On Being Oh So Special

Trey Smith

That is the imperial mind at work. Its premises are often embraced implicitly rather than knowingly: American lives are inherently more valuable; foreign lives are expendable in pursuit of American interests; the U.S. has the inalienable right to take action in other countries that nobody is allowed to take in the U.S. (just imagine: “An Iranian drone fired two missiles at a bakery in the northwest U.S. Saturday and killed four suspected militants, Iranian officials said, as Iran pushed on with its drone campaign despite American demands to stop. This was the third such strike in the country in less than a week” or “Thirty five women and children were killed by a Yemeni cruise missile armed with cluster bombs which struck an alleged Marine training camp in Texas”).
~ from The Imperial Mind by Glenn Greenwald ~

If you want to know why a philosophy (or religion) like Taoism finds it so difficult to gain traction in the US, the above paragraph really sums it up. We Americans see ourselves as exceptional and so the vast majority of my countrymen need a belief system that legitimizes the need to feel special. Christianity and Judaism fit the bill as the starring characters of the Bible are the Chosen People.

In Christian parlance, the faithful are the elect. A true Christian is different than other people because he/she enjoys an extra special relationship with the creator. Many Christians hold to the belief that once saved, always saved. Phrased slightly differently, it comes off as once special, always special.

With this idea of American Exceptional embedded in the minds of most Americans, why turn to a philosophy that rather explicitly points out that either no one is special or everyone is? From the Taoist perspective, life is a level playing field. As Lao Tzu points out, the sage is good to the good AND the bad, nice to the nice and the NOT so nice. Tao favors no one.

And that simply doesn't fit into the American ethos.

Chapter 13A - Doctrine of the Mean

The Master said "The path is not far from man. When men try to pursue a course, which is far from the common indications of consciousness, this course cannot be considered THE PATH.

"In the Book of Poetry, it is said, 'In hewing an ax-handle, in hewing an ax-handle, the pattern is not far off.' We grasp one ax handle to hew the other; and yet, if we look askance from the one to the other, we may consider them as apart. Therefore, the superior man governs men, according to their nature, with what is proper to them, and as soon as they change what is wrong, he stops.

"When one cultivates to the utmost the principles of his nature, and exercises them on the principle of reciprocity, he is not far from the path. What you do not like when done to yourself, do not do to others.
~ James Legge translation via nothingistic.org ~

Go here to read the introductory post to this serialized version of the Doctrine of the Mean.

Daily Tao - Wisdom, Evolution and the Spiritual Way

There is no proof that Men evolved from basic simple land dwellers into great Men.

The evidence is instead that Great Spiritual Cultures lived and their only purpose in life was passing down wisdom so that all would live in blissful unity.

We exist in times where the desire for this spiritual wisdom is out of balance with availability.

Nature will redress this balance. You're going the right way.

Daily Tao is a reprint from Ta-Wan's blog, Daily Cup of Tao, which offers one post per day for an entire year. You also can read these posts in an ebook.

Fluttering About Joyfully

Scott Bradley

Probably the most famous story from the Zhuangzi is the one in which he dreams so vividly that he is a butterfly that upon awakening he is unsure whether he is a butterfly now dreaming he is a man or was a man dreaming he was a butterfly. On the surface, this would seem to be intended to demonstrate that life is a dream. But though the fluidity of our perceived reality is here suggested, this simply makes possible something more central to Zhuangzi's philosophy, the fluidity of identity.

The story closes: "Surely, Zhou and a butterfly count as two distinct identities! Such is what we call the transformation of one thing into another." (Zhuangzi, 2:49; Ziporyn) The real question isn't whether Zhuangzi is a man or a butterfly, but how he can be both. But if he can be both, then might it not be better to say he is neither? And if "neither-of-the-two" (the literal meaning of "penumbra" in the preceding story), then he would seem to have no true identity at all. Identity, it seems, is not the fixed and sure thing we typically think it to be. Today he can be a butterfly, tomorrow a man, and the day after that...perhaps simply dispersed matter. If there is identity here, it is "peculiarly unfixed"; it is not identity as we know it, nor are we able to do so.

