Month: September 2022

forever will Tao be undefined
never defined unformed ungraspable
if ever harnessed by a king
ten thousand things would obey
heavens and earth would united
rain would come when desired
laws would not be needed
all things would work together

as the whole is divided names are needed
already there are too many names
we need to know when to stop naming
knowing how to stop stops trouble
Tao freed from definition flows river to sea

effective weapons are instruments of fear
hated by all
those attracted by Tao do not use weapons
the wise are drawn left
soldiers attracted right

weapons are instruments of fear
they are not tools of the wise
only used as a last resort
their hearts invested in peace and rest
they do not rejoice in victory necessitating killing
to delight in killing kills yourself

satisfying events lean to the left
sad occasions move right
generals stand left
commanders right
so war in conducted as a funeral
when many and much is killed
heart-felt sorrow is mourned
victory is to be observed as a funeral

when allowed by rulers the wise advise Tao
Tao does not use force to conquer
force only brings forth resistance
thorns follow a marching army
poor crops are a result of a great war
do only what needs to be done
power is not to be taken advantage of

achieve results
without glorying in them
achieve results
with no boasting
achieve results
without puffed-up pride
achieve results
naturally
achieve results
without violence

force turns to weakness
force is not Tao
that not Tao
ends poorly

are you out to conquer or improve the universe
wrong construct

the universe is the universe
its perfection is beyond implementation
try to change it – ruin
try to freeze it in place – loss

some experiences flash by others drag interminably
some breathing is constricted some free
some days bring strength some sap energy
sometimes I’m up sometimes down

to participate wisely
avoid extremes and complacency
excess and depletion

know a man’s focused strength
in context of a woman’s open care
be the flow of the universe
being the flow of the universe
clear and persistent
become an enraptured child again

know foreground’s white
keep the black
be both to the world
being a map to the world
clear and persistent
attend beyond boundaries

know honor
remain humble
be a deep valley of the sky
being a deep valley between mountains
clear and persistent
attend to an uncarved block

the the future is uncarved
the wise use it when teaching
a skilled craftsperson first sees

an attentive walker leaves no tracks
an attentive speaker makes no slips
and attentive judge needs no record
an effective door needs no lock
and yet no one passes
an effective binding needs no knots
and yet no one escapes

the wise care for everyone
no one is abandoned
the wise care for all things
nothing is left behind

this is attending light

an attentive person
teaches the inattentive
an inattentive person
attracts the attentive

when a teacher is not respected
when a student is not cared for
cleverness will not abate confusion
herein lies our mystery

the heavy spins off the light
the still is master of aggitation

a wise traveler
secures their baggage
not distracted by beautiful new sights
calmly remaining unattached

one with an army of ten thousand
does not act lightly in public
to be light is to float away
to be restless is to lose control

something mysterious
present before heavens and earth
as silent as void
alone     static
present     flow
perhaps the mother of ten thousand things
with no known name
call it what you will
lacking anything else I settle on Great Tao

great is its motion
it has gone far
far enough to return

four affirmations
Tao has greatness
heavens have greatness
earth has greatness
humans have greatness

four powers of the universe
and the human is one

a human sees the earth
earth sees the heavens
the heavens see Tao
Tao sees nature

straining on tiptoe is an unsteady state
pushing the pace cannot be sustained
putting on a show will reveal shallowness
self-righteous behavior may be feared but not respected
boasting builds nothing
a brag lasts only as long as it can stay in the mouth

those encompassed by Tao know these
empty calories and excess baggage
facsimile happiness
step around them

sparing speech honors word’s limit
high winds move on
heavy rain has its season
seeking an explanation returns only
heavens and earth     nature
if these do not bring forth forever
why do we get trapped in trying

to be within Tao
is to be at one
those who honor limits
recognize their own
those losing the way of nature
are lost

to be at one
is to be welcomed welcomed
to be within quality
welcome is always open
to be at one with loss
affirm the presence of enough

trust limits
markers of beyond