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Chapter of the Week: #38 [Archive]
Luke,
Discourse on the concept of simplicity is intrinsically complicated. That said(!), let me offer this idea: "Your attitude is an aperature for your talent to work through". -Bill Howey
Translated to fit our terms, that essentially means one can do what one sets one's mind to. In other words, simplicity is as "difficult" or "improbable" as one makes it.
I'll leave you with the abridged version of Occam's Razor: Given a list of all possible solutions to a problem, the simplest explanation is probably correct.
To the Abbot Unit:
I hope your week, collectively, was educational and more importantly, tons of fun for all.
All Good Medicine,
Jeff Thompson
Discourse on the concept of simplicity is intrinsically complicated. That said(!), let me offer this idea: "Your attitude is an aperature for your talent to work through". -Bill Howey
Translated to fit our terms, that essentially means one can do what one sets one's mind to. In other words, simplicity is as "difficult" or "improbable" as one makes it.
I'll leave you with the abridged version of Occam's Razor: Given a list of all possible solutions to a problem, the simplest explanation is probably correct.
To the Abbot Unit:
I hope your week, collectively, was educational and more importantly, tons of fun for all.
All Good Medicine,
Jeff Thompson
Comments
Note: The Tao Te Ching can be obscure, especially if you think you're supposed to understand what it's saying! We find it easier and more instructive to simply contemplate how the chapter resonates with your personal experience. Becoming more aware at this fundamental level simplifies life. This approach conforms to the view that true knowing lies within ourselves. Thus, when a passage in the scripture resonates, you've found your inner truth. The same applies for when it evokes a question; questions are the grist for self realization.
Chapter 38
A man of the highest virtue does not keep to virtue and that is why he has virtue. A man of the lowest virtue never strays from virtue and that is why he is without virtue. The former never acts yet leaves nothing undone. The latter acts but there are things left undone. A man of the highest benevolence acts, but from no ulterior motive. A man of the highest rectitude acts, but from ulterior motive. A man most conversant in the rites acts, but when no one responds rolls up his sleeves and resorts to persuation by force.
Hence when the way was lost there was virtue; when virtue was lost there was benevolence; when benevolence was lost there was rectitude; when rectitude was lost there were the rites.
The rites are the wearing thin of loyalty and good faith
And the beginning of disorder;
Foreknowledge is the flowery embellishment of the way
And the beginning of folly.
Hence the man of large mind abides in the thick not in the thin, in the fruit not in the flower.
Therefore he discards the one and takes the other.
Moreover, I've noticed that when I am truly inwardly secure, I can afford to be [chref=15]vacant like a valley (and) murky like muddy water[/chref]. When I'm able to see everything as a symptom (effect) of something deeper I become [chref=15]minutely subtle, mysteriously comprehending[/chref]. I emphasis the mysterious aspect. Seeing everything as symptomatic removes all certainty from life. I have no choice but to 'go with the flow'... the way is all that's left.
Ah, the fruit! The fruit is this very moment... now, I'm typing thoughts. The flower is my anticipation of future moments. My expectation of satisfying current desires at some future time is the flower which takes me away from the fruit of this moment. It's tragic or ironic or both, how easily tomorrow robs me of today. Especially when this moment IS the fruit of yesterdays flower! Of course, in nature, in the wild state, this would not become as imbalanced as it tends to be in civilized life. And modern culture only heightens the hype of the flower and an illusionary future. I mean, the Amish don't have this problem, do they?
Thus, discard the one and take the other is vital. I realize how incessant and pervasive abiding in the flower, not in the fruit truly is. If I don't get a grip now, every now, every moment, I loose the treasure of now to the illusionary promise of tomorrow. What a waste! To discard the one and take the other requires the greatest presence of mind I've ever had to invoke. It is akin to the effort required to remember or reflect on something. It is so much easier to just bounce through life stepping ahead of myself seeking the next pleasure which pops into view.
I composed a little saying 30 years ago for this situation: Short term pleasure bears long term pain. Short term pain bears long term pleasure. Instinctively, I tend to jump at short term pleasure. That's the child in me. Gobble it down first, then ugh...
This also speaks to me of hammering things to a point, from another chapter. If being ?virtuous? is followed for its own sake, with certain rules, then I end up missing the point. But often times it?s easier to look to specific actions as being ?right?, than feel comfortable with the uncertainty of life and that I can?t be virtuous by trying to keep to virtue.
When Carl speaks of everything as symptomatic, I see that in my life as everything involves my desires. Letting go of desire (through the Way) is the only thing left. And then the fruit vs. the flower. How many times do I tell myself I need to be more present. Such as giving my daughter true quality time by being 100% present, but when she?s telling me something my mind starts to wander into future, flowery stuff. I often feel like I?m 5 steps ahead of the presence, trying to figure out the things I need to do to find peace & contentment. Which of course never gets there when I?m always planning (& worrying) into the future. But I always come back to if I?m really present in the situation of the moment, then fear actually drops away. (I certainly don?t live a life where the details of my life are dangerous, to be fearful of.)