From the 1944 Witter Bynner translation, from Perigree Books, of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, Chapter 10.
Can you hold the door of your tent wide to the firmament? Can you, with the simple stature of a child, breathing nature, become notwithstanding, a man? Can you continue befriending with no prejudice or ban? Can you, mating with Heaven, serve as the female part? Can your learned head take leaven from the wisdom of your heart? If you can bear issue and nourish its growing, If you can guide without claim or strife, If you can stay in the lead of men without their knowing, You are at the core of life.
Thoughts?
-- Edited by Aquaman on Sunday 7th of February 2010 12:30:27 AM
That rocks. In my spiritual journey, I have grown more interested in Taoist philosophy. It all seems to fit into AA largely as a result of Carl Jung being consulted when the BB was written (even though he wasn't trying to be Taoist). The archetypes that are hinted to in the BB such as personality defects becoming assets because they are on the same continuum seems Taoist to me...like a yin yang thing. Recently, I verbalized that, to me, God keeps the world in balance and therefore there is an inherent quality in me that is to be balanced if I channel this God as best I can. Your passage would be a good one for me to meditate on. Can I do all the things asked in the reading, not without fail, as I am not a saint. It's idealistic, but something excellent to strive for.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Mark, BIG YES!! So much of the Tao is about channelling divinity through the self and joining the self with the rest of humanity through humility. I like the Bynner translation because it's simple to understand.
Dean... The craziest fortune I ever saw read "Help. I'm a slave in a fortune cookie factory. Free me."