This is not Zhuangzi experiencing himself, his identity, in various forms; "these are two distinct identities". There is a discreet Zhuangzi identity, and a discreet butterfly identity. But identity, in this case, cannot be the fixed thing we generally take it to be. Every "fixed-identity" is lost in the transforming flow.

For this reason, we can say that we do not truly exist as distinct identities; we are that which can be expressed in identities. But what this is, is beyond identity.

Having established this "road" of no identity, we are able to joyfully follow the other "road" of identity; for always we are asked to walk two roads. Finding himself a butterfly, Zhuangzi "fluttered about joyfully, just as a butterfly would." Finding ourselves as human beings (presumably), we live this identity to its fullest. Aware of having no-fixed-identity, we can experience and express joyfully whatever identity it is in which we find ourselves. We are fulfilled in our apparent identity by virtue of the ability to see beyond that identity. Like actors in a play, we give ourselves completely to being our given character, but we do not foolishly attach to it. Yet unlike actors, our non-attachment gives us the power to transform the character we are destined to momentarily play.

You can check out Scott's writings on Zhuangzi here.

Tao Bible - Matthew 5:21-22

Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
~ King James version ~

If a man is crossing a river and an empty boat collides with his own skiff, even though he be a bad-tempered man he will not become very angry. But if he sees a man in the boat, he will shout at him to steer clear. If the shout is not heard, he will shout again, and yet again, and begin cursing. And all because there is somebody in the boat. Yet if the boat were empty, he would not be shouting, and not angry.

If you can empty your own boat crossing the river of the world, no one will oppose you, no one will seek to harm you....

Who can free himself from achievement, and from fame, descend and be lost amid the masses of men? He will flow like Tao, unseen, he will go about like Life itself with no name and no home. Simple is he, without distinction. To all appearances he is a fool. His steps leave no trace. He has no power. He achieves nothing, has no reputation.

Since he judges no one, no one judges him. Such is the perfect man: His boat is empty.
~ from Chapter 20 of the Zhuangzi ~

We tend to view the word, violence, too narrowly. We cast anger as being a different sort of animal, but anger is a form of emotional violence. Not only does it injure others, but it pollutes us from the inside out.

While some may argue that anger is an organic manifestation of personality, it loses its organic attributes when we hold onto it and refuse to let it go. In such a case, it turns into a corrosive force that impacts everything within and around us.

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.

Chapter 12 - Doctrine of the Mean

The way which the superior man pursues, reaches wide and far, and yet is secret.

Common men and women, however ignorant, may intermeddle with the knowledge of it; yet in its utmost reaches, there is that which even the sage does not know. Common men and women, however much below the ordinary standard of character, can carry it into practice; yet in its utmost reaches, there is that which even the sage is not able to carry into practice. Great as heaven and earth are, men still find some things in them with which to be dissatisfied. Thus it is that, were the superior man to speak of his way in all its greatness, nothing in the world would be found able to embrace it, and were he to speak of it in its minuteness, nothing in the world would be found able to split it.

It is said in the Book of Poetry, "The hawk flies up to heaven; the fishes leap in the deep." This expresses how this way is seen above and below.

The way of the superior man may be found, in its simple elements, in the intercourse of common men and women; but in its utmost reaches, it shines brightly through heaven and earth.
~ James Legge translation via nothingistic.org ~

Go here to read the introductory post to this serialized version of the Doctrine of the Mean.

Strip...On Demand

Trey Smith

I often find myself engaged in weird conversations in the checkout line at our town's one grocery store. In and of itself, this is not surprising as I am the one responsible for the strange topic or a different take on a familiar topic. What can I say? My Aspie brain often goes off in strange directions!

Anyhow, the other night Kim (the head checker) and I somehow got into a conversation about invalids and sponge baths. The subject related to the fact I was still using a walker to get around as the inflammation in my left hip had yet to subside.

Out of the blue, Kim -- a very modest woman about 10 years my junior -- said, "Strip down and face me." I was stunned. I asked her to repeat what she said which she did. The woman in line behind me, the adjacent checker (Shane) and I simply looked at Kim in disbelief.

