Tao Thursdays

Picture From tao-meaning.blogspot.com

Tao Te Ching #71

My words are easy to understand
And my actions are easy to perform
Yet no other can understand or perform them.

My words have meaning; my actions have reason;
Yet these cannot be known and I cannot be known.
We are each unique, and therefore valuable;
Though the sage wears coarse clothes, his heart is jade.

 

 
I haven't written about the Tao in awhile, and I figured I would do it bi-weekly now, as to not bog you all down with serious stuff too often. :)
 
Also, in two weeks I am starting a Tai Chi class, and would like to buff up on my spirituality! :P
 
So anyway, back to this Tao Te Ching verse, verse #71.  I take away from this verse the value of being unique.  All of us have our own voice, and especially when it comes to writing.  Most of what I hear is "find your voice", "use your voice", etc.  I'm still finding my voice, and still learning to use my voice.  That is why I still read things like the Tao Te Ching, as it helps me find my path, then I'm on the right path and I can find the right voice.  :)  Sorry for rambling.
 
So I pose a few questions:
How are you unique?
Have you found your voice?
How do you apply your unique voice to your projects, be it writing, reviewing, etc?
 
Thank you for reading, all you unique blog-goers!

Welcome to July with a little Tao on the side!

Welcome to July!!  The second half of the year has begun!  I am dumbfounded at the thought that six months have gone already!  Time to take inventory:

Questions for the past six months:

What were my highlights?
Starting painting and writing on the regular, talking to new friends

What things am I glad I did?
Tried hard to get into the Art Institute, even though I didn't make it, went to the Renaissance Fair even though at first I thought it was weird

What worked for you?
Believing in myself and trusting my friends to support me

What small moments brought you delight?  
Taking naps with my boyfriend and puppy, eating dinner at the table instead of the couch, funny texts from my siblings

Who did you connect with?
New people!  New friends!  Online and in real life! :)~

Questions for the rest of the year:

How can I be a litle kinder to myself?
By looking at myself in a positive light, instead of living in a shadow.
Can I give myself permission to have more fun and less pressure?
This is a toughy, but I'm going to try.
In what small way can I pay attention to small delights?
By just keeping my eyes and my heart open to joy.


Now for a little Thursday Tao:  (#36 from Tao Te Ching as translated by John C. H. Wu)

What is in the end to be shrunken,

Begins by being first stretched out.

What is in the end to be weakened,

Begins by being first made strong.

What is in the end to be thrown down,

Begins by being first set on high.

What is in the end to be despoiled,

Begins by being first richly endowed.

Herein is the subtle wisdom of life;

The soft and weak overcomes the hard and strong.

Just as the fish must not leave the deeps,

So the ruler must not display his weapons.

        

This week I'll let you come up with your own ideas about what this 'proverb' means to you.

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  Also, it is National Ice Cream Month!

          Who doesn't love them some ice cream?  I'm sure there are a few, allergies and such, but come on and celebrate!!  This gives me an idea.....more to come.

Anyhoos, thanks for reading, hope my questions help you with dealing with your half of the year that is gone, and preparing for the next half to be wonderful!!

Toast of the Day:

Here' s to laughing so hard you cry!!

Tao Thursdays

It has been quite awhile since I did Taoism Thursday, and in fact I only did it once.  But today I'm feeling quite introspective, so here is some wisdom from the Tao. (Tao Te Ching as Translated by John C. H. Wu)

#22
Bend and you will be whole.
Curl and you will be straight.
Keep empty and you will be filled.
Grow old and you will be renewed.

Have little and you will gain.
Have much and you will be confused.
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That is only part of that one, but to me it is the most important part.  This "proverb" means so many things to me: be humble, be open, be unexpecting.  On top of that, just be and all will be well.  Whether you are 'bent' or 'curled', 'empty', 'old', or 'with little' all will come to be.  I love this 'proverb' and it helps me in my everyday life.  "How would I apply this to writing?" you may ask.  Well I think that if you don't force the writing, your true talent comes to fruition in the form of a masterpiece!  Now of course not always are our writing ventures successful, but definitely when things are allowed to flow naturally true magic happens.  I hope this wisdom can help you all in your adventures through life!

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Toast of the Day:
Here's to surpassing expectations!

Journal Juju:
If your life was a box of Crackerjacks, what would the prize inside be?

Tao Thursday

I am going to implement Tao Thursdays.  For those of you unaware of what the Tao is, here is a short explanation per Wikipedia:

Taoism (or Daoism) refers to a variety of related philosophical and religious traditions that have influenced Eastern Asia for more than two millennia, and have had a notable influence on the western world since the 19th century. The word 道, Tao (or Dao, depending on the romanization scheme), literally translated as "path" or "way", although in Chinese folk religion and philosophy it carries more abstract meanings. Taoist propriety and ethics emphasize the Three Jewels of the Tao: compassion, moderation, and humility, while Taoist thought generally focuses on nature, the relationship between humanity and the cosmos (天人相应), health and longevity, and wu wei (action through inaction), which is thought to produce harmony with the universe.
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I am very interested in Taoism, and try to use its philosophies in every day life.  Today I will begin with my favorite passages from the Tao Teh Ching (a piece of scripture of Taoism).  It is #11 and this is how it goes in a translation from John C. H. Wu's book Tao Teh Ching:

Thirty spokes converge upon a single hub;

It is on the hole in the center that the use of the cart hinges.

We make a vessel from a lump of clay;

It is the empty space within the vesself that makes it useful.

We make doors and windows for a room;
But it is these empty spaces that make the room livable.

Thus, while the tangible has advantages,
It is the intangible that makes it useful.

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So how do I relate this to writing, you may ask?  Well this, lets call it a proverb, reminds me that it is not just the words that make up a manuscript - it is the feeling behind the words, the emotion, the connection an author has with the words - that is important.  We can get too worried about word counts and forget about what we're actually writing.  I know that happens to me.  I feel the pressure of everyone else's accomplishments and start getting fearful and insecure about my work.  This proverb helps me stay focused on what's important.  Hope it can help you!  Any thoughts?  Leave a comment!

Toast of the Day:
Here's to reading something you really liked an realizing you wrote it!!!