My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?The author laments that God is not providing comfort while he is faced with suffering.
~ King James version ~
When we face great travails, it is not that Tao isn't sharing the essence of the cosmos; it's more that we have ceased to listen.
~ possible Taoist alternative ~
Tao is not a comforter. Tao shares the essence of being and nonbeing with all. It is this energy that helps us to deal with our travails throughout life. If the flow of energy becomes impeded or completely lacking, this is a sign that we have ceased to be a receptacle of Tao.
If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.
If energy is impeded or lacking, it is because we have become unbalanced through our own or external (societal) causes. Tao does not "share" anything. This sounds like Tao is something that is there "for" us, to "receive". A light bulb is not a "receptacle" for electricity; and if it's broken, no illumination.
ReplyDeleteIn times of trouble, the Taoist alternative might be, why have I forsaken Tao? Well, that's pretty much what you said, but this sharing and listening in fact does sound a little cozy. I'm having trouble articulating this, but your commentary sounds vaguely Western and religious. The "essence of being and nonbeing" as "energy" there for the receiving. It's more like participation, I think. It's about practice, not "listening."
Of course, what I just said seems to fly in the face of the idea of Tao as Great Mother. Metaphors and language...I should not speak.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I'm just focused on practice. I'm not disagreeing with your commentary; I would just like you to say more about what you mean by "listening."
BR,
ReplyDeleteOn this blog, you will often read posts from either Scott or me that are open-ended or not very specific. The reason for this is that I don't think either of us believe it is our place to tell you or others what nonbeing or "listening" should entail. Each of us must define such terms for ourselves.
There are many ways a person can listen to the bubbling brook of Tao. Here are a few (though this in no way is an exhaustive list):
* Meditation
* Jogging
* Walking, cycling or hiking
* Baking
* Sitting with a glass of wine in front of fire in the fireplace while listening to jazz or classical music
* Whittling a stick of wood.
Each person must discover their own path and their own way of communing with the cosmos. Who am I to say what that path and methodology will be like?
Thank you for clarifying. I am probably a little preoccupied with "paths and methodologies" having just spent the weekend with a book by Hua-ching Ni, focused on classic Chinese practice and concepts.
ReplyDeleteStill I would be intereted to hear what it is that makes, say, baking or whittling or sipping the merlot by the fire with Miles, a practice to become a "receptacle of Tao". (Mindfulness? I don't think so.) "Communing with the cosmos" sounds so new agey and hippiefied. (The Psalms are one culture's way of "communing with the cosmos.")
I am interested, perhaps in an academic way, in the underlying concepts of consciousness, body, mind and spirit, which support practice. These apple and orange Tao Bible posts sometimes leave me a little flummoxed.
No need to reply unless you want to dialogue.