Reflections of a Taoist

The Inexplicable Tao:
One can point in all directions and it would be Tao, only it would not be Tao in its totality. I would say Nature is Tao, and yet it itself is but a manifestation of the elusive source Tao. To say Tao is "this" is to say Tao is not "that", to say Tao is "that", is to say Tao is not "this". Tao is all that exist and all that does not. The Tao can be talked about, but not the total and/or eternal Tao. Tao is void and form and yet is the source of both void and form.

The Undefinable and Definable Tao:
Tao is the elusive undefinable Yin and the definable manifestation Yang. This does not make it two, for both are one in the same. Tao is definable and yet undefinable, its manifestations is definable and its source is undefinable. To me all things are Tao, and yet its very source is forever elusive. We learn to work with the Tao by understanding its yin/yang manifestations. I am not trying to explain the total Tao, but simply learning of its manifestations and how to better work with it. If we study nature which is a manifestation of Tao, we can learn to better work with the flow, bringing us more balance and a deeper enlightenment about the universe. Just cause I point at the back of a persons definable head, but cannot see their undefinable face, does not mean I cant point at the back of their head. This is Tao, definable yet undefinable! all definable manifestations originate from the undefinable source Tao.

The Source and its Manifestations:
Ancient Taoist knew that one has to understand yin and yang in order to work with the manifestations, while when we go back to the source, then yin and yang become One and distinctions cease to exist. Well, some people confuse one with the other, Lao Tzu talked of the elusive source and yet he also talked of its manifestations. In voidness balance and imbalance cease to exist, while when dealing with all the myriad things, we have to understand imbalance (extremes) in order to find the balance. While Ultimate Balance would be the shifting between emptiness and fullness, for the "shifting" is the constant never ending change manifested by Tao.

Duality And Oneness:
Within our conscious reality (polarity) we have duality, we need to distinguish opposites in order to function within this movement we know as reality, if we was dead, that is to say absence of life, then there would be no need for distinctions. Also if we was in a state of meditation, we can also let go of distinctions. Oneness in my view is not to rid oneself of duality, but rather not to become trapped by it. There's a time for letting go of distinctions and there's a time not to, for if we didn't know hot from cold, summer from winter, how would we know when to wear a coat? We need to have a balance between being at one and having to deal with duality within everyday reality. Not distinguishing opposites all the time would be impossible, unless one is dead, in which case opposites would be meaningless. In existence one can see the duality as well as its over all oneness. Taoist understood and studied the concepts of duality in nature, they was focused on the differences of Yin and Yang. Taoist philosophy is concerned with the intrinsic nature of Yinness and Yangness, readily seen when studying Taoist medicine or magic, for example, It is a Taoist stance to look at Yin Vs Yang techniques, Hard Vs Soft styles, and yet both Duality and Oneness together is ultimate wholeness.

The illusion of static dualism:
My take on all things being illusion, is that nothing stays the same, things are always changing, even the pyramids of Egypt are not eternal, nothing last forever, and to believe it does is illusion. This might be what the ancients meant by all things being illusion, for nothing stays the same. Our ego resist the constant changing as well as the oneness of the universe by becoming attached to the illusion of permanentness, what I like to call the illusion of static dualism. Only by letting go of these attachments can we free ourselves from static dualism, an illusion created by the egos refusal to let go of that which is not permanent, but should instead accept that the only thing that's truly permanent is change. We need to accept change as a natural phenomenon and not become trapped to static dualism.

Oneness within Polarity (a balance)
Fullness is yin and yang (duality), while Emptiness is neither yin or yang (oneness), and yet emptiness is yin when compared to its opposite fullness which is yang. And so when the emptiness (void) mixes with the fullness (form), we get more Polarity, producing what we know as the five elements, these elements in turn produces all the things we see and don't see in nature, thanks to the cycle of motion we call polarity. In polarity (motion), we can find tranquility through oneness (stillness). And yet this constant shifting back and forth between the two is in itself Oneness.

