CenterTao.org – Page 23 – taoism, taoist thought, buddha, yoga, tai chi, shakuhachi

The trick lies in not believing, yet believing

I go on and on about the folly of trusting word meaning. Yet, I think, speak, and write. How do I pull off this apparent hypocrisy and still maintain intellectual integrity? That isn’t difficult really. Indeed, it is no different from watching a movie, and yet knowing that it is make-believe. Please Note: Some essays […]

What is ‘the Tao’ actually?

The Tao Te Ching begins with The Tao that can be spoken of is not the constant Tao. This line from chapter 1 literally translates to “way can speak, not constant way” (道可道, 非常道). “Way” (Tao or Dao) literally translates as: road, way, path, principle, speak, think, suppose. Nothing said beyond those definitions is constant. […]

Think what you believe? Believe what you think?

I had a discussion recently with a Christian friend about belief. For me, pondering the process of believing is far more interesting than the content of any belief, so you won’t find me debating the existence of God. Instead, I’d wonder why people believe in God. Clearly, we emotionally need to trust the veracity of our words […]

Yin Yang, Nature’s Hoodwink

A dipole is a term in physics that refers to a pair of separated electric charges or magnetic poles, of equal magnitude but of opposite polarity, i.e., negative (–) vs. positive (+) or N. vs. S. Life has adopted this natural dynamic to perceive its surroundings in a way that promotes survival in a competitive […]

Public Tantrums

The Science News report, Public tantrums defeat monkey moms too, offers research that further narrows the gap between humans and other primates. (Also google [Mama monkeys give in to tantrums…when others are watching].) Apparently, rhesus macaque mothers act like human mothers when it comes to nursing their babies. When other monkeys are nearby a mother […]

Understanding Understanding

I’ve been reviewing Buddha’s Four Noble Truths (p.604) for decades while doing my daily yoga headstand. Understanding these appears easy—they are short and straightforward enough. Even so, I plumb deeper meaning from them as the years pass. For example, some years ago the second truth, “The illusion of self originates and manifests itself in a […]

Wealth plays out in odd ways

Wealth is fundamentally an availability of abundant survival resources. Hillsides full of tall green grass are a deer’s wealth. More grassy hills can support more deer. More deer eat more grass until overgrazing causes deer to starve. The deer population drops, grass rebounds, deer population rebounds, grass dwindles… and so on. This is the perpetual […]

Peaches and Pleasure

After living years of hand-to-mouth existence in the developing countries around the world I settled down in Japan for an extended period. My hand to mouth living habits slowly waned as I began to enjoy the comforts of wealthier circumstances. For example, I began to treat myself to a weekly can of peaches. This was utterly […]

Looking Through the Looking Glass

Like a looking glass, Correlations are a tool for seeing yourself — your own mind. (See Tools of Taoist Thought: Correlations, p.565.) As such, they should appeal to anyone seeking deeper underlying causes. Of course, you’ll eventually reach The gateway of the manifold secrets as chapter 1 puts it. Therefore, the Correlation’s process may only […]

Even a little progress is freedom from fear

Chapter two of the Bhagavad-Gita (2:40) says, “No step is lost on this path, and no dangers are found. And even a little progress is freedom from fear.” This struck home the first time I read it. That’s understandable, for I’ve always felt from early childhood that if I didn’t face my fears, the fears […]

Religion: The best placebo?

The Science News report, Imagination Medicine, covers research on how the placebo effect functions in the brain. (Also, google [More Than Just a Sugar Pill].) It confirms my sense that religion also works by way of the placebo effect. Consider this excerpt from the report for example… It all boils down to expectation. If you […]

Correlation’s ‘Prime Directive’

Centertao member Cuc made a good attempt at Correlations despite some inconsistencies. For this process to succeed, two things are essential: (1) Find the antonym for each word you are pondering. (2) Align all the similar meaning words — ‘pseudo synonyms’ I call them — down one column with their antonyms down the opposite column. […]