Tao: “… a still mind can easily hold the truth. The difficulties yet to come can easily be avoided …” ~ Lao Tzu
Indeed … The Tao is expressing the essential gift of stillness … for navigating life …
As we’ve said in prior posts that the Tao holds many keys to the Mystery … offered in the form of simple and succinct 81 verses … and the above “opening stanza” from Verse 64 of Tao Te Ching does so in 2-lines! …
Stillness, of course, … leads to (encourages, fosters) accepting and following life’s natural unfolding … which, in turn, potentially unlocks many doors to the Mystery …
We’ve been exploring The Tao through Jonathan Star’s translation of Tao Te Ching …
To recap from our first post with this exploration : In the Introduction of Jonathan’s book, August Gold says it’s a “… text that feeds the mind, body, and soul, and … one which can help us transform our lives today …” …”
In our 2nd post, Gold unequivocally adds that “… This is the translation for anyone truly wanting to understand the Tao Te Ching …” … and that claim bears fruit as one delves deeper into the translations … take a dive and see what’s revealed – for you 🙂
For Gold, Jonathan’s translation “… brilliantly balances the two worlds—the academic and the experiential—in a way that I believe no other translator of the Tao Te Ching has done before him …”
And Gold’s no novice to The Tao .. he has been teaching it for several decades … and is familiar with – and admires – many other scholarly translations but “… none of them have done what Jonathan Star has done, which is to marry the scholarly concerns of accuracy with the poetry of someone who has lived the words …”
So, today we offer some more glimpses 🙂 … beginning with Verse 29 …
The Tao Te Ching – Verse 29
Allow your life to unfold naturally
Know that it too is a vessel of perfection
Just as you breathe in and breathe out
Sometimes you’re ahead and other times behind
Sometimes you’re strong and other times weak
Sometimes you’re with people and other times alone
To the Sage
all of life is a movement toward perfection
So what need has he
for the excessive, the extravagant, or the extreme?
Allowing life’s organic unfolding … ultimately, brings the gift of gifts : “the mother of the universe” … as stated, simply yet profoundly, in this excerpt from Verse 25 …
Something formless, complete in itself
There before Heaven and Earth
Tranquil, vast, standing alone, unchanging
It provides for all things yet cannot be exhausted
It is the mother of the universe
I do not know its name so I call it “Tao” . . .
~~ Lao Tzu
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And, here’s a gentle reminder of what is revealed to be important if one is “stilling the mind” … the act of giving and helping others in need … to that end, we highlight two “hubs” of giving from which you can select your desired recipient(s) …
1) Direct Relief, which is “… a humanitarian aid organization, active in all 50 states and more than 80 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies – without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay …” … and since 1948, it “… has worked to help people who confront enormous hardship to recover from disasters and improve the quality of their lives. The tradition of direct and targeted assistance, provided in a manner that respects and involves the people served, has been a hallmark of the organization since its founding …”
2) Go Fund Me continues to be a platform (amongst many others) for exercising – and deepening – our kindness and compassion. To this end, we have selected a few “pertinent to this time” campaigns that bring relief … for animals during natural disaster (like the llming IDA Hurricane) … for a family that lost the father – a marine in Afghanistan – while expecting a new baby … for small businesses … for restaurant workers – the world over …
Also, … here’s a GoFundMe blog post Fundraising for Coronavirus Relief: How You Can Help the Fight that offers a very comprehensive map for the COVID relief efforts including how you can help, what to give to, and lots more … We are supporting some of these campaigns personally and also as Stillness Speaks (through donations).
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We are all facing financial challenges but IF your situation allows you to donate and help then please do so …
Of course, there are many more worthy and noble efforts – the ones highlighted here are simply suggestions that may inspire you to donate to whatever effort you are drawn to …
THANK YOU!
May you continue to deepen these simple yet profound gifts within The Tao … and incorporate them in your every day life … and …
May you remain safe and healthy as you navigate these unsettling times.
All italicized text (including in the blockquotes) is from: Tao Te Ching: Lao Tzu, Translated by Jonathan Star.
Images: (edited and logo added): Featured and 1) Mt. Fuji with big trees and lake at sunrise in Fujinomiya by nuttawutnuy, 2) Tao Te Ching cover image from its Amazon page, 3) Waterfall in rainforest by Deerphoto, 4) Aura mountain sea night Universe space background, 3d render by zozu. All purchased from depositphotos, for use only on our. All purchased from depositphotos, for use only on our website/social channels (these images are not permitted to be shared separate from this post).
