Tao Te Ching Meditation - Chapter 72:: Authorized Non-Interference
Reading:
72.1 When the people are not awed by authority,
then great authority is attained.
72.2 Their homes are not small to them,
their livelihood not tiresome.
Just because they do not tire of it,
it is not tiresome to them.
72.3 Therefore sages know themselves
but do not see themselves.
They take care of themselves
but do not exalt themselves.
So they take one and leave the other
Tao Teh Ching - Cleary Translation
Meditation:
I have been granted by the Power of Love in The Universe the authority to show compassion to all beings, to withhold my opinions during arguments, to behave humbly and with restraint and to do unto others nothing that i would not want done to me. I have a special mandate not to presume to know what others should do, and, especially to stay out of peoples' hair. This is a difficult challenge, this non-interference, and i usually acquit myself poorly.
According to the Tao Te Ching, people left to their own devices tend to be more satisfied with their lives, their houses are rarely too small nor their jobs too boring or too difficult.
It is as much as i can do to deal with what lies in front of me without trying to improve the whole world or any part of it.
Does the world need improving? It sure as hell does! But that does not mean we are competent to do it or to advise others how to do it. Plato discovered this the first time he tried to advise a powerful personage in a way that person found annoying. He was sold into slavery. This is why political advisers always take the trouble to find out what their clients want hear and tell them what they want to hear. There are no expert political advisers and if someone pretends to be one he or she will just get a lot of people hurt.
The wisdom of doing non-doing is evident by all the problematic aspects of doing doing "I know what i am doing, but do i know what my doing is doing? is a good question for any activist to ask. It has been said that any word i say echoes eternally through the universe and faint sound will be heard a million miles away a million years in the future. and there is no way i can stuff that word back into my throat.
So take care of yourself, eat well, sleep tight, have fun and don't sweat the small stuff (and especially don't sweat the big stuff.),
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The term that translates to "awe of authority" sometimes translates as "dread." I really struggle with the concept of Dread in spirituality. I like the idea of "awe" and "wonder" and i understand how fear can be an element involved in facing the All Powerful But Unknown Deity. But i do not believe that fear is sanctioned by Deity. Certainly the peop[e who use fear of divine punishment to control others have strayed from the Way. Don't harass people is a basic message of the Tao Te Ching.
Prayer: Holy Loving: Help me keep my nose in my own business which is to make sure that i am appropriately seeking the "reign" of God. This reign is a gentle reign and not a downpouring of intrusive authority. I am already what i was made to be, i just don't recognize myself. -- Amen.
Contemplation:
T
72.1 When the people are not awed by authority,
then great authority is attained.
72.2 Their homes are not small to them,
their livelihood not tiresome.
Just because they do not tire of it,
it is not tiresome to them.
72.3 Therefore sages know themselves
but do not see themselves.
They take care of themselves
but do not exalt themselves.
So they take one and leave the other
Tao Teh Ching - Cleary Translation
Meditation:
I have been granted by the Power of Love in The Universe the authority to show compassion to all beings, to withhold my opinions during arguments, to behave humbly and with restraint and to do unto others nothing that i would not want done to me. I have a special mandate not to presume to know what others should do, and, especially to stay out of peoples' hair. This is a difficult challenge, this non-interference, and i usually acquit myself poorly.
According to the Tao Te Ching, people left to their own devices tend to be more satisfied with their lives, their houses are rarely too small nor their jobs too boring or too difficult.
It is as much as i can do to deal with what lies in front of me without trying to improve the whole world or any part of it.
Does the world need improving? It sure as hell does! But that does not mean we are competent to do it or to advise others how to do it. Plato discovered this the first time he tried to advise a powerful personage in a way that person found annoying. He was sold into slavery. This is why political advisers always take the trouble to find out what their clients want hear and tell them what they want to hear. There are no expert political advisers and if someone pretends to be one he or she will just get a lot of people hurt.
The wisdom of doing non-doing is evident by all the problematic aspects of doing doing "I know what i am doing, but do i know what my doing is doing? is a good question for any activist to ask. It has been said that any word i say echoes eternally through the universe and faint sound will be heard a million miles away a million years in the future. and there is no way i can stuff that word back into my throat.
So take care of yourself, eat well, sleep tight, have fun and don't sweat the small stuff (and especially don't sweat the big stuff.),
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The term that translates to "awe of authority" sometimes translates as "dread." I really struggle with the concept of Dread in spirituality. I like the idea of "awe" and "wonder" and i understand how fear can be an element involved in facing the All Powerful But Unknown Deity. But i do not believe that fear is sanctioned by Deity. Certainly the peop[e who use fear of divine punishment to control others have strayed from the Way. Don't harass people is a basic message of the Tao Te Ching.
Prayer: Holy Loving: Help me keep my nose in my own business which is to make sure that i am appropriately seeking the "reign" of God. This reign is a gentle reign and not a downpouring of intrusive authority. I am already what i was made to be, i just don't recognize myself. -- Amen.
Contemplation:
T