Balance or Extremes?:
Sometimes extreme situations require extreme responses. One needs to "equalize," creating balance by responding to certain situations with what we might consider to be extremes, yet what we perceive as extremes is sometimes nothing more then balancing. So just like when there's extremes such as 20 below zero, so to must we go towards its opposite extreme by wearing heavy coats in order to have balance. So people sometimes ask, if there's an extreme yang such as summer, isn't going towards its extreme opposite yin an off balance? I say "no" but rather one is keeping in balance by going towards its opposite extreme. Which by the way, is not an extreme but rather balance! These so called extremes all depends on the view of where one is standing. What we consider an extreme in the summer, is not necessarily an extreme in the winter and vice versa. So is it balance or extreme? I say it all depends on the time, place and situation. Therefore extreme is not always extreme but is in fact sometimes balance, while balance is not always balance but is in fact sometimes extreme. All we can do from our own individual perspective, is to try to find the best balance among all the extremes in life.

What's the opposite of opposite?:
The opposite of opposite would be no opposite which would be called voidness, why? because voidness has no opposites, which is why its called voidness, and is only opposite when compared to fullness which has opposites.

Distinguishing Opposites:
Duality gives us existence as we know it, and is needed in order for us to distinguish opposites, this is how we function within existence, and without it we would simply have void. Duality is not bad and is not good but is both, while void is neither. Polarity is necessary for consciousness, in voidness there is no consciousness. Heres another way of looking at this, Left Middle Right and Void, If we're talking "form", then it has a left and right, it has a top and bottom, and of course it also has a middle or mid point "balance". Now left and right can be seen as yin and yang, top and bottom can also be seen as yin and yang, while the middle or mid point is seen as the balance. So now if we ask what is the opposite of this over all matter? then we say space. Empty space has no left or right, no top or bottom, no yin or yang, this is why its called void, and yet this "space" is Yin when compared to its opposite "form" which is Yang. In fullness one seeks the middle, in emptiness one need not seek, yet the ultimate balance is between fullness and emptiness, between form and space. Another way of looking at this is to take an instrument such as the trumpet, We can say sound is fullness because it has both yin/yang hi and low, while silence is emptiness for its absent of yin/yang hi and low. So when one plays the trumpet, one has to find a balance between blowing way too hard or blowing way to softly, yet to seek balance in emptiness, one simply has to not play the trumpet. Notice when the trumpet player plays music, he/she creates sounds from high to low to middle as well as allowing the spaces between sounds. This I see as balancing between left, middle, right and void. It is both empty and full (polarity) that gives us motion, which gives us life. If the universe was total full or total empty, we could not exist. We need to go back to distinguishing yin from yang in order to find its balance. Yet when these two things merge, we end up with Oneness and so theres no longer a need for problem solving, for under oneness, opposite distinctions will cease to exist.

Double Edge Sword:
I'm sure lots of you have heard of the expression, science is a double edge sword, I believe this to be true and a very Taoistic view. Lets take a knife for example (form), I can use this knife to kill you (yin), and yet I can also use it to save you (yang), but now if the knife does not exist (void), then neither can I kill you with it nor safe you with it. A knife is not in itself good or evil, but how people decide to use it. The fact that the knife exist brings opposite possibilities, yet if the knife did not exist, neither killing nor saving lives with it would be possible. Nature is a double edge sword!

Unity and Duality:
We come from unity and into duality, back and forth endlessly, could this shifting between unity and duality be seen as true oneness? After all, the reason duality exist, is because unity exist, the reason unity exist, is because duality exist, one compliments the other. So could being attached to only one side be seen as trapped in dualism? Why not accept both as One? Yin and Yang are mutually exclusive and yet are interdependent.

Oneness and Balance:
Oneness and Balance are both seen as balance, but on opposite ends. One being the Source emptiness that has no opposites, and the other being the Manifestations known as fullness which does have opposites. In the former we find balance by becoming One, while in the latter we find balance by seeking its equilibrium. Its a constant shifting cycle between the two which are really one in the same. But normally oneness is associated with the source and balance with the manifestations, while in either case both are seen as working with the Tao.

A shifting flux of balance:
In duality we have both balance and imbalance while in unity there is no balance and imbalance, and yet unity is balance when compared to duality which is imbalance, duality is imbalance which explains movement, unity is balance which explains its stillness, and is in a constant shifting cycle between the two which are really One.

expansion and contraction:
The universe is in a state of (expansion) empty/full, where emptiness is increasing while fullness is decreasing, when fullness becomes nonexistent, and there's total (emptiness), the universe will then swing back towards its opposite extreme (contraction), in which case the emptiness starts to decrease while the fullness starts to increase, until the total universe shrinks and becomes total (fullness), at this point the universe has become a micro size ball "big crunch", fullness blows up into what's known as the "big bang" and the universe starts to expand yet again.

illusion and non illusion:
Within duality there is illusion and non illusion, yet duality is all illusion when compared to unity which is then seen as non illusion (truth). Unity is the merging of illusion and non illusion, being neither illusion and non illusion yet being the source of both illusion and non illusion. Unity is non illusion when compared to duality which is illusion, and yet duality is both illusion and non illusion, while unity is neither.

