Desert: visions.
Tropics: possession.
Forests: alchemy.
Mountains: asceticism.
Throughout the world, the site where people practiced spirituality has been significant. In the deserts of the Middle East, holy people had visions. In the tropics, sorcerers used spirit possession. In the forests of Europe and Asia, alchemists perfected their arts. In the Himalayas, sages hid themselves away for ascetic practices. Of course, these were not the only places for such arts, but it is more than coincidental that certain practices are tied to the place. If you go to any of these lands, you can still feel the essence that inspired generations.
Thus it is that you should be sensitive to where you situate yourself in the world. Selecting a spiritual site requires subtlety. If you do not know the science of geomancy, it is better to go to a place known to be conducive to what you want to achieve. Then narrow your choice by what you see and feel. If you sense that there is great well-being, that the plants and animals of the area are healthy, that the place is not subject to extremes of weather that would adversely affect your health, then that is the place for you. When you move there, you will be sustained.
No site is forever. If you find that the flow of energy has gone elsewhere or that others begin to ruin an area, then search for a new place of vitality. That is why those who follow Tao seldom have fixed homes. They wander from site to site so as to constantly remain in the stream of Tao.
site
365 Tao
Daily Meditations
Deng Ming-Dao (author)
ISBN 0-06-250223-9
translations of the daodejing by various current scholars
63
Act without acting
work without working
taste without tasting
Great or small
many or few
repay each wrong with virtue
Plan for the hard while it's easy
work on the great while it's small
The hardest task in the world begins easy
the greatest goal in the world begins small
Therefore the sage never acts great
he thus achieves great things
Who quickly agrees is seldom trusted
who makes it all easy finds it all hard
Therefore the sage makes everything hard
he thus finds nothing hard
— RED PINE
63
Act by not acting,
accomplish by not straining,
understand by not knowing.
Regard the humble as exalted
and the exalted as humble.
Remedy injury with tranquil repair.
Meet the difficult while it is still easy;
cross the universe one step at a time.
Because the sage doesn't try anything too big,
she's able to accomplish big things.
Those who commit lightly seldom come through.
Those who think everything is easy
will find everything hard.
The sage understands that everything is difficult,
and thus in the end has no difficulties.
— BRIAN BROWNE WALKER
63
Act without doing;
work without effort.
Think of the small as large
and the few as many.
Confront the difficult
while it is still easy;
accomplish the great task
by a series of small acts.
The Master never reaches for the great;
thus she achieves greatness.
When she runs into a difficulty,
she stops and gives herself to it.
She doesn't cling to her own comfort;
thus problems are no problem for her.
— STEPHEN MITCHELL
Act without acting
work without working
taste without tasting
Great or small
many or few
repay each wrong with virtue
Plan for the hard while it's easy
work on the great while it's small
The hardest task in the world begins easy
the greatest goal in the world begins small
Therefore the sage never acts great
he thus achieves great things
Who quickly agrees is seldom trusted
who makes it all easy finds it all hard
Therefore the sage makes everything hard
he thus finds nothing hard
— RED PINE
63
Act by not acting,
accomplish by not straining,
understand by not knowing.
Regard the humble as exalted
and the exalted as humble.
Remedy injury with tranquil repair.
Meet the difficult while it is still easy;
cross the universe one step at a time.
Because the sage doesn't try anything too big,
she's able to accomplish big things.
Those who commit lightly seldom come through.
Those who think everything is easy
will find everything hard.
The sage understands that everything is difficult,
and thus in the end has no difficulties.
— BRIAN BROWNE WALKER
63
Act without doing;
work without effort.
Think of the small as large
and the few as many.
Confront the difficult
while it is still easy;
accomplish the great task
by a series of small acts.
The Master never reaches for the great;
thus she achieves greatness.
When she runs into a difficulty,
she stops and gives herself to it.
She doesn't cling to her own comfort;
thus problems are no problem for her.
— STEPHEN MITCHELL
photo by lmw
"Firework Stand in Wyoming"
"Firework Stand in Wyoming"
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