Rory B. Mackay's Blog, page 10
July 1, 2013
Tao Te Ching 25: Undefined yet perfect
- 25 -
Before the universe was born
there was something undefined yet perfect.
It stands alone and empty.
Silent, boundless and unchanging.
It is infinite and all-pervading..
Is is the mother of the universe.
Because I do not know its name,
I style it the ‘Tao’
and call it ‘the Great’.
~
Being Great, it is everywhere.
Being everywhere, it is eternal.
Being eternal means all things return to it.
~
Hence, the Tao is great.
The universe is great.
Earth is great.
Man is great.
~
Man follows the ways of earth.
Earth f...
June 30, 2013
Tao Te Ching 24: Stop trying to outshine others
- 24 -
Those who stand on tiptoes
do not stand firmly.
Those who rush ahead
do not get far
Those who try to outshine others
dim their own light.
Those who are self-righteous
are not respected.
Those who boast of their accomplishments
diminish the things they have done.
~
When walking the path of the Tao,
these actions are unworthy
and must be left behind.
~
Commentary
This might be termed the ‘keep your ego in check’ verse.What Lao Tzu is suggesting requires the utmost vigilance, because the actions he speaks...
June 28, 2013
Life owes us nothing
A great many people operate under the unconscious assumption that life owes them something. Which is not only untrue, but actually creates a great deal of misery and resentment because the reality of the situation simply doesn’t match up to that.
Life doesn’t owe us a damn thing — it’s already given us everything we have and everything we are. It’s given us a body, mind, intellect, it’s provided for our every need; air, food, water, shelter and everything else we need to survive. All we really...
June 27, 2013
Intentional Resting
Wanna chill? Then try this. I’ve done countless different kinds of relaxation techniques over the years, but this short video was actually one of the best and simplest. After a few minutes my body was totally relaxed and my mind in a deep state of stillness like I get in meditation. Give it a try, I’d like to know what other people think of it. I’m constantly aware of the need for us to balance activity with rest, to keep our bodies and minds in synch. Our culture places great emphasis on act...
June 25, 2013
The Dark and Dreamy Rock of Sigur Rós
Sometimes even the alien can become familiar.
When it comes to the musical mainstream, Sigur Rós – a post-rock group from Iceland, known for their impenetrable lyrics and atmospheric, celestial sound – is pretty out there. But over the past few years, their music has been slowly worming its way into our ears, heard in the films of Wes Anderson and on television shows like…
My favourite band and a massive inspiration. Couldn't not reblog! T...
Tao Te Ching 23: Nature uses few words
- 23 -
Express yourself succinctly, then remain quiet.
Nature uses few words.
Fierce winds do not blow all morning,
a downpour of rain does not last the day.
These are exaggerated, forced effects,
and that is why they cannot be sustained.
If heaven and earth cannot sustain a forced action,
how much less is man able to do so?
~
If you open yourself to the Tao,
its power flows through you
and everything will fall into place.
If you open yourself to virtue,
virtue will become part of you.
Your actions will bec...
June 24, 2013
Tao Te Ching 22: Let yourself be broken
- 22 -
Let yourself be broken
and you will be whole.
Let yourself be crooked
and you will be straight.
Let yourself be empty
and you will be full.
Let yourself grow old
and you will be renewed.
Give up everything
and you will be given everything.
-
The Sage embraces the Tao and
sets an example for the world to follow.
Because she isn’t self-centred,
people can see the light in her.
Because she is not boastful,
she becomes a shining example.
Because she has nothing to prove,
people can trust her words.
Because sh...
June 23, 2013
Tao Te Ching 21: Knowing the way of things
- 21 -
The greatest virtue you can have
comes from following only the Tao.
The Tao is elusive and intangible.
Although formless and intangible,
it gives rise to form.
Although vague and elusive,
it gives rise to shapes.
Although dark and obscure,
it is the vitality and essence of all things.
Since the beginning of time, the Tao has
always existed.
It is beyond existing and not existing.
How do I know the way of things?
By looking inside myself.
Commentary
Understanding the Tao is a tricky business! If you tr...
June 17, 2013
Tao Te Ching 20: Drift like a wave on the ocean
- 20 -
Renounce ceaseless thinking and your problems will end.
What is the difference between yes and no?
What is the difference between success and failure?
Must you value what others value?
Must you fear what others fear?
What nonsense this is!
In spring, some go to the park and climb the terrace,
but I alone am drifting, not knowing where I am.
I alone don’t care;
I alone am expressionless,
like a newborn baby before it has learned to smile.
Other people have more than they need,
I alone appear to poss...
June 16, 2013
Animals get it. Why don’t people?
Humans generally consider themselves superior to animals. We dominate them, enslave them, kill them and eat them. We think we have the right to do this because we’re supposedly ‘smarter’ than they are. And that’s about the only difference between us — we have an intellect and they don’t. Whether this makes us superior and gives us any justification to treat them as we do is another matter altogether. If a race of aliens that were smarter than us (which wouldn’t be that hard, surely) came to t...
