Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao

by Wayne W. Dyer

That is, you don’t have to go anywhere to know the world because you already are the world.

But move beyond form (transform to spirit) and you’ll receive inspiration. Thus, information is not always knowledge, and knowledge is not always wisdom. Wisdom connects you to your heart in your waking moments;

it is the Tao at work.

all you have to do is just be in the same way that you allow your heart to be. This

Your deepest feelings are reflections of your “heart space” talking to you.

You don’t have to do anything to activate this internal profundity; simply let your heart speak to you.

Begin noticing and appreciating its continual silent thumping—and whatever provides the energy for the beat to go on, let its presence in your chest ...

Trust in your “sense of knowing,” which is always with you.

Rather, you must allow yourself to be guided by the same Source that twirls the planets around the sun, and trust that it will direct you perfectly without your having

You can get in touch with this knowing through the practice of meditation.

the Tao is about wisdom, which involves letting go of information and knowledge and living in harmony with your Source.

In order to enliven your experience of the Tao and live by its principles, you’re being asked to practice decreasing your reliance upon things.

that true mastery can only be gained by freeing yourself of attachments to things and, in fact, downsizing what you already have.

As Lao-tzu might say, you came here with no-thing and you leave with no-thing, so take great pleasure in all that has arrived in your life.

Enjoy the flowers, clouds, sunsets, storms, stars, mountains, and all the people you encounter.

Those who are bad he also treats with goodness because the nature of his being is good.

It’s encouraging us to replace our idea of criticizing them with an acknowledgment of us without criticism.

Then simply start substituting noticing for judging;

you’ll realize pretty quickly that you prefer to observe what you’re doing or feeling rather than critiquing yourself.

The innumerable categories that helped you organize your labels become totally superfluous and unimportant when you change the way you look at their so-called value.

living beyond judgment becomes your preference.

You exist in harmony with the Tao that excludes no one and has no conception of divisions and loyalties. The oneness of the Tao entices you away from any belief that others are separate.

You see, when you stop judging and instead begin to see yourself in others, you can’t help but love the uniqueness of everyone as though they were your own children.

God bless humanity—let me do all that I can to treat everyone, without exception, with goodness and kindness, as all of those whom we revere as spiritual masters taught us by their example.

Because, as Lao-tzu reminds you in this poignant verse, “the nature of [your] being is kindness.” It’s impossible to give to others what you are not, and you are not judgmental. You see yourself in everyone, without the need to criticize them or yourself.

Change the way you look at yourself.

Instead, see yourself as flexible, since being open is the higher virtue.

Begin to see yourself as a person who notices instead of judges.

Change the way you look at other people.

Then affirm: I see myself in this person, and I choose to be in a space of goodness rather than judgment. There’s a Sanskrit word, Namaste, that can help you with this. When used as a greeting, it roughly translates to: “I honor the place in you where we are all one.” So silently or verbally begin telling others “Namaste” in order to remind yourself to love everyone as your own children.

Realize your essence and you will witness the end without ending.

Contemplate the teachings of the Tao Te Ching and realize that you can never really be killed or even harmed. With

Leonardo da Vinci expressed the message of this verse of the Tao Te Ching: “While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die.” Do this now, while you’re still alive.

but they always do so spontaneously.

the Tao gives without expecting; the Tao fosters growth without ruling. This is called hidden virtue.

And a natural starting point would be the way you explain the mystery of how life begins.

Imagine that the tiny seedling that was you didn’t come from another particle, but rather from an invisible Source.

Source that sprung you into existence, herein called “the Way,” has no preconceived doctrine dictating what you should do, whom you should listen to, where you should live, or how you should worship. The Source, your great Mother, has no investment in the choices you make during your individual journey—it knows that the seedling that was you is perfect and free to complete itself in whatever way it chooses. This Mother, which is the Tao, has no expectations for you . . . no demands, no battles or wars for you to fight, no history to live up to.

physical shell will never die; it’s more a characteristic that allows you to move through the material world in your body, perfectly aligned with the creative originating force.

“Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature . . .”

So give without expecting, and don’t be victimized by the expectations of others.

will arise when you know that you’re in constant contact with a virtuous power that lies within every cell of your being.

This hidden force is responsible for your very presence.

Don’t attempt to control anyone; instead, foster growth without dominating or ruling.

Using the shining radiance, you return again to the light and save yourself misfortune. This is called the practice of eternal light.

This verse tells you that it’s valuable and important to realize that your life is more than just a linear experience happening in time and space. That

“All under heaven have a common beginning.

you can do by simply acknowledging her presence and silently communicating with her.

Practice abandoning rigidity, and instead cultivate elasticity to improve your strength.

Change your linear thoughts about your presence here on Earth, and begin to see your life change right before your eyes!