Duality Cycle:
At the bottom of this piece, theres a duality chart I created based on the yin/yang. Its design to illustrate how life which is "form" has both balance and imbalance, while death which is "void" would be the absence of balance and imbalance. In life we strive for balance in order to have a long healthy life, while avoiding poisons and unhealthy acts that bring about imbalances, for if we go towards extreme imbalance in either direction, we end up with death. Also the process of birth which comes from the void, is an imbalance going towards balance life, while the process of dying is balance going into imbalance leading to death, which is void. All things that are form have opposites yin and yang, while void has neither, yet the ultimate balance is between void (yin) and form (yang). One could say that dying (destruction) is the yin within the yang, while birth (creation) is the yang within the yin, and is always in the process of waxing and waning, filling and emptying, for this is the course of Nature. Duality Chart

Drop meets Flat:
Think of the Universe before its existence as a pond of water, perfectly flat and still, in other words emptiness, all of a sudden this one drop of water called fullness drops into the middle of the pond, then we see the ring like movements of the waves spreading outwards, in which case waves are going up and down yin and yang, these up and down waves is the duality which makes up our reality (manifestations), due to the fullness and emptiness mixing together to create a mix of form and space on many manifested levels. Then as the waves start to subside, all things start becoming still again until the pond is once again flat, only for maybe yet another drop to crash down into the pond creating another polarity existence. If the big bang is any indicator of this drop, then I would think we are somewhere between the time the drop hit the water and the time it will take the waves to finally die out into flatness.

The Universe came from Oneness,
then came Duality which later returns to Oneness.

Emptiness, Fullness and Empty/Full:
Emptiness mated with Fullness, then had a child named both empty/full, empty/full in turn makes up the total universe as we know it. As time passes, empty/full becomes more and more empty, until empty/full becomes emptiness itself, then comes fullness out of the void, only to create yet another empty/full. (cycle repeats)

Can Tao see parts of itself through us?:
Sometimes people ask me if Tao can think or see? Well, yes and no, I believe the Tao sees parts of itself through us, not Tao as in some entity that sees through us, but rather we are each a part of nature seeing parts of itself, but only traces of itself, for the Tao cant even see its total and eternal self, that's if I can even call it a self. Now when I speak of the Tao, I'm not talking about the whole Tao, but a small part of it. We are part of the Tao, and so I believe that if there's any part of it that thinks and sees, its us and maybe other life forms. So parts of Tao can see, but only through a limited view with limited minds through what's called humans, animals and who knows what other life forms in the universe. A telescope can be seen as a small part of the Tao, but it itself cant be used to see all of the universe. What we define as thinking and seeing is but a micro size part of the Tao, so it sees a limited amount with only limited parts of itself. The universe as a whole cannot think and yet our little human minds are able to think and be consciously aware of our universe. Small things are great!

C l o u d i n e s s:
Notice how from out of empty space comes fullness known as form, this is what happens when clouds come out of the emptiness to give us fullness, and so clouds have a beginning and an ending and yet has no beginning and ending, for it transforms into water only to be recycled back into clouds. I find this particular manifestation interesting to observe, for it shows us the never ending process of change in all its different cloud forms. This is what happens to all things, only at different rates of speed, for the 10,000 things are forever being manifested. Think of all things as clouds popping into existence and back into non existence, this is what's happening to all things in the universe, only at different rates of speed. To see a good example of this, all you have to do is watch the newest movie Time Machine.

Cycles within Cycles:
Our planet earth is but a snow flake in the vastness of snow, it is true that the flake with all its individual characteristics cannot exist forever, yet we know that its short term life cycle is only a small part of a larger endless cycle. On the microcosm as well as the macrocosm we have limited cycles within endless cycles, and yet this larger cycle might in itself be a limited cycle within a larger endless cycle. We are limited and yet we are eternal, for our limited selves is part of an eternal cycle.

