published away

Just got my most exotic cover ever - the front page of a Myanmar Journal, the 7DayNews (the big, misty photo is mine). How cool is that? They found it on this very site and gave me a nice big credit as well. I’m as chuffed as a chuffed thing.

No, I have no idea what any of it says. It’s certainly a story about lovely Bagan, possibly about an environmental protection scheme or something.

Trusting Nature
Sort of related, but not exactly is a little snippet of Tao I was sent in an email. The Myanmar people are not Taoists, of course, but there is much about Tao that weaves its way through their society and the mention below about community and warmth certainly reflects that.

The rough waters of life affect us all. We face challenges that sometimes appear like tidal waves to our small and powerless selves. We try to swim upstream with all our individual strength, but at times the journey seems impossible. The spiritual path of Taoism teaches that the best way to deal with life is to relax into the Tao, literally, “the way”, a power that flows like a river through all of life. Only by deeply trusting in the natural rhythms of our universe, by standing still and letting the stream rush around us, can we cultivate the world in a powerfully compassionate way. Spiritual seekers, especially from the Western tradition, often ask for a definition of the Tao; however, the Tao is defined by the very fact that it cannot be defined. It must be felt as it is beyond reason and intellect. Think of how nature functions through instinct and spontaneity, of the strength of silence, of the unique power of inaction and you will begin to comprehend the Tao. 

Taoism is thought to have been born about 2500 years ago, during a period of feudal conflict in China. Lao-Tsu, a scholar who dedicated his life to balancing his spirit, authored the seminal text, called Tao Te Ching, in which he describes a peaceful option for living, beyond war and ego. According to his work, when we have the courage to leave behind the world of dogma and intellectualism, we begin to cultivate faith and we have a natural tendency to simplify our lives and give unconditionally to others. For this reason, Taoism puts emphasis on meditation and Taoist sages were often artisans and woodcarvers. In order to be centered, skillful and creative, one must put aside the world of external reward and follow the creative path of nature.
Not all of Taoism is meditation and silent contemplation. Building and nurturing a community is an important aspect of the belief, because only in the context of a warm circle of caring can you maintain your faith in the Tao. For Taoism, peace and a loving community are not difficult end goals for which we have to struggle. They are actually our natural state. We need only stop over-thinking and believe in the inherent mystery of the world in order to create harmony.
Remember that the Tao exists everywhere but you can’t find it by looking for it. As long as you are searching for security through dogmatic beliefs and material goods, the Tao will elude you. But the very moment you accept that there is no security through attachment, you will gain the courage to go the natural way. That is when greed just goes away and true compassion begins.

Page 1 of 1 pages