When I was in college, I found the writings of the ancient Chinese philosopher in the library and started reading some of them. At the time, I didn't know the difference between Confucius and the man often referred to in our alphabet as "Lao Tzu". [Listening to the excellent Grant Hardy in his Great Course, I learned that a better spelling would probably be "Lao Sy". Sounds like our word "lousy" sounds but of course he has nothing to do with that word. Hardy said that little is known about him and that the "name" simply means Great Teacher]. One scholar of Chinese said that while Confucius embraced the idea of duty and responsibility, Lao Zi thought that Confucius was "a busybody".
What gripped me in my first readings was the idea that life is best lived by the people who roll up their sleeves without baring their arms, an impossibility, normally. The point is to live smoothly and with grace. The point is very difficult to envision in any clear sense and that is part of the point. I was reminded of this man while taking a break from "Love 2.0" to look at another book.
I have heard of "Centering in Poetry, Pottery and the Person" by Mary. C. Richards many times. Since the savvy author of Love 2.0 mentions centering and related ideas, I thought of the book, checked, and was happy to find the 1962 book available in Kindle format for a good price. When I read the opening quote from Goethe, I was instantly reminded of Lao Tzu. Both of these geniuses could really use their brain and both realized that thinking is valuable but that it has limits. At the bottom of our lives is presence, just being there.
Way-making (dao) that can be put into words is not really way-making, And naming (ming) that can assign fixed reference to things is not really naming.*
My favorite translation of these opening words is "The way that can be told is not the way."
"Dann man gerade nur denkt, wenn, das worüber man denkt, man gar nicht ausdenken kann." (Then only are we really thinking when the subject on which we are thinking cannot be thought out.) —Goethe (1749-1832)**
So, one or more times a day, pause in silence and just be there a minute or two. Take a deep breath and appreciate it. Look around and see. Use words later.
What gripped me in my first readings was the idea that life is best lived by the people who roll up their sleeves without baring their arms, an impossibility, normally. The point is to live smoothly and with grace. The point is very difficult to envision in any clear sense and that is part of the point. I was reminded of this man while taking a break from "Love 2.0" to look at another book.
I have heard of "Centering in Poetry, Pottery and the Person" by Mary. C. Richards many times. Since the savvy author of Love 2.0 mentions centering and related ideas, I thought of the book, checked, and was happy to find the 1962 book available in Kindle format for a good price. When I read the opening quote from Goethe, I was instantly reminded of Lao Tzu. Both of these geniuses could really use their brain and both realized that thinking is valuable but that it has limits. At the bottom of our lives is presence, just being there.
Way-making (dao) that can be put into words is not really way-making, And naming (ming) that can assign fixed reference to things is not really naming.*
*Ames, Roger; Hall, David (2010-05-12). Dao De Jing: A Philosophical Translation (Kindle Locations 1477-1480). Random House, Inc.. Kindle Edition.
My favorite translation of these opening words is "The way that can be told is not the way."
"Dann man gerade nur denkt, wenn, das worüber man denkt, man gar nicht ausdenken kann." (Then only are we really thinking when the subject on which we are thinking cannot be thought out.) —Goethe (1749-1832)**
**Richards, Mary Caroline (2011-05-18). Centering in Pottery, Poetry, and the Person (Kindle Locations 36-39). Wesleyan University Press. Kindle Edition.
So, one or more times a day, pause in silence and just be there a minute or two. Take a deep breath and appreciate it. Look around and see. Use words later.
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
