"The world is full of half-enlightened masters.
Overly clever, too 'sensitive' to live in the real world,
they surround themselves with selfish pleasures and
bestow their grandiose teachings upon the unwary.
Prematurely publicizing themselves, intent upon
reaching some spiritual climax, they constantly
sacrifice the truth and deviate from the Tao.
What they really offer the world is their own
confusion.
The true master understands that enlightenment is not
the end, but the means.
Realizing that virtue is her goal, she accepts the long
and often arduous cultivation that is necessary to
attain it.
She doesn't scheme to become a leader, but quietly
shoulders whatever responsibilities fall to her.
Unattached to her accomplishments, taking credit for
nothing at all, she guides the whole world by
guiding the individuals who come to her.
She shares her divine energy with her students,
encouraging them, creating trials to strengthen
them, scolding them to awaken them, directing the
streams of their lives toward the infinite ocean of
the Tao.
If you aspire to this sort of mastery, then root yourself
in the Tao.
Relinquish your negative habits and attitudes.
Strengthen your sincerity.
Live in the real world, and extend your virtue to it
without discrimination in the daily round.
Be the truest father or mother, the truest brother or
sister, the truest friend, and the truest disciple.
Humbly respect and serve your teacher, and dedicate
your entire being unwaveringly to self-cultivation.
Then you will surely achieve self-mastery and be able
to help others in doing the same."
I feel frustrated when contemplating how little time any of us has here. At the same time, I often marvel at how little time even a monumental-seeming task can take. The anticipation expends more energy than the doing; in the words of my step-dad's dad, "...won't get done just thinking about it!" This blog, at this time, represents my efforts to ground myself both inside and outside my own head. At the moment I can only guess at the effectiveness of it all, especially as I have felt my momentum slowing. By now I hope for a graceful, rather than just a timely, finish--and for the energy to keep going with the many projects I have struggled with over the years. Perhaps it's time to put old struggles to rest, as I take up new ones to face new life challenges.
Overly clever, too 'sensitive' to live in the real world,
they surround themselves with selfish pleasures and
bestow their grandiose teachings upon the unwary.
Prematurely publicizing themselves, intent upon
reaching some spiritual climax, they constantly
sacrifice the truth and deviate from the Tao.
What they really offer the world is their own
confusion.
The true master understands that enlightenment is not
the end, but the means.
Realizing that virtue is her goal, she accepts the long
and often arduous cultivation that is necessary to
attain it.
She doesn't scheme to become a leader, but quietly
shoulders whatever responsibilities fall to her.
Unattached to her accomplishments, taking credit for
nothing at all, she guides the whole world by
guiding the individuals who come to her.
She shares her divine energy with her students,
encouraging them, creating trials to strengthen
them, scolding them to awaken them, directing the
streams of their lives toward the infinite ocean of
the Tao.
If you aspire to this sort of mastery, then root yourself
in the Tao.
Relinquish your negative habits and attitudes.
Strengthen your sincerity.
Live in the real world, and extend your virtue to it
without discrimination in the daily round.
Be the truest father or mother, the truest brother or
sister, the truest friend, and the truest disciple.
Humbly respect and serve your teacher, and dedicate
your entire being unwaveringly to self-cultivation.
Then you will surely achieve self-mastery and be able
to help others in doing the same."
I feel frustrated when contemplating how little time any of us has here. At the same time, I often marvel at how little time even a monumental-seeming task can take. The anticipation expends more energy than the doing; in the words of my step-dad's dad, "...won't get done just thinking about it!" This blog, at this time, represents my efforts to ground myself both inside and outside my own head. At the moment I can only guess at the effectiveness of it all, especially as I have felt my momentum slowing. By now I hope for a graceful, rather than just a timely, finish--and for the energy to keep going with the many projects I have struggled with over the years. Perhaps it's time to put old struggles to rest, as I take up new ones to face new life challenges.
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