Seeing things with Clarity:
Think of the reflection of the moon on a pond of water, when the water is disturbed, it distorts the reflection, this is what happens in our life, then we cannot see clearly, yet when we reach a state of stillness, we see things as they are, "clearly." Emotions are like rocks we throw into the water, making it hard to see things as they truly are, making the moon seem distorted. Calmness is the key to Clarity.

Going with the Flow:
I'm sure you've heard of the expression, go with the flow. Well, picture life as a large rushing river, and each of us are on our own individual rafts, we cannot go against this rivers flow or we would die as a result, nor can we allow ourselves to flow without any control, or we would crash into the rocks and die as well, these two are extremes, along our journey in life we must maintain a "balance" between going with the flow and control, otherwise we cannot sustain ourselves within the rushing movements manifested by the Tao. Go with the flow, but with limited control.

Pain and Pleasure:
Someone once asked me the question, why is there so much pain in the world?
and I said because there is so much pleasure! "yin yang" One cannot exist without the other, thats life.

Optimist or Pessimist?:
People have always ask me the question, are you an optimist or a pessimist? Is the glass half empty or half full? As a Taoist I would say both! "yin yang" To accept only one side would be a denial of it's opposite side. All things have opposite possibilities, its like flipping a coin 50/50, so I would ask, why put faith on only one side?

Above and below Nature:
We are not above nature nor are we below it, we are nature! Seeing the oneness to it all, one notices that there's really no difference between beavers building a dam and humans producing technology, for all is a manifestation of the same thing regardless of outcome. To separate ourselves or technology as being apart from Tao, is nothing more then our egos belief that we are either above or below nature, but we are nature! When I see technology advancing, I see it no different then the universe evolving, or no different then new music being created, why reject it? I say accept it as one of the ten thousand things that happens to be coming into existence.

Objective and Subjective:
Each individual has a different vantage point of reality from the next individual, and so nothing can be seen as an absolute truth, for each of our views is subjective, and the only objective truth is the eternal source Tao. And so unity is objective and duality is subjective, and yet duality is both objective and subjective, while unity is neither.

Transcending yet working with Duality: (wu wei)
It is true that to become at one with the Tao, we must transcend yin/yang, and yet this does not mean we should totally reject duality, only that we should not become bogged down and trapped by it! We should become One with the source yet also finding equilibrium within its manifestations. So that when we are at one with the source, it becomes easier to find equilibrium within its manifestations using what we call wu wei (non action). For example, we might learn the techniques of juggling and practice it, but after we master it, we then reach a point where one no longer thinks of technique, and so one is able to juggle without much thought of action. This wu wei can be applied to many things in life, for unity is the source and duality its result!

The Uncarved Block (P'u):
If we want to live a path of harmony, then we need to become like the uncarved block, simple in its form, not yet carved by the world around it. This is what we should return to, so that we might find our true original inner nature of simplicity, this way we escape the congested complexities of society. In our reality of motion, we have simplicity and complexity, we need to balance these two and yet keeping to the primal simplicity in order to better deal with complexity. There is nothing wrong with complexity, so long as we don't get swept in by its whirlwind, which will only cause our minds to become congested with impurities. We should see the simple and embrace the primal, so that we are better able to manage the complex. So become like an uncarved block, untouched by the shaping of reality's complexities.

The Tao of Tao: (Fu)
As we head towards the constant, we return to the source. These words was said by the ancient sage Lao Tzu, for he understood the importance of both the constant (manifestations) and the source (Tao). This is what we should strive for, by continuing to accept the constant yet always returning to the source, this is working with Tao. When we return to simplicity, we find harmony within the constant change, this is what I call the Tao of Tao, the ultimate in endless constant return. With the everyday congestion we have to face in reality, we need to sometimes step back, such as through meditation, so that we can become silent and regenerate by returning to the root, only then can we find balance within the constant change we call the Tao.

The Way of Virtue: (jen)
Tao is virtue, all things that follow Tao are virtues. The Tao Te Ching says that there are three treasures, these treasures are called compassion, humility and balance. The reason these things are called treasures, is because its rare and not everyone has or has recognized it within, if it was like dirt, no one would need to cherish it, for all would naturally just have and practice it, but we do not, we need to guard it and keep it close, so that we are better able to work with the natural flow of the Tao. Animals might not have compassion but neither are they cruel, but we humans can be cruel, and so we need compassion. Compassion is the way of the Tao, and cruelty is an imbalance that goes against nature. If we want to follow a harmonious path, then we need to have compassion, humility and balance to be truly virtues!

