Returning to Root ~ tranquility
Sunday, 19. July 2009, 02:26:05
As some of you will know (probably) i have been in (and am still in) an relationship with someone who (to be a little tacky and soppy) seems to 'complete me' -- i had been pondering how this 'fit' into daoist teachings and how to express what i had been pondering -- on an unrelated matter i was, as is occasionally my want perusing my copy of dereks translation of the Tao te ching, when i happened across his dedication to janice (source at end of post).
"Finally, this book is dedicated to Janice Lin, the one person who makes everything possible. she holds the key that opens the door to all wonders."
Aside from being a truely moving tribute to someone whom has always come across as a lovely person via email, it showed me where to begin contemplating the means of expression for my own relationship, a place i would ordinarily have been looking, and perhaps instinctivly i was which is why i was immersed in my copy of the TTC today. So taking the old adage 'begin at the begining' i began with TTC 1 'door to all wonders'
Chapter 1
The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named is not the eternal name
The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth
The named is the mother of myriad things
Thus, constantly without desire, one observes its essence
Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations
These two emerge together but differ in name
The unity is said to be the mystery
Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders
A wonderful place to begin for truely in any truely 'harmonising/harmonious relationship' for what better to sum up TTC 1 than that or true harmonious, natural balance, that egalitarian relationship of yin-yang in constant harmonious movement in unity manifest and mystery.
Yet, it felt a little incomplete for the true feelings experienced in such relationships, so i read on, and truely i do reccomend a cover to cover, side to side, upside down and back to front reading of the TTC, (a good translatiosn such as derek lin's, Dr J wu's or D C Lau's are excellent places to start) we can become a little de-sensitised i think to the wisdoms it contains; still i read on and 'felt' a subtle 'click' a true enlightenment moment when i read and re-read TTC 16
Chapter 16
Attain the ultimate emptiness
Hold on to the truest tranquility
The myriad things are all active
I therefore watch their return
Everything flourishes; each returns to its root
Returning to the root is called tranquility
Tranquility is called returning to one's nature
Returning to one's nature is called constancy
Knowing constancy is called clarity
Not knowing constancy, one recklessly causes trouble
Knowing constancy is acceptance
Acceptance is impartiality
Impartiality is sovereign
Sovereign is Heaven
Heaven is Tao
Tao is eternal
The self is no more, without danger
There is little i can add to this perfect illustration of harmonious relationships, this is not to suggest there are no difficulties to face, there are difficulties in life and these we must find ways of dealing with whether we are in relationships or not, to be true to each other, to be ones 'true self ' (return to roots - constancy and tranquility) this i think allows us to come through such times of turbulence flexibly and yet also strongly, as illustrated i think by chuang tzu's 'waterfall' ~ link story - what do we do but follow the nature of ourselves, each other and 'dao' ...
Thank you for letting me waffle on about this; i in no way beleive relationships (romantic ones) are essential in life or to be complete as a person or dao cultivator, this is just where my life is right now and hopefully what i've learnt will help both myself and others to grow, this is all i hope for in sharing this.
peace to you
beccaxx
www.Taoism.net and Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths in 2006 pp 167 paragraph 6.
WIDGETIZE
Anonymous # 27. August 2009, 12:10
Hi Becca,
It has been a while. Glad to see you posting again, just to add to your post some quotes of the TTC copy i have:
Tao 1
Through detachment,
we see the larger patterns.
Through compassion
we perceive the particulars.
Their source is the same,
though they differ in name,
the mystery of life,
the infinite Tao.
///////////////////////////////
Tao 16
An open mind brings compassion.
Compassion builds power.
Such power is natural and nature is one with Tao.
Empty your mind of clutter,
maintain inner peace.
Ten thousand things move around you.
In detachment,
perceive the cycles.
Watch each return to the source.
Returning of the source is harmony with the way of nature, knowing the cycles bring wisdom not knowing bring disaster.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Take care
Newton
(Harare, Zimbabwe)