dao defiance

Every god can be defied. No choice, no devotion. There have been many rebels who have chosen to defy their gods. Without this option, there can be no true devotion to a holy concept. For devotion is only valuable when a conscious decision is made to follow that course, even in acknowledgment of the difficulties ahead. Choosing to be a devout person is good. Choosing to defy the gods is also good, for it reaffirms the basic ability of human beings to make choices. We cannot support religions which say that there are no choices. Metaphysical totalitarianism of any kind stifles the freedom we have as human beings. It is not acceptable to have a religion where the alternative to faith is punishment... Spirituality is only great when it allows that utmost freedom to follow it. If we suffer from difficulties, that is not holy retribution, and we should not allow it to create debilitating questions. If you endure a crisis in your life, it may well challenge your faith. Perhaps you will even respond bitterly to your gods and cry out: ‘How could anything holy permit this atrocity to happen to me?’ But gods are not only parents or protectors. They are there to inspire us to be better people. They symbolize the inherent choice of this existence. It is secondary whether we choose belief or defiance. What is precious is that we are always able to choose. defiance 365 Tao Daily Meditations Deng Ming-Dao ISBN: 0-06-250223-9 Hello dear friends; Today is my birthday and I wanted to do something special. I don't know how many of you readers know that the daily meditations began over seven years ago on a recovery club that I began, which has since morphed into a group (Taoists in Narcotics Anonymous). Members of that group still receive the daily meditations, as well as 28 other groups and over 240 individuals. One of the groups was give to me when the owner went on to follow his dao and work with Thich Nat Hahn as his quest for peace. (Tao of Recovery group). This is a poem I wrote one day when my old computer couldn't dial out one night and I was frustrated about getting you the daily meditation. Do enjoy, and thank you for allowing me the amazing joy of sending out a daily meditation and searching for Asian artwork for so many Just For Todays. circle Open books at random read feel words of solace and wonder. I hold Chi ball engraved soapstone, four inside one engraved of dragon and phoenix, I turn circle of wonder touch engravings feel peace now sitting in my garden watching hummingbirds flicker serenity feels like the first epiphany in recovery — discovery! I never have to use again ______ meditation ritual hold yinyang marbles smooth and cool in my hands trade them to each finger, listening to clinking clanking and silence click, clank, silence I watch rufous-sided towhee skipping on forest floor finding food for his children, he was fed from this forest, when it was his very first spring ______ the circle, return, as birds do each spring. arrival with new song familiar to us for six (eleven!) summers now learned finally to listen eleven summers now goldfinch lazuli bunting grosbeak, purple finch return each spring they feed children from meadow remember the forest fed by their parents they remember first spring ______ pine cone drops almost silent, gladiola force strong leaves, as delicate flowers struggle toward the sky shows hummingbird sweet nectar shows yellow bee pollen they remember first spring ______ Inside again, must post these great words I have stumbled on for the day share with my family, consistent the circle through circle I wander I remember each spring ______ midnight am discovered asleep in my chair husband tells me “we can try to get you online tomorrow come warm the bed now” ______ Awake at 5:30 in cyberspace I wander complete circle is life through circle I wander a great forest floor I remember first spring through circle I wander with acts of Tao passing through Tao I wander being fed from its forest I remember first spring through circle I wander I remember Tao spring... a reading list of books and interpretations of the Daodejing is available at http://www.duckdaotsu.org/dao_books.html for a meditation sent to your email address each day, please write ‘subscribe tao’ in the subject line and send to lisbeth at duckdaotsu