So this thing called Tao. What is it?

Ta-Wan

A long long time ago two young brothers were running around, playing.

"Idiot" one shouted

"dumb dumb" the other retorted

On they played, and later still as they played, Father stood by.

"Dimbo" one shouted as his brother missed a catch.

"Bim Brain" was the reply.

In time as the games went on, Father and Mother watched and talked of how it was time to bring the boys in for their meal.

"Dumb bro" shouted one as the kite hit the ground.

"Dilldo" said his brother.

"Tea time" called Mother.

As the family collected their belongings and headed in to eat, Father said to Mother. "I'm not sure that 'dilldo' is an appropriate word for the boys to be using."

"Oh these boys make up all sorts of silly and meaningless words, how can one be inappropriate when another is not?"

"I just feel that this one has a meaning"

"It does? They say all sorts of things, Dimbo, Dim wit, Daft ape..."

"Yes dear, but Dilldo is, ahem, it has a meaning of its own" and Father whispered in Mothers ear.

So over their meal that evening the boys were instructed not to use this one word again. The rest of their made up language was fine -- just this one was now off limits.

~

In Thailand, there is a desert called Fuk Yew. Do we have them ban or rename it?

~

If I simply emit noise and open my mouth, I'll likely get a noise a little like "O"

If I continue the noise and close my mouth, I'll likely get a noise "M"

And so we have the primal noise 'OM' and it is deemed holy.

~

Someone once said that when they emitted the noise "God" that this should be respected. But "Cod", well, that's just a fish.

Someone once linked together a few noises into the complex sound "Consciousness" and they attached to it quite a complex definition.

Someone once said "Cnsciiisssn..." after they had been shot in the chest. Then they stopped breathing and died.

~

Tao.

It's just another meaningless sound that has been attached some definition. Does the definition give the sound meaning? That's what we're told. "Hell" a place you don't want to go "Hello" a greeting. "Tao" a grand concept. "Taoism" the quest for its embodiment.

A baby says "rawalanngugukeke" it's cute.

A man says "rawalanngugukeke" he's drunk.

A man says "I am a proud Jew"

An Asian near by with some basic English misinterprets the statement as "I have a fine erection". ('Jew' being 'penis' in a certain Asian language).

~

Words have the meanings we give them. But all they are are our hour-by-hour hurly burlies.

You can check out Ta-Wan's other musings here.