The Great Tao Flows Everywhere

The Great Tao flows everywhere,
   (Like a flood) it may go left or right.
The myriad things derive their life from it,
   And it does not deny them.
When its work is accomplished,
   It does not take possession.
It clothes and feeds the myriad things,
   Yet does not claim them as its own.
Often (regarded) without mind or passion,
   It may be considered small.
Being the home of all things, yet claiming not,
   It may be considered great.
Because to the end it does not claim greatness,
   Its greatness is achieved. (Tao Te Ching, Chapter 34, Lin Yu Tang trans.)

In my last post, I mentioned the manifestation, which Lao Tzu calls the Father of all things, and its realness.

Lao Tzu paints the Tao as peaceful and quiet in much of the Tao Te Ching. He talks of it as being like water that dwells in lowly places, for example.

However, in today’s world, there is much strife. Wars are growing, significant storms are devastating millions of people, and authoritarian governments are rising again.

All of this raises the question of just where this “peaceful” Tao is supposed to dwell?

One problem comes from Lao Tzu’s promotion of a peaceful Tao, which should be followed through Taoism. However, the Tao itself is not “peaceful.” The Tao has no mind, will, or desires. It has peaceful aspects, yes, but remember the rise of opposites. If peace exists, then strife must also exist.

Lao Tzu also discusses the Tao’s recurring nature: It is constantly changing and returning. You can see this most directly in the seasons and how they return, in their order, every year.

All existence follows this path. Look at history: long periods of peace are followed by periods of strife.

Lao Tzu talks about the futility of war, how bad it is, and that people hate soldiers. But, in truth, war is just another aspect of the manifestation. Yes, it is devastating and kills many people, both innocent and warring. From a civilized person’s viewpoint, war is terrible.

But war is as much part of the Tao as anything else. Look at the quote above. It clearly explains the Tao and manifestation (it is home to all things). Remember, the Tao is an energy or force.

It has no mind but contains trillions of consciousnesses (that incarnate into “true selves”) with individual wills. These consciousnesses use the Tao’s power to create the physical domain.

The act of creating this physical universe created a set of laws that “govern” it. These laws come from the universe’s physical nature, such as gravity, mass, acceleration, and the movement of the stars, planets, galaxies, and other bodies.

In addition to the universe’s physical operation, its “spiritual” traits come from the consciousnesses themselves, including the good and the bad.

That does not mean your true self is a nonfeeling beast, but to an immortal consciousness, war, like anything else, is not bad or good- it just is.

That is one of the hardest things for people on the path to grasp. People on the path often follow peaceful, quiet, reflective lives. There is nothing wrong with that. But, remember, your true self had guided you to that place. It could have easily moved you in the opposite direction.

As an aside, like the “force” of Star Wars, you can say that the Tao has a light side and a dark side. Unlike the force, however, you cannot be drawn to the dark side except through your mind and emotions. Of course, your true self is not helpless In this. Whatever side you choose is part of the true self’s plan.

Assuming you are on a path of peace, what can you do to maintain that peace in such a seemingly violent world?

The first thing you must do is to realize that the news is designed to spur your emotions. Avoid distracting news as much as possible.

It’s best to read newspapers.  Newspapers give you the flexibility to pick and choose the stories you want to read. TV News forces you to watch what they want you to watch. Keep informed without getting caught up in emotion-driving “news.”

Next, meditate often. Learn to find your center and how to get centered quickly. Once centered, you will find yourself more at peace.

Do things that bring you peace. A walk in the woods or even through a quiet neighborhood can restore your peace and center.

Remember that while there is little you can do to change the world, especially when events are far away, you can help by contributing or volunteering to the Red Cross and other helpful causes.

Also, remember that all events will ebb and flow, rise and fall, like the seasons.

And if you find yourself in a difficult situation, like the victims of a hurricane, that is where your true self chooses to be for the experience.

Such events are lessons as well as experiences. They teach you to find and keep centered. Your struggles and difficulties are aimed at teaching you to separate yourself from the emotions and negative aspects of the events.

Now, it is easy to say all that but hard to do. That is one of the lessons. One way to grow and build your true self is to learn how to keep and maintain your center and focus on a peaceful, quiet life.

My next blog will focus on your center and how to find and keep it.

Namaste,

Michael Tavella, author of

“Break Through To Your True Self”

Yourtrueself.blog