The Tao of Dark Sages - Chapter 12, Part 2

The Tao of Dark Sages
by Scott Bradley

Isn’t what you said yesterday, about affirming the self, the key to transcending the self and it’s problems? If we say Yes! to the entirety of our experience we cease to fight with it — we let it be. And in just letting it be we are no longer attached to it in aversion and thus no longer affected by it. When we oppose something, we just give it more substance. When we accept it, it dissolves into the nothing that it really is.

Mark-tzu: I agree, Scott-tzu. I like an adaptation of a thought in the Tao Te Ching, by Mitchell: “If you want to be whole, let yourself be partial. If you want to be straight, let yourself be crooked.” And Chuang-Tzu tells us: “If you can’t control your emotions, but nevertheless try to stop yourself from following them, you will harm yourself twice over.” Don’t fight anger. Let it be. If you let it be, you transcend it, whether you realize it or not.

Sue-tzu: And all this implies that our conscious selves in some way transcend this battleground. You will discover this, Buz. I’m sure. Because in presenting the problem you have already made clear that you are in some way transcending the battleground. Yes, Nellie?

There’s that bumper sticker? “There is no road to peace, only peace.” I think that that speaks to what Scott-tzu is saying; if you are fighting a war you will never have peace. Even if you win the war, there still is no real peace, only the temporary absence of more war. But when we just say Yes! to everything we experience we are just letting peace reign without fighting a war. I really like what Sue-tzu said yesterday about harmony: “If harmony is the goal, let it be the means.” And you’ve said the same thing before in different ways. It’s become a really powerful insight for me: Let the means be the end. Do that, and the whole ‘seeking’/‘achieving’/’fighting’ dilemma disappears.

So, how do you apply this to Buz’s problem?

I’d say, You are not this ego-self with its battles, Buz. And because this is so, you can affirm all of your experience, including your ego-self and its conflicts. And you will find that this affirmation is peace. Your peace is not to be had in winning the war against anger, but in accepting things as they are.

Thanks, Nellie. Thanks, all of you. I’ll spend time with your insights.

Sue-tzu: And remember, Buz, it’s all about right now. Affirming what is and knowing thankfulness is always ours to experience this very moment.

And I find that there is no better cure for struggle than just giving up! Give up! Surrender! And say, Thank you. And all of this is, of course, the same as affirming all that is.

Mark-tzu: And don’t forget to have a good laugh at yourself, too! I find that affirming what is always gives me a good chuckle at how messed up my ego-self is — and how little it matters.

Sue-tzu: Well, all this spiritual profundity has worn me out. What do you say we adjourn until tomorrow? And how about Scott-tzu acts as facilitator tomorrow?

No thank you! I am not qualified. Thanks anyway!

Mark-tzu: We aren’t qualified, Scott-tzu. We’re not, so it matters little that you’re not either. So, what’s our homework assignment?

Shit! Okay. Identity. Consider what it feels like to be identity-free. See you tomorrow — same time, same station.

If you're interested in reading more from this series by Scott Bradley, go here.