Category: Tao Te

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

and yield and overcome and
and bend and straighten and
and empty and fill and
and age and birth and
and enough and flourish and
and abound and bewilder and

thus the wise embrace background
set a model for any who would notice
without entertaining
they shine
without taking advantage
they become a standard
without a boast
they are recognized
without bragging
they do not have to backtrack
without demanding their due
no one quarrels with them

thus ancients affirm
and yield and overcome and
what say you

be with one
all will come

virtue arrives as Tao is plumbed
intangible Tao sought is not Tao
Tao is an elusive image within without
elusive intangible form within without
dim and dark is Tao light
such light shines in darkness trust trusts within
from a beginning until now this name surfaces
from light within I see creation without
how is nature met
from within

demote learning as a solution to troubles

yes and no are part of every response
good and evil never resolve
learning to fear what others fear is nonsense

some are comfortable participating in cultic celebrations
others spring quickly to revel in seasonal events
alone I drift not knowing my place
like a newborn thrashing grimacing
alone testing and trusting without a foundation

others have a surfeit of things
alone I have nothing a confused fool riding in all directions

others have bright-line guidance
alone I remain muddled

others profit from their cleverness
alone I appear stupid dull

like waves of the sea
alone I am tossed by wind
everyone is diligent busy
alone aimless directionless
my difference
I am nourished by mother’s grandmother

surrender sainthood
give up genius
everyone will benefit
a hundred times more

don’t attempt kindness
move away from morality
people need to find their own
family and love

refrain from a creative edge
distance work from profit
grifters and conmen
will have no purchase

such are artificial forms of no substance

apply energy to see
a simplicity of nature inside and out
apply energy to set aside
selfishness of untempered desire