Verse SixThe Tao gives rise to all forms, yet it has no form of its own. If you attempt to fix a picture of it in your mind, you will lose it. This is like pinning a butterfly: the husk is captured, but the flying is lost. Why not be content with simply experiencing it?~ Translated by Brian Walker ~
Whenever we try to define Tao (or God), we cheat it of its vital essence. We place it within finite parameters. What we end up with is a weak caricature.
How can a leaf understand the whole tree or a grain of sand the entire beach? We can only comprehend what arises from our feeble brains. In trying to understand the ultimate mysteries of existence, we lose the capability of living through those mysteries to our fullest extent simply because we limit what is possible.
You and I are here. Now. Why we're here, who knows? Why should it matter? At the end of the day, what difference does it make?
Learn what you can and embrace what you can't. Quit worrying about that which you can never know. You will drive yourself crazy asking questions which have no answers and making up answers to questions never asked.
Allow your life to flow and, in the flow, you will find meaning.
This post is part of a "miniseries". For an introduction, go here.
How can a leaf understand the whole tree or a grain of sand the entire beach? We can only comprehend what arises from our feeble brains. In trying to understand the ultimate mysteries of existence, we lose the capability of living through those mysteries to our fullest extent simply because we limit what is possible.
You and I are here. Now. Why we're here, who knows? Why should it matter? At the end of the day, what difference does it make?
Learn what you can and embrace what you can't. Quit worrying about that which you can never know. You will drive yourself crazy asking questions which have no answers and making up answers to questions never asked.
Allow your life to flow and, in the flow, you will find meaning.
This post is part of a "miniseries". For an introduction, go here.
This is like pinning a butterfly: the husk is captured, but the flying is lost. Why not be content with simply experiencing it?
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful thought!
It makes me thing of my sister who is always trying to change me. I don't dress well enough. I don't cook well enough. I should shop where she shops. I should go to her hair dresser, etc.
But if I did all that, I wouldn't be me anymore. I would be her. And I don't want to be her.
She wants to pin me down, steal my freedom to fly.
Lorena,
ReplyDeleteWe can even take it one step further! We place these kinds of limitations on ourselves (i.e., I should dress like x or I should be like y)! While each of us tends to look at others for the reasons why we can't seem to fly, more often than not, we end up clipping our own wings.
Quit worrying about that which you can never know. You will drive yourself crazy asking questions which have no answers and making up answers to questions never asked.
ReplyDeleteWhat a profound statement. It made me think about our mad scientific rush to figure out all the answers. Now I'm all for science, but I don't think some things can be answered. Take physics, for example. We discovered that all matter is made up of atoms. But what are atoms made of? Protons, neutrons, and electrons. And what are THOSE made of? Protons and neutrons are made of quarks. Then what are THOSE made of??? I'm no physicist,but I think I'd go mad thinking about all that, wouldn't you? And in the end, we still don't know what it's all about.
I think the answer is to spend your life enjoying your life, not trying to find out why you're alive.
what a beautiful and profound analogy! :)
ReplyDeleteRaein,
ReplyDeleteI agree. There are many aspects of "life" we will never understand.