The clouds
above us join and separate, the
breeze in the courtyard leaves and returns.
Life is like that, so why not relax?
Who can stop us from
celebrating?
the poise of a dying man
Beyond
meditation practice,
there is attitude. A beginner
must learn to cultivate what is called,
“the poise of a dying man”. What is this poise?
It is the poise of knowing what is important and what
is not, and of being accepting and forgiving. Anyone who has
ever been at the bedside of a dying man will understand
this poise. What would the dying man do if someone
were to insult him? Nothing. What would
the dying man do if someone
were to strike him?
Nothing.
As
he lay there,
would he scheme to
become famous or wealthy?
No. If someone who had once offended
him were to ask him for his forgiveness would he
not give it? Of course he would. A dying man knows
the pointlessness of enmity. Hatred is always
such a wretched feeling. Who wishes to
die feeling hatred in his heart?
No one. The dying
seek love and
peace.
tao te ching ☯️ chapter 80
Let there be small
countries with few people.
Let the people have no use for
complicated machinery. Let them be
mindful of death so that they
don’t move too far from
their birthplaces.
If there be boats and carriages,
let there be nowhere to take them to.
If there are weapons, let there
be no occasion to display them.
Let the people’s
responsibilities be few enough
that they may remember them
by knotting a string.
Let them
enjoy their food,
be content with their clothes,
be satisfied with their homes,
and take pleasure in
their customs.
Though
the next country
may be close enough
to hear the barking of its dogs
and the crowing of its roosters,
let the people grow old and
die without feeling
compelled to
visit it.
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all a sane man can ever care about is giving love
I know the way you can get
When you have not had a drink of Love:
Your face hardens,
Your sweet muscles cramp.
Children become concerned
About a strange look that appears in your eyes
Which even begins to worry your own mirror
And nose.
Squirrels and birds sense your sadness
And call an important conference in a tall tree.
They decide which secret code to chant
To help your mind and soul.
Even angels fear that brand of madness
That arrays itself against the world
And throws sharp stones and spears into
The innocent
And into one’s self.
O I know the way you can get
If you have not been drinking Love:
You might rip apart
Every sentence your friends and teachers say,
Looking for hidden clauses.
You might weigh every word on a scale
Like a dead fish.
You might pull out a ruler to measure
From every angle in your darkness
The beautiful dimensions of a heart you once
Trusted.
I know the way you can get
If you have not had a drink from Love’s
Hands.
That is why all the Great Ones speak of
The vital need
To keep remembering God,
So you will come to know and see Him
As being so Playful
And Wanting,
Just Wanting to help.
That is why Hafiz says:
Bring your cup near me.
For all I care about
Is quenching your thirst for freedom!
All a Sane man can ever care about
Is giving Love!
the best effort one can make
The best effort
one can make is the
gentlest effort: wei wu wei.
Quietly, persistently direct the
mind toward emptiness. When
all thoughts and ideas have
dissipated, then make no
further effort. Just
breathe.
This is the only
practice required of a
human, the best one, the one
that perfectly purifies
our lives.
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Wei wu Wei Ching as part of a
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