I was struck recently by a comment the Pope made on suffering (see: Pope Benedict stumped by Japanese girl’s question about suffering). Briefly, a young girl asked him, “Why do children have to be so sad?” Benedict admitted: “I also have the same questions: why is it this way? Why do you have to suffer so much while others live in ease?”
This exemplifies the shaky foundation of the Christian world view. How does a believer reconcile the deep disconnect between a God that favors us (Adam and Eve, Noah, Jesus dying for our sins, etc.) and the ruthless reality of nature. Not surprisingly, Christians can’t bridge this gap, and must always fall back on ‘faith’. I imagine some of the evangelic fever seen in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic path is symptomatic of this underlying reality (i.e., Subconsciously, they doth protest too much, methinks).
The recently series of disasters in Japan triggered serious fear in some folks in America. This is curious considering how far removed we are from the actual experience. This, I reckon, is key to what sets us apart from other animals. Thinking enables us to make matters worse than they would otherwise be (of course the opposite is also true). The fluctuating stock market is a perfect example of both cases. On the other hand nightly newscasts focus on the negative; bad news sells. Continue reading ‘Fear Rules’
They say, nothing is certain but death and taxes. I’d add to that spending! The current haggling over spending, taxes, and the debt problems this country faces is an interesting example of the ‘blind spot’. In the arguments I hear, each side fails to step back enough to see the problem broadly. I know that’s how nature intends it; competitive interaction fleshes out fitness and all that. Still, it helps to pull-head-out-of-sand to see where we may be headed.
I notice two side of enlightenment. One is a sudden flash of knowing, the Zen Satori, as the Japanese call it. I imagine everyone experiences this to one degree or another, at various time throughout life. I’d say it is almost guaranteed; one’s awareness has to fall from their fortress of belief every once in a while.
The other side of enlightenment, as I see it, is sustained knowing. Here impartiality is essential. It might even be the key to sustain knowing in the first place. In any case, without sufficient impartiality, see the “whole” would drive one insane I expect. Impartiality opens the window of awareness wider; the wider the widow the more awe full the view; the more essential impartiality becomes to maintaining sanity. Continue reading ‘So, You Want Enlightenment, Eh?’
This is a two-in-one post. Does that mean this is going to be twice as confusing? Could be… I bit off more than I can chew probably (I have the flue today). At least it is a rather post short if you don’t count the Science News quotes.
I’ve long touted the benefit of watching for mysterious sameness. Seeing differences, while often stimulating, is just not as satisfying in the long run. Being able to discern differences enhances survival… up to a point. For example, being able to distinguish a snake from a crooked stick. On the other hand, imagining mountains of difference out of actual mole hills of similarity is just plain counter productive and stressful. The recent Science News article on human relationships, Getting to not know you, offers evidence of the wisdom to let mole hills remain mole hills, or as they say, let sleeping dogs lie. Continue reading ‘Let Sleeping Dogs Lie’
The early morning light today took me back more than forty years. Light has a nostalgic effect on me like music seems to have for many people. It must be genetic for my mother was that way too. In fact, looking up into the sky can carry me back to truly primordial times, but that’s another story.
This morning the light and the early morning hazy sky brought back memories of arriving at the top of Bokor Hillstation Casino. I was told about this resort, high in the mountains and cool enough to grow strawberries, they said. This was prewar Cambodia in 1964, a time of peace and enough remaining French influence to find good French bread, albeit with a few weevils baked in(1), and flan (my favorite sweet). Now, if I could add strawberries to that I’d have me a good soul-food supper. Continue reading ‘Water, Water Everywhere, But…’
Well, why not! But seriously, this is a question I have not heard asked much… if at all(1) Debates mostly focus on whose God is best, the nature of God, or does God even existence. Asking “why do we believe in God” is more of a zoological approach to this issue. That is the place to begin; after all, we are animals first.
I’ve long see the God idea as an emergent property of our social need for leadership, i.e., ‘alpha male’, the decider. All social primate groups have some individual serving this unifying role. Being a thinking ape, it is natural that we would image the existence of a super-leader in a super-home (heaven). Being social apes, it is also nature that we’d enjoy gathering to share the experience. A recent article in Science News, Connected at church, happy with life, offered some support for the why of it all. Continue reading ‘Why God?’
This short lecture, John Cleese on creativity, shows he may be a ‘defacto taoist’ or perhaps a ‘natural taoist’. Meaning, anyone who has this contrarian point of view is a ‘taoist’, although they may never have heard the word Taoist.
The Blind Spot
This idea of backing off in order to move forward, and the humorous way he talks about the “blind spot”, parallels core Taoist principles. Continue reading ‘John Cleese, A ‘Taoist’?’
I wrote this Yoga manual[1] in 1979. While it still holds up well, I decided it’s worth updating. As part of this, I am attempting to sum up the Principles (the “spirit of yoga”) as I see it today.
Yoga is a process, not a destination. So many folks think of yoga as something you need flexibility for. Just the opposite. If anything, the more flexible you are, the harder yoga becomes. Again, unlike most secular things in life, yoga isn’t about the destination. It is about the journey…the way. Continue reading ‘The Spirit of Yoga’
I know, that sounds odd. I suppose it parallels that equally intriguing One who knows does not speak; one who speaks does not know. The problem with thought lies in the preconceptions necessary to think, and of course speak. This sets up a wall of ‘understanding’ which hinders us from seeing anything outside that wall of preconception (i.e., ‘understanding’ requires relying on the preconceptions – words and names – instilled into our awareness as infants). Continue reading ‘The less I think, the more I know’
CenterTao is The Center For Taoist Thought And Fellowship, a non-profit religious (Taoist) corporation founded in California, 1982.
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What is Taoism?
That differs among people! For me, it is about perception.
That deeply affects the life we live. Accordingly, CenterTao focuses on the how, what, and why we think what we think.
(See: The Why and What of Taoist Thought)
Speaking of thinking, the Tao Te Ching cautions us that: "One who knows does not speak; one who speaks does not know."Read more…
I was struck recently by a comment the Pope made on suffering (see: Pope Benedict stumped by Japanese girl’s question about suffering). Briefly, a young girl asked him, “Why do children have to be so sad?” Benedict admitted: “I also have the same questions: why is it this way? Why do you have to suffer so much while others live in ease?”
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