One of us -- I don't remember which one -- said we didn't realize she was such a risque gal. She became flustered and turned beet red. It turns out she was speaking in reference to the use of my debit card to pay for my purchases! That day she had several customers who had become confused at the new configuration of the card terminal and so she was merely trying to inform me that the magnetic strip needed to be face down with the back edge facing toward her.

But now she has something to live down! Several of us have ribbed her mercilessly for her apparent statement.

My wife got a big kick out of it. The next day Della and I went shopping together. Seeing Kim stocking on one of the aisles, we approached her. My wife announced that we were facing her and we pretended to strip (disrobe)! Kim turned beet red all over again and the three of us shared a good-natured laugh.

Afternoon Matinee: BP Gulf Oil Spill as of April 2012

Your Shadow Is Free II

Scott Bradley

Guo Xiang (252-312), as we have previously seen, worked from the thesis that Dao is Non-Being, and since Non-Being cannot create Being, nothing is created; all things spontaneously arise as a self-creation. And though I feel this goes much too far into the realm of speculative metaphysics when no such journey is required, and seeks to establish belief on the basis of logic, it does, nonetheless, rest firmly on the fundamental Daoist understanding that Dao does nothing, yet nothing is left undone. Things simply happen spontaneously. Wu wei, non-doing, is a Daoist value because it is at the very foundation of apparent existence.

"Thus, only after you understand that forms form themselves," writes Guo, "can you understand what is meant by creation. Hence, of all things involved in the realm of existence, even the penumbra, there has never been one that did not transform itself in its own solitary singularity, constantly positioned in the realm where all agency vanishes." (Ziporyn)

The implications of this understanding are profound on many levels, and I confess that I cannot follow them far. But we need not do so to begin to understand some of the practical implications for our being in the world. "One who understands his principle," continues Guo, "allows each of the ten thousand things to return to its source within its own self without depending on anything outside itself, externally without apology and internally without pride."

This is a restatement of Zhuangzi's affirmation of the 'rightness' of each and every thing. All things affirm themselves as a matter of course, and the sage, looking at things from the perspective of Dao, affirms them in their self-affirmation. All things are respected, not for what they are, but because they are. We do not affirm some and dismiss others.

But perhaps more importantly, because it is the basis of our relationship with others, is an understanding of how this principle works within ourselves. We are also enjoined to "return to the source within ourselves without depending on anything outside ourselves, externally without apology and internally without pride." The Zhuangzian vision is one of freedom from all dependence through the letting go of all within ourselves that requires support. Nothing need be propped up. Without a fixed identity, what need have we for external affirmation? Finding life a spontaneous arising within ourselves, outside any known agency, including our own, what need have we to grasp it or fear its loss? Surrendered into "the vastness at the root of things", having found it in herself, Zhuangzi's sage depends on nothing, neither self nor others. She wanders far and unfettered, riding on the backs of all she encounters, because she has entrusted herself utterly to the way things are; for this is Dao.

The rocks are free; the birds are free; the penumbra is free; your shadow is free. Upon what do they depend? They simply are. Simply be.

You can check out Scott's writings on Zhuangzi here.

Line by Line - Verse 69, Line 6

grasping the weapon where there is no weapon to grasp;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Capturing the enemy without attacking,
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Grappling enemies without enemies
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

[No corresponding line]
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

I really like the way John Lash explains this line.

The aggressor's underestimation of your ability will allow your weakness to overcome his strength.

Though I will readily admit that I am not well-versed in the martial arts, I think this is a common theme in many, if not all, of them. You allow the aggressor to attack and use his own momentum to defeat him.

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.

Might I Get Your Permission to Lodge a Complaint?

Trey Smith

Conservative government leaders like to paint themselves as strict constitutionalists. Their whole motivation, they eagerly tells us, is to protect the freedoms we enjoy in western democracies. This is just as true in England or Australia as it is in the US...or Canada.

If you've been paying attention, then you might have noticed that these conservatives are -- how should I phrase this? -- lying through their teeth!! They certainly wish to safeguard the freedoms of the elite, but they don't care too much for the freedoms of the rest of us.

