Lao Tzu - Tao Te Ching
Lao-Tzu - Journal
The concepts and ideas of the Tao-Te Ching may be a hard to grasp at first, but that is partially the point. For “The tao that can be told, is not the eternal Tao (Verse 1). Those who think they know everything, do not. It does not help to know the Tao, it just is.
To think like Lao-Tzu, a person must let go of everything they think they know. Today, this is a very difficult task for most because there is so much a person stands for and believes in. However, The Tao-Te Ching teaches a way of finding enlightenment by letting things just be. Tao, meaning “the way” or “method”, refers to the order of things. Throughout the passages, the message conveys that the path is already there. The world does not need improving, for it is “sacred”. There is no reason to force anything or to paddle up stream or against the current, everything has a purpose.
The Tao-Te Ching covers a variety of topics. Ranging from political views to practical advice for the everyday person, it teaches how to be a great ruler, teacher or individual. To be a great leader, you must be in harmony with the people, “If you don’t trust the people, you make them untrustworthy” (verse 17). Passages like this make a person think about how their actions can affect the outcome of events. How a person will be viewed and whether or not they are doing the right thing.
There are many pieces of wisdom in the Tao-Te Ching that will make a person think, even in the short excerpt in our book. At the heart of it all, Lao-Tzu states that he teaches just three things, simplicity, patience, and compassion. Reinforcing his message of how simple everything really is. The basis of the Tao-Te Ching is to be content with yourself and where you are. First we have to learn to be still if we want to learn how to move. With so much to learn, it is easy to see that we do not know a thing.
The concepts and ideas of the Tao-Te Ching may be a hard to grasp at first, but that is partially the point. For “The tao that can be told, is not the eternal Tao (Verse 1). Those who think they know everything, do not. It does not help to know the Tao, it just is.
To think like Lao-Tzu, a person must let go of everything they think they know. Today, this is a very difficult task for most because there is so much a person stands for and believes in. However, The Tao-Te Ching teaches a way of finding enlightenment by letting things just be. Tao, meaning “the way” or “method”, refers to the order of things. Throughout the passages, the message conveys that the path is already there. The world does not need improving, for it is “sacred”. There is no reason to force anything or to paddle up stream or against the current, everything has a purpose.
The Tao-Te Ching covers a variety of topics. Ranging from political views to practical advice for the everyday person, it teaches how to be a great ruler, teacher or individual. To be a great leader, you must be in harmony with the people, “If you don’t trust the people, you make them untrustworthy” (verse 17). Passages like this make a person think about how their actions can affect the outcome of events. How a person will be viewed and whether or not they are doing the right thing.
There are many pieces of wisdom in the Tao-Te Ching that will make a person think, even in the short excerpt in our book. At the heart of it all, Lao-Tzu states that he teaches just three things, simplicity, patience, and compassion. Reinforcing his message of how simple everything really is. The basis of the Tao-Te Ching is to be content with yourself and where you are. First we have to learn to be still if we want to learn how to move. With so much to learn, it is easy to see that we do not know a thing.