On the Absolute Tao

The Tao the can be told of
Is not the Absolute Tao;
The Names that can be given
Are not Absolute Names.

The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth;
The Named is the Mother of All Things.

Therefore:
Oftentimes, one strips oneself of passion
In order to see the Secret of Life;
Oftentimes, one regards life with passion,
In order to see its manifest forms.

These two (the Secret and its manifestations)
Are (in their nature) the same;
They are given different names
When they become manifest.

They may both be called the Cosmic Mystery:
Reaching from the Mystery into the Deeper Mystery
Is the Gate to the Secret of All Life. (Tao Te Ching, Chapter 1, Lin Yu Tang trans.)

As I write this, many people worldwide will celebrate Christmas one week from now. But how does Christmas fit into the Tao?

For people not on a path to knowledge, Christmas or any other holiday is just an event to enjoy or avoid, depending on a person’s situation. All holidays are lived in the mind/ego/body world. Participating in any holiday is controlled by what your mind/ego believes.

People on the path to knowledge are aware that their minds/egos are not who they really are. They may have only an intellectual understanding of this, but it is a start. Those more advanced on the path may know their true self and are either building it up or have completely awakened it.

For many on the path to knowledge, the material world is considered an “illusion” because it does not represent the true nature of the Tao.

As I have said before, the problem with that is that it is not really true. From the quote above, we know that Lao Tzu taught that the Tao has two aspects, which are, in their nature, the same.

The only difference between them is how we perceive them. That is important because knowing that the manifestation, the universe, is an aspect of the Tao gives it a whole new meaning.

The big problem in dealing with the manifestation is that we have lived in it all our lives. As a result, our minds and egos develop early and believe they are who we are. They have forgotten the true self, which works behind the scenes in the subconscious.

However, the manifestation is real; our true selves live in it when they incarnate on the physical plane.

Our true selves have a purpose for coming here, which includes gaining energy by experiencing life in many ways and advancing to higher levels of consciousness.

Our true selves have done a lot. Just look at the world today compared to 50 years ago. There have been many changes in how we live—some good, some bad. For example, war is horrible, and many people suffer, but that is a part of the Tao.

For those who are not involved in wars, life goes on. Life can be a drag for most people who are not on the path to knowledge. It could be, as Henry David Thoreau wrote, a quiet life of desperation.

Life becomes a discovery for those who are more advanced on the path and have awakened their true selves. As you move through the manifestation, you gain an understanding of how the Tao works for all the consciousnesses that exist here.

Now, how does all this relate to Christmas? For the last 1800 years or so, Christmas has celebrated the birth of Christ. December 25^th is the date set aside for that event.

However, people have celebrated the 25^th of December for tens of thousands of years.

That’s because Paleolithic people watched the sun with fear in December because it was going away. By the 21^st, the solstice, it was at its lowest. By the 25th, those people could see that the sun was returning and that spring and summer would come again. That was a time to celebrate.

Within a short time, those people would have realized that the sun does return every year. Their fears would have gone, but their desire to party would remain.

Such celebrations occurred in many different ways up to the Roman period. The pagan Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a week-long party to celebrate the return of spring and to farming. People would decorate their houses with pine boughs, visit friends and neighbors, exchange gifts, and have a good time.

In 336 AD, the emperor Constantine designated December 25^th as Christmas, the day of the birth of Christ.

He did that to turn the festival of Saturnalia into a Christian holiday. He thought that as long as the Romans could party, they didn’t care who or what they were celebrating.

The world has been celebrating the birth of Christ ever since.

From the perspective of the Tao, it doesn’t matter. It is all a part of the Tao. Gaining this awareness is the key to understanding the Tao in all its aspects.

One need not celebrate the birth of Christ to enjoy a little Christmas cheer. Since the middle of the 19^th century, Christmas has become commercial with Santa and that whole story.

Again, one need not revel in the commercial aspects of Christmas to enjoy the season.

After all, Christmas should be about loving kindness, warm hearts, and tolerance towards everyone.

Be at peace during Christmas. Appreciate those near you and those far away. It needn’t be all about gifts and spending money. But there is no reason why you can’t buy gifts.

One thing to remember for those on the path is that Christmas or any holiday is not a time to indulge in mind/ego/body play. It is very easy to get caught up in the festivities and let our minds take over. Buying expensive gifts you can’t afford, taking expensive trips, or binge eating for the last two weeks of the year are mind/ego/body behaviors that will only harm you.

Holidays are a good time to let your true self be the guide. Enjoy the holidays without getting carried away.

Have a happy and healthy holiday season, and

Namaste,

Michael Tavella, author of

“Break Through To Your True Self”

Yourtrueself.blog