Life and Death:
I believe that when we die, our bodies simply decay and go back to the elements from which we came. I don't see death as an end, but rather as a change, for nature is a never ending cycle. People are always asking where does one go when one dies? I believe one goes back to the "Void", that is the void that we came from before one was born. Now according to Taoism, everything has its opposite, Yin cannot exist without Yang, positive cannot exist without negative. There cant be yin forever, sooner or later it has to swing back to yang and then back to yin and on goes the endless cycle of nature, like the clouds becoming water and back to clouds. So my theory and point is this: If we cannot live forever, then how can we stay dead forever? according to the laws of opposites, life cannot exist without its opposite death. Life is just a moment in time, why should death be endless? The fact that we are alive shows that death is not endless, and life is also not endless, for both have to be limited in order for both to exist. So if one cannot live forever then how can one stay dead forever? there has to be a swinging back and forth of opposites, creating balance. Maybe we have always existed in different forms, while life and death are simply labels, "marking points" we put on things we know as the cycle of nature. If there cannot be yin all the time or yang all the time, then how can we stay dead anymore then we can stay alive? Like the swinging from yin to yang the cycle repeating itself, so must be from nonexistence to existence and back to nonexistence only to come back to existence again, yet how this might happen is anyone's guess. So if one cant live forever, then how can one stay dead forever? I should also point out that an individual could never be reborn again through the cycling of nature in exactly the same form. The scattered atoms that one was made of in part, could very well end up being part of future life, or not. Also let me point out that when I talk of life and death, I'm talking about the physical reality. As for a spirit that goes into some possible astral plane or higher dimensional reality after death? is a matter of personal belief.

Yield and Empty:
When Lao tzu pointed at empty, he did not mean ignore form, when lao tzu pointed out yielding, he did not mean ignore firmness, he only pointed it out, cause most people don't see the usefulness of emptiness nor the usefulness of yielding, people are only too fast to grasp at those things that have power or form, which is why Lao tzu pointed out the usefulness of emptiness and yielding, but we must remember that without fullness there is no emptiness, without firmness there is no yielding, Yin and Yang, one cannot exist without the other, we should see the wholeness and not become bogged down to one-sidedness. See the parts but don't forget the whole.

The Tao of Music:
Out of the depths of silence comes the sound of music, ever changing, always different, this being a manifestation of Tao, vibrating sounds produced by the movements of polarity, always expressing self through many ways and views. I cherish the silence yet I also cherish the sounds, like the different colors of the rainbow or the changing of seasons, so to is music an expression of nature in all its different forms, and yet always bringing us back to the beauty of silence. I say enjoy all the different cacophony of sounds that nature has to offer us.

Meditation, Source of Strength:
In Meditation we are able to escape the everyday shifting movements of duality, by going into stillness, what's known as a state of emptiness, we reach this state of voidness by letting go of attachments to opposite distinctions yin and yang who in turn merge as One, allowing the flow and cultivation of the chi. All things come to being from non being and within this nothingness is the source of all things. By returning to the source oneness, we can find the strength needed in order to deal with the everyday constant reality of duality, this way we return more balanced and healthy as well as an over all clear mind with strong concentration abilities. When meditating, one should become an empty vessel, free of thoughts, free of worldly attachments, becoming non-ego, thus merging with the Tao.

The Tao of Change:
One cannot step into the same river twice, for the rivers current of water is always changing. Nature is always changing, and the only thing that does not change is change itself. Tao is change yet never changing.

Cause and Effect:
Our world is in a constant synchronicity flow of causes and effects, and so there are causes we cannot change, while there are causes we can prevent, also there are effects that we can stop while others we cannot. This is the yin and yang of cause and effect.

Light and Color: (spectrum)
In using light and color as an example; light in its pure state shows no colors yet is the source of all colors. So that when all colors are unified, distinctions of color cease to exist, then when light breaks up into differences, we then get colors. Tao the source is light and its manifestations are colors. If we take this concept one step further, then we can also say that Tao is darkness and its manifestation is light. Also water has no one color or shape, yet is the source of all life! Also, sound is a source and echos its manifestations.

Timeless Time:
Time is something we become aware of in life (fullness) and we cease to be aware of it at death (emptiness). Also Time is a result of movement leading to all manifestations, and ceases to exist when returning to the source stillness. Time is the creation/destruction cycle. Its like writing your name on sand, then the water washes it away, well all of the universe is like this, nothing stays the same except change, that is to say movement, and when stillness comes, only then if for a moment will time stand still, then it repeats back into motion.