Two of these freedoms -- the rights of free speech and assembly -- irritate them to no end. How are they supposed to rule the world with so many loud people in the streets? It is not fair to have their train of thought so rudely knocked off track!

Here in the US, city governments have been trying to clamp down on lawful protests for years by erecting a dizzying number of municipal regulations aimed at frustrating groups that wish to hold protests and demonstrations. Not to be outdone, the City of Montreal passed Bill 78 last week which, among other things, requires that

public demonstrations involving more than 50 people have to be flagged to authorities eight hours in advance, include itinerary, duration and time at which they are being held. The police may alter any of these elements and non-compliance would render the protest illegal.

Did you get that? What it basically comes down to is that you need a permission slip from the government in order to protest against it! Even worse, the government is allowed to change any of your plans and, if you refuse to abide by the changes, your protest becomes illegal.

Sadly, hundreds of thousands of Montreal residents didn't get the memo as they held a massive protest throughout the city on Tuesday. I think the message they sent came across loud and clear: You can take Bill 78 and shove it!

Chapter 11 - Doctrine of the Mean

The Master said, "To live in obscurity, and yet practice wonders, in order to be mentioned with honor in future ages: this is what I do not do.

"The good man tries to proceed according to the right path, but when he has gone halfway, he abandons it: I am not able so to stop.

"The superior man accords with the course of the Mean. Though he may be all unknown, unregarded by the world, he feels no regret. It is only the sage who is able for this."
~ James Legge translation via nothingistic.org ~

Go here to read the introductory post to this serialized version of the Doctrine of the Mean.

Daily Tao - Why? Is!

Not: "why this why that why me why why why?"

Just: "This that is and it is it is it is!"

Daily Tao is a reprint from Ta-Wan's blog, Daily Cup of Tao, which offers one post per day for an entire year. You also can read these posts in an ebook.

Your Shadow Is Free I

Scott Bradley

Much of what I discuss here I only vaguely understand, and this is especially true in this post which addresses the universal freedom of all things from causation. Nevertheless, I think it worth the effort to at least introduce the topic, and in the process perhaps get a better feel for it. And who knows, perhaps someone else will realize the transformative potential of this understanding and will thus be able to share it with us.

Zhuangzi has the penumbra ask the shadow why it behaves as it does, now sitting, now standing. The penumbra replies, "Do I depend on something to make me as I am? Does what I depend on depend on something else? ... How would I know why I am so or not so?" (Zhuangzi, 2:48; Ziporyn)

A penumbra is that part of a shadow which is caused by diffused light and surrounds the more distinct and defined shadow caused by direct light. The Chinese understood this as a shadow of a shadow; could anything be more dependent?

It is because the shadow of a shadow appears as a thing most dependent among things that it serves well to demonstrate that ultimately nothing depends on anything else. Zhuangzi tells us previous to this passage that "even though the transforming voices [the sounds of the wind in the trees] may depend on one another, this is tantamount to not depending on anything at all." (2:45)

Guo Xiang explains: "Since their dependence on one another is not sufficient to allow any one of them to straighten out any other, it is tantamount to no dependence at all." Though all things are dependent, every one of them has that essential root which cannot be causally attributable to anything; nor can anything else change its essential character; nor can anything else pierce its mystery; everything is essentially "self-so", "self-creating". "No thing knows any other thing," comments Lu Huiqing, "and so each returns to its own root."

Everything has its root in the spontaneous coming to be of things which has no causal explanation, for Dao does nothing, yet nothing is left undone. Things spontaneously arise, and for this reason, all things are ultimately dependent on nothing. All things "attain what they are", says Guo, "and vanishingly leave no trace." This is why we cannot know them, why we cannot grasp their essence.

This is a mere sketch of the philosophical basis for the understanding that though all things are mutually dependent, every one of them is ultimately independent. On the practical side it might be worthwhile considering your own shadow. Looking down at your shadow, are you able to understand in what way it is utterly independent of you? Are you able to momentarily break free of the grip of the concept of causation? If you can, you might then be able to realize your own independence; for make no mistake, in the realm of causation, you are no less dependent than your shadow.

