Dao II: A State of Mind

Scott Bradley

When we say that Dao stands for Ultimate Reality we are simply giving a nod to Oneness. And Oneness implies that nothing exists outside Itself, however lowly or apparently deviant. This is probably already saying too much, but certainly we can say no more. Dao is beyond the grasp of mind.

Because it is impossible for anything to in any way to be other than Dao, nothing can or need be done to “attain” Dao. There are no conditions to meet. This does not mean that human beings, who have the capacity to behave disharmoniously with respect to Dao, cannot act so as to restore that harmony. But a first step in that restoration is the realization that that restoration is not a condition for ontic (for lack of a better word) unity with Dao; 'unity' in this case is an absurdity in that it suggests another possibility. I am my mother's son whatever my behavioral relationship with her.

The restoration of harmony is psychological Dao. One realizes who he already is (though this equates to mystery). Dao is also a state of mind.

Harmony with Dao is harmony with Reality; and although we cannot know what that Reality "is", we do experience an interface with it. And though this harmony expresses itself in many ways, its most essential character is one of thankful acceptance; we cease to war with events, 'facts', and circumstances whether within or without, because we understand these as Dao. This is only possible when we realize that there is ultimately nothing in us to preserve, nothing to save. We free ourselves to fearlessly flow with Dao.

Acceptance of reality as Reality is not an abdication of responsibility; it is the realization of the freedom wherein we are enabled to transform without that disharmony which disallows transformation. Understanding that not-one is also One is an organic first step in the approximation of greater oneness.

Disharmony is also Dao, but Dao, whatever it "is", is in no way static; it is endless transformation and we are free to transform along with it, knowing all the while that nothing more than a temporal peace is at issue.

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