from actionWhich is the natural cycle of maturation.If stillness and integration cannot be achievedConstant action will lead to anxiety and wild movements.Yielding to stillness makes one impartial,And all particular things fall away,Then when it is time to dieOne can be impartial to that as well.#42 "Holding both Male and Female"Tao gives birth to Universes.Universes give birth to Planets.Planets give birth to beings.Beings give birth to everything else.Tao is the great MotherAll else holds both Male and Female.By all things embracing bothHarmony is achieved.To feel alone is avoided by menYet that is where no identity resides.The Master holds no identityShe embraces her aloneness,Realizing when she is at one with herselfShe is at one with all things.#76 "Life is Flexible"It is true for all things, that while aligned with lifeThere is yielding, flexibility, and grace.It is also the case that aligned with deathAll things are stiff, brittle, and inflexible.In all things we can witness plainlyRigidity, of any kind, is a companion of death,Softness, of any kind, is a companion of life.Be soft and yielding, it overcomes rigidity.#79 "Conflict Resolution"Every conflict creates an "Other"Even after a resolution, animosity remains.Is that good enough for you?Therefore, the Master always does her partKeeping the peace, not placing blame,Correcting her own actions,Without requiring the same from others.Tao doesn't care who's rightIf you do, you'll find it difficult.