You can check out Scott's writings on Zhuangzi here.

Tao Bible - Matthew 5:19

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
~ King James version ~

When the shoe fits, the foot is forgotten.
When the belt fits, the belly is forgotten.
When the heart is right, "for" and "against" are forgotten.
~ from Chapter 19 of the Zhuangzi ~

Here is one of the points in which Jesus and the Taoist sages, particularly Chuang Tzu, disagree. Jesus is big on following written external rules (i.e., the 10 Commandments), while Chuang Tzu counters that, when a person's "heart is right," you only need follow it as your guide.

Put another way, Judaism and Christianity are built upon the foundation of hierarchical authority and conformity, while philosophical Taoism rests upon inner wisdom and following one's own path.

If you're interested in reading more from this experimental series, go to the Tao Bible Index page.

Chapter 10 - Doctrine of the Mean

Tsze-lû asked about energy.

The Master said, "Do you mean the energy of the South, the energy of the North, or the energy which you should cultivate yourself?

"To show forbearance and gentleness in teaching others; and not to revenge unreasonable conduct: this is the energy of Southern regions, and the good man makes it his study.

"To lie under arms; and meet death without regret: this is the energy of Northern regions, and the forceful make it their study.

"Therefore, the superior man cultivates a friendly harmony, without being weak. How firm is he in his energy! He stands erect in the middle, without inclining to either side. How firm is he in his energy! When good principles prevail in the government of his country, he does not change from what he was in retirement. How firm is he in his energy! When bad principles prevail in the country, he maintains his course to death without changing. How firm is he in his energy!"
~ James Legge translation via nothingistic.org ~

Go here to read the introductory post to this serialized version of the Doctrine of the Mean.

Pour Some Sugar On Me

Trey Smith

A Princeton University research team has demonstrated that all sweeteners are not equal when it comes to weight gain: Rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same.

In addition to causing significant weight gain in lab animals, long-term consumption of high-fructose corn syrup also led to abnormal increases in body fat, especially in the abdomen, and a rise in circulating blood fats called triglycerides. The researchers say the work sheds light on the factors contributing to obesity trends in the United States.

"Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity, but our results make it clear that this just isn't true, at least under the conditions of our tests," said psychology professor Bart Hoebel, who specializes in the neuroscience of appetite, weight and sugar addiction. "When rats are drinking high-fructose corn syrup at levels well below those in soda pop, they're becoming obese -- every single one, across the board. Even when rats are fed a high-fat diet, you don't see this; they don't all gain extra weight."
~ from A Sweet Problem by Hilary Parker ~

One of the trade groups for corn producers has a new ad campaign on television that attempts to "re-brand" High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) as corn sugar. These ads feature bright and cheery people who tell us that all sugars are the same and so "corn sugar" easily can be part of a healthy diet.

Even if this assertion was true -- it doesn't appear to be so in light of the research above -- what the spokespeople for these ads fail to note is that HFCS is so ubiquitous in processed foods! Go to your local grocery store and read the ingredient labels of a wide assortment of packages and you will find HFCS on products that don't taste the least bit sweet. In fact, my guess is that it will boggle your mind how often HFCS is a listed ingredient.

In reality, most American households are swimming in the stuff and the majority of folks don't even know it. Again, even if it was true that "corn sugar" is no different than any other sugar, too much sugar of ANY kind is not conducive to good health. That is the salient fact that these friendly ads seek to obfuscate.

Hat tip to the Fallenmonk where I first saw mention of this study.

Afternoon Matinee: The Gulf Is STILL Not OK

Spam I Am - Gibberish

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Line by Line - Verse 69, Line 5

baring the arms (to fight) where there are no arms to bare;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Rolling up your sleeves without showing your arm,
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Raising arms without arms
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

preparing for battle without revealing your strength.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

From my perspective, this line is about grandstanding. If we spend all of our time running around trying to show how tough we are, we are inviting conflict. While we may scare off some people, others will want to challenge us to see if we are as tough as advertised! It's like wearing a t-shirt that says, Bring It On, Baby!

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.