On July 17, I started off on a journey to present and analyze all the verses of the Tao Te Ching. To be completely frank, I didn't think through what I was committing myself to. Sure, I well knew that this work featured 81 verses, but I hadn't really thought through what it meant to write an analysis of one verse per day for 81 consecutive days! That's nearly 3 darn months.
I think that one thing that really helped me keep to the schedule is the fact that I'm an aspie! Since I crave pattern and routine in my life, this became one of my (sort of) daily routines. I say "sort of" because, if truth be known, I tended to write several entries ahead. As an example, during mid-August, one day I wrote a week's worth of entries and scheduled each entry to post on the appropriate day. As another example, I finished writing the last five entries (October 1 - 5) and this entry itself on Wednesday, September 30.
The reasons I tended to write ahead are twofold. First, because keeping to my own pre-determined posting schedule was of the utmost importance to me and there are days due to my various physical infirmities when concentrating and writing cogently can be difficult, this tended to relieve my own anxiety and stress. Being a few entries ahead most of the time meant that I could allow myself a few days off here and there without feeling I was letting myself down.
The second reason I finished this assignment ahead of time may sound a bit morbid, but, if I was suddenly to drop dead or wind up in the hospital with a coma, I would know in my fleeting moments of consciousness that all 81 verses will be posted. This is important to me because I loathe projects (particularly ones undertaken by me) that inexplicably get dropped midstream. So, I wanted to insure I followed this all the way through to the end.
Now that I'm done, I feel relieved, yet a bit empty. I'm relieved because I don't have to think so fervently everyday. ; ) While I really got into researching the various opinions and commentaries for each day's verse, it was a lot of work I hoisted upon myself. So, I'm looking forward to simply writing stuff that comes out of me own noggin and not feeling the need to correlate what I write with the comments and quotes of others all the time.
On the other hand, I feel kind of empty because their aren't any more verses! While I enjoyed each step along the journey, I've reached this destination. :(
As indicated previously, I plan to replicate this effort with the Book of Chuang Tzu. However, this won't happen tomorrow or next week simply because I'm not as familiar with this book as I am with the TTC. I'll have to go back to read and re-read it several times before I would even attempt to commit to such a series. In addition, there aren't as many sources to draw from, so this means a lot of time searching for and researching the books and sites I can find. And, of course, Chuang Tzu's book is a helluva lot longer -- my copy spans nearly 300 pages!
The final point I want to address is YOUR participation in this endeavor. I am so thankful for all the comments left throughout the series. Many times you explained things far better than I and offered great food for thought. It is because of each of you that this endeavor proved so worthwhile.
From the bottom of my heart I say -- THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here
To view the list of posts for the entire series, go here.
I think that one thing that really helped me keep to the schedule is the fact that I'm an aspie! Since I crave pattern and routine in my life, this became one of my (sort of) daily routines. I say "sort of" because, if truth be known, I tended to write several entries ahead. As an example, during mid-August, one day I wrote a week's worth of entries and scheduled each entry to post on the appropriate day. As another example, I finished writing the last five entries (October 1 - 5) and this entry itself on Wednesday, September 30.
The reasons I tended to write ahead are twofold. First, because keeping to my own pre-determined posting schedule was of the utmost importance to me and there are days due to my various physical infirmities when concentrating and writing cogently can be difficult, this tended to relieve my own anxiety and stress. Being a few entries ahead most of the time meant that I could allow myself a few days off here and there without feeling I was letting myself down.
The second reason I finished this assignment ahead of time may sound a bit morbid, but, if I was suddenly to drop dead or wind up in the hospital with a coma, I would know in my fleeting moments of consciousness that all 81 verses will be posted. This is important to me because I loathe projects (particularly ones undertaken by me) that inexplicably get dropped midstream. So, I wanted to insure I followed this all the way through to the end.
Now that I'm done, I feel relieved, yet a bit empty. I'm relieved because I don't have to think so fervently everyday. ; ) While I really got into researching the various opinions and commentaries for each day's verse, it was a lot of work I hoisted upon myself. So, I'm looking forward to simply writing stuff that comes out of me own noggin and not feeling the need to correlate what I write with the comments and quotes of others all the time.
On the other hand, I feel kind of empty because their aren't any more verses! While I enjoyed each step along the journey, I've reached this destination. :(
As indicated previously, I plan to replicate this effort with the Book of Chuang Tzu. However, this won't happen tomorrow or next week simply because I'm not as familiar with this book as I am with the TTC. I'll have to go back to read and re-read it several times before I would even attempt to commit to such a series. In addition, there aren't as many sources to draw from, so this means a lot of time searching for and researching the books and sites I can find. And, of course, Chuang Tzu's book is a helluva lot longer -- my copy spans nearly 300 pages!
The final point I want to address is YOUR participation in this endeavor. I am so thankful for all the comments left throughout the series. Many times you explained things far better than I and offered great food for thought. It is because of each of you that this endeavor proved so worthwhile.
From the bottom of my heart I say -- THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here
To view the list of posts for the entire series, go here.
You're going to do the Chaung Tzu?!! Wow, good on you, that is some challenge, a reason you wont find many points of research is that it is a big task few have managed, or been able to take on.
ReplyDeleteChallenge may be the understatement of the year! :D
ReplyDeleteThat's one reason I'm not going to rush into it. I need to figure out I plan to approach it and how I'm going to break it down into blog posts. Any ideas or insights you might care to offer would be most appreciated.
:) wow, you actually put a lot of thought into this. lol. i tend to just write whatever's on my mind at the time, and sometimes insights flash through my head as i post comments... :P i actually do a lot of thinking while i'm doing farm chores. my body is doing its own thing and my mind is off in abstract-land. haha. anyway i'm glad you did the TTC series and i thought you did a good job of it.
ReplyDeleteIktomi,
ReplyDeleteYa see, you're practicing wu wei without even realizing it! I often think up blog posts while doing something else totally unrelated.
And thanks for the compliment!!
I'd like to thank you for awakening an interest in this great work.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Regards,
I have to say it, respect to you, I couldn't have done anything like this.
ReplyDeleteI used to write ahead, it saves you some hassle.
Looking forward to Chuang Tzu.
If you set out to make me think today; mission accomplished! I really like your writing style and how you express your ideas. Thank you.
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