Seeking Balance:
I notice that stillness, simpleness and the slowing down of change is balance, while its opposite movement, complexity and the exhilaration of the changing process is imbalance. Imbalance allows for creation and destruction, while balance sustains life. But we can only keep balance to a point, otherwise we end up with a lopsided reality where one lives but does not die, and this goes against the endless change (Tao). We should try to maintain a long healthy balance, but when its our turn to go, one can only accept that life cannot exist without its opposite death.

The liquid Tao:
Water is one of the most softest things on earth and yet is the most powerful, it can give life as well as take it away, water has no color or shape and yet can become all colors and shapes, water seeks the lowest level because of the force of gravity produced by the primordial source Tao, water is like Tao, always formless and colorless yet producing all living things, water recycles, it purifies, it becomes clouds then returns back to water, endlessly recycling itself, water is symbolic of Tao, water is like Tao!

Experiencing the Tao:
How does one explain the experience of the source Tao? Well, trying to explain the experience of Tao is like trying to explain to a man who has always been blind what the color blue looks like, one has to experience it for oneself through meditation, otherwise we're no different then the blind man trying to understand what the color blue looks like. The Tao is indescribable but it can be experience by each individual. So that when we meditate, we seek the light of unity by letting go of all distinctions, merging with the Tao to become an empty vessel of Oneness.

Balance and Imbalance: (seeking equilibrium)
Duality has both balance and imbalance, while unity has neither, and yet unity is balance when compared to duality which is imbalance, and is in a constant flux between the two, for both are one in the same. And so unity is stillness and duality is movement, yet fluctuating between the two. Like the concepts of yin and yang, balance cannot exist without imbalance and imbalance cannot exist without balance, and so the shifting between the two can be seen as an over all balance, what I like to call a balancing act. The reason this occurs, is because within reality, imbalance simply cannot exist without its opposite balance. Imbalance and imperfection gives our universe movement, while stillness allows for balance and perfection (unity). When dealing with the manifestations of Tao, we need to find balance by seeking its equilibrium, but when we merge with the source (Tao), then we automatically become balance, both are seen as balance but on opposite ends of the spectrum, and yet to do both simultaneously would be seen as a form of wu wei (non-action), for to work with duality while being in a state of oneness is to truly master the art of balancing. If we can keep balance within the movements of polarity and yet keeping to a state of oneness at the same time, we would master stillness within motion.

The indescribable description:
To say something is indescribable, is in itself a description, but only when we compare that which is indescribable with that which is describable. This comparison is only possible within duality, yet within unity all descriptions and comparisons ceases to exist. Let us take sound for example, sounds have many forms that can be described, yet silence by itself is indescribable and is only describable when we compare it to its opposite describable. And so silence like darkness by itself is indescribable and is only describable when compared to its opposite sound/light. Tao the source is indescribable yet its manifestations are describable, only within polarity can we compare to describe, but within the source, descriptions ceases to exist, and yet within this indescribable nothingness, this void, this source lies the "force" that not only sparked life and existence, but continues to provide all the myriad things with sustenance. Also the reason one is describable and the other is not, is because that's what truly makes them opposite (yin/yang), and yet this yin has neither yin nor yang, while this yang has both yin and yang. This yin/yang concept never fails no matter how deep we go, yin/yang logic still applies.

Polarity Reality:
In talking of the concepts of Yin and Yang, we should always remember that within every yin theres a little yang and within every yang theres a little yin, and is in a constant state of change, creating and destroying endlessly. Spring is the yang within the yin, summer is yang at its highest, fall is yin within yang, and winter is yin at its highest, and so when yang reaches its limit, it then swings back towards yin, then when yin reaches its limit, it then swings back to yang again. Like an eternal pendulum, the universe continues to manifest while returning to its source.

