THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT DAOIST THOUGHT AND WRITINGS THAT MAKES THEM APPEALING. Even though they seem simple, even simplistic, they nonetheless give one the sense that they are also subtle, inscrutable and profoundly wise. As I re-read the “further teachings of Lao-tzu” in Thomas Cleary’s translation of the Wen-tzu (a Daoist classic from the Han Dynasty, …
Mist on a Breeze #11
The Way (Laozi) There is something before heaven and earth —An undifferentiated whole.It has no concrete form, only abstract images.It is deep, dark, silent, undefined.To give it a name, I call it Dao, the Way. Mountains are high, oceans are deepBecause of it.Animals run, birds flyBecause of it.Unicorns roam, phoenixes soarBecause of it.The stars run …
When Thoughtlessness Is a Good Thing
USUALLY, WHEN SOMEONE SAYS, “YOU’RE SO THOUGHTLESS!” IT MEANS you’ve done something wrong, something about which you should feel shame; but it’s not always so. Recently, I’ve been re-reading Brian Walker’s rendition of the Hua Hu Ching (now spelled Huahujing), a Daoist text attributed to Laozi, which had been preserved only through oral tradition for …
Soul Spirit Wisdom 