Good evening folks, or whatever time it is when you read these words! I hope that this post finds you well and in high spirits.

Before you start I would suggest ignoring the following paragraphs and just reading the quotes from the Tao Te Ching below, it will give a much better idea of the text than anything I can write!

I would like to share something that I think is very important with you today. A little bit of eastern philosophy. The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu.This book is one of the key texts to the Taoist belief system and has been traditionally attributed as the work of Lao Tzu who wrote it before he left civilisation forever around 2,600 years ago. I am not here to preach religion at you or anything of that nature, I just really think that there are an awful lot of enlightening idea’s and important lessons to be learned from this. I personally don’t believe that Taoism is a religion in the sense that you don’t need to believe in God type figures etc.

    So what is Taoism? I will be honest, I don’t know, I cannot even begin to try and explain it to you. The opening line of the Tao Te Ching is: “Tao called Tao is not Tao” which carries the meaning if anybody tells you what Tao is then that thing is not Tao, or even simpler... It can’t be explained! So based on that I hope that you understand the trouble I have in trying to share this amazing thing with you!

    The general gist of it is to go with nature and not fight the natural flow of things, but not in a “tree hugging” sort of way. Sorry, that sentence makes no sense but it is the best I can come up with. There is also a strong emphasis on not being caught up in images and perceptions, instead seeing the true nature of things and not trying to present ourselves as something we’re not, and as such not being caught up in the ego battles of modern day life. I have read all two major Taoist texts and further books and articles on the subject and I still fail to find words for it’s description! For fear of being hung up on an explanation allow me to just start quoting which will in turn help explain this whole thing to you!

“Empty of desire, perceive Mystery

Filled with desire, perceive manifestations”

~

“Windows and doors are cut to make a room,

The rooms use comes from emptiness”

~

“Don’t glorify hero’s

And people will not contend.

Don’t treasure rare objects,

And no one will steal.

Don’t display what people desire,

And their hearts will not be disturbed.”

~

“On tiptoe: No way to stand.

Clambering: No way to walk.

Self-display: No way to shine.

Self-assertion: No way to succeed.

Self-praise: No way to flourish.

Complacency: No way to endure.”

~

“Knowing others is intelligent.

Knowing yourself is enlightened.”

~

“The great scholar hearing the Tao

Tries to practice it.

The middling scholar hearing the Tao,

Sometimes has it, sometimes not.

The lesser scholar hearing the Tao

Has a good laugh.

Without that laughter

It wouldn’t be Tao.”

    Well maybe that has inspired you, maybe not. The version I have is linked below, it is easily readable in a few days, probably one sitting if you wanted, I can’t tell you how much I love this book, and for a few hours and a couple of pounds/dollars I really think that it is something that pays back that time and money in much more meaningful ways than can be put into words!

    So there you have it, my poor attempt at fetching something amazing and wonderful into all your lives!

Thanks for reading, I hope you will have a look at the Tao Te Ching.

As always look after yourself and have fun,

dan