Looked at, but cannot be seen –
   That is called the Invisible (yi).
Listened to, but cannot be heard –
   That is called the Inaudible (hsi).
Grasped at, but cannot be touched –
   That is called the Intangible (wei).
These three elude our inquiries
And hence blend and become One.

Not by its rising, is there light,
Nor by its sinking, is there darkness.
   Unceasing, continuous,
   It cannot be defined,
And reverts again to the realm of nothingness.

That is why it is called the Form of the Formless,
The Image of Nothingness.
That is why it is called the Elusive:
   Meet it and you do not see its face;
   Follow it and you do not see its back.

(Tao Te Ching, chapter 14, Lin Yu Tang, trans.)

I recently wrote a blog post about dealing with the world’s problems. I received comments on that post describing their understanding of the Tao.

While the discussions were interesting, I pointed out that truly knowing the Tao cannot be done intellectually. Why is that, and why do we need to analyze everything intellectually?

Our tendency to analyze everything rationally comes from the ancient Greeks, who created rational analysis 2,500 years ago. Western civilization was founded on that system, and we have used it ever since.

Despite reviews and criticism over the centuries, rational thought has remained a fixture of our modern world.

Religions of all types are not based on rational thought, although reason can be used to discuss aspects of them. Most religions are based on faith for their basic principles.

Taoism, Buddhism, and Zen are not religions. They do not rely on Faith. They lead to actual knowledge—knowledge of what exactly? knowledge of who we really are and the real operation of the universe around us.

So, how do we gain this knowledge? We in the West look to rational, logical analysis to understand these concepts.

Ever since the Buddha and Lao Tzu walked the earth and offered their thoughts, people have been talking and writing about them. Hundreds, if not thousands, of books have been written about what they said, and thousands more write blogs that try to explain these concepts.

We read books and commentaries, attend lectures on various topics about the Tao, Buddhism, and Zen, and attend classes at training centers. All of this feeds our desire to explain it all rationally. This is how we have learned since childhood and how Western civilization has learned for 2,500 years.

We have learned a lot over those 2,500 years, but we know there is a lot more we need to learn. Our rational system may not be the best tool to do this.

In the case of the Tao, Lao Tzu makes clear that the Tao cannot be fully known intellectually: “The Tao that can be told of Is not the Absolute Tao; The Names that can be given are not Absolute Names.”

The meaning is clear. To understand the Tao fully, you must go beyond names and descriptions. That means going beyond rational analysis.

The above quote also highlights that the Tao is beyond the senses and the mind.

But what is beyond rational analysis and our senses?

Direct experience.

First is meditation. Meditating on the Tao with a still mind opens you to it, allowing you to feel and experience it.

Second, learn to experience the Tao in a conscious state. Remember that the Tao is an energy that exists in everything (or actually, everything exists in it).

We can learn to use this energy directly by willing it to do things. When I was 7, I knew this. I cannot explain how I knew it, but I did. The best I can say is that I was born with this knowledge.

We use this energy all the time without realizing it. I am saying that you can understand the Tao and use it consciously instead of subconsciously.

As a kid, I would specifically “wish” for things and put them out into the Tao (at the time, I had no idea what it was or what it was called; all I knew was that it was there and I could use it).

I learned there were some limitations and conditions on this “power.” I had to ask for specific things, but the Tao delivered what I needed, which was not always what I wanted. I could not abuse it by asking for ridiculous things. And I could not use it too much.

For example, say I needed money (as a kid, I never needed a lot of money). I would think about needing this money. And, suddenly, after a short time, I would find a dollar on the ground. Or someone would send me money.

We have all had similar experiences. There is nothing magical in all this. The Tao is available to all of us. We use it all the time. As for not using it too much, that only applies to things we consciously ask for.

The Tao will deliver what we need when we need it. That includes teachers and lessons. Some of these may be hard or troubling, but they are a necessary part of your growth on the path.

Sometimes, you may also find things are going wrong. When this happens, stop and consider whether the Tao has been sending messages about your need to change. You can also meditate on this. If the Tao directs you toward this new change, you must accept it and do it.

Books and lectures are important because they guide you to the place you need to be so that you can meditate and find the Tao. They also explain what is going on and what will happen as you move forward along the path.

Once you directly experience the Tao, you will see things completely differently. You will understand that the secret is within you, not in books or lectures.

One never knows where the Tao may take you, but you will never be able to figure it out by just reading and talking about it.

Till next time,

Namaste,

Michael Tavella, author of

“Break Through To Your True Self”

Yourtrueself.blog