The Sacred Path: (pa-k'ua)
Before all things existed, we had the limitless primordial "wu-chi", the source (Tao), then from this undifferentiated nothingness came "tai-chi", the great ultimate, known as yin and yang, and so this changing duality (separation of earth and heaven) produces the five elements, fire, water, earth, wood, metal, which in turn produces the four directions, west, east, north, south, as well as the four seasons, and so this "four" produces "eight", this pa kua or eight trigrams as its called are then represented as sky, earth, water, fire, thunder, wind, mountain and lake, and these eight trigrams is subdivided into 64 hexagrams, which is all myriad things in motion. This interaction between stillness and movement, yin and yang was used as a divination technique as well as for describing the forming of the manifested universe, by ancient Taoist shamans who studied nature, astronomy and all its subtleties. Today we can still use this in studying the Way of nature, by using yin/yang principles to understand the movements of our universe on many different levels. All things are in a constant shifting flux between opposites, producing the force that generates chi and gravity (space allowing for form), and yet the key is always the same, and that is to maintain balance and avoid extremes, only then can we live in harmony with Tao, and though we are in a state of tai-chi, we will return to the primordial source we originally came from, called wu-chi, the sacred path, the Tao. To learn, read i ching book of change.

Unity, Duality, Trinity:
Void is One, Form has Two,
void has neither yin or yang making it one,
while form has yin and yang making it two,
one and two is three, this can be seen as Trinity!
This being that which leads us to man, earth and heaven.

The Tao of Magick:
Magic has been known as the will power and imagination of the magician to willingly affect the environment and others around him through the hidden powers of nature, by using tools such as ceremonies, spells, talisman, divination, charms, astro projection, vision quest, incantations, mantras, mudras, meditation and visualization. There's the theory of the collective unconscious and how everything is connected through matter as well as non matter giving us a cosmic matrix. This being an explanation for magic, for to affect something hundreds of miles away, would be like tapping one of the strings within this spider web matrix we call the universe.

Sun, Moon, and Earth:
Sun is Yang, and Moon is Yin, so what's Earth? It depends what you compare it too. Earth is Yang next to Moon, and Earth is Yin next to Sun. So what's Earth? again it depends what you are comparing it too. But now if we compare the Earth to both Sun and Moon, then Earth is both Yin & Yang "Balance", allowing all life to flourish.

North, South, and Equator:
Its said North is Yin while South is Yang and this is true, but if the North pole is the opposite of the South pole and both are Cold, they are both "Yin" while the Equator is "Yang". Why? Because this logic of two yin's and one yang seems to apply when talking about "temperatures" in relation to the earth, which is a sphere, and is at a perfect angle with our nearest star the sun.

Eclipse and Equinox:
I call solar eclipse's yin covering yang, while lunar eclipse's I call yang covering yin. When talking about the equinox as we know, both the northern and southern parts of the earth have the four seasons, while the equator has only two during the equinox. The two times each year (March 21 and September 23) the sun crosses the equator and day and night are everywhere of equal length, a moment of balance.

Famous:
Some people get so hooked on fame, then when they lose it, they hit its opposite extreme and become depressed, while the average person that's not that known, are not affected by being well known. The reward for being unknown seems greater then the rewards for being known. One whose loved by millions can just as easily be hated by the same million, why be known?

fish in water: ><> ><> ><>
Asking what is Tao, is like a fish asking what's water?
Tao is like water, though it surrounds the fish, fish do not see or notice it.
Yet always supporting and sustaining all things that live within it.

Surfing the Tao:
Life is like riding a wave on a surfboard, some waves are small, others big, some come fast and others slow, but no matter what wave hits us in life, we need to keep balance regardless of the waves. We cannot ride the wave forever, all we can do is keep riding it while it last, then you can say you've tried to be at One with nature, otherwise you'll simply crash, and then you cant blame the waves or the ocean, but ourselves for lack of balance or at least our lack of attempt on keeping balance, So catch the waves, surfs up dude!

The Tao of Dog:
A boy once asked an ancient Taoist master, whats the difference between the source and the manifestations? so he replied, the manifestations is a dog chasing its own tail, while the source is a dog simply content on just sitting and breathing the fresh air.

The Cycle of Tao:
Has anyone ever notice how everything in nature has a spin to it? Such as water going down a drain, or the cyclic spinning of a hurricane, tornado and worldpool? One can see this spinning, this turning, this cycle of nature. The earth is in a constant spinning cycle, the galaxy's are in a cycle, now one would ask what is the origin of this force? To answer this question, I believe the ancient Taoist had it right when they said (one gave birth to two) and I believe two being the "yin/yang" is the source of this "force", therefore gravity which is a result of yin yang is why we see it's traces, it's finger print if you will. I speak of the visual circular cycle, the cycles one can see, such as a bunch of papers spinning in a circle on a windy day, this I see as not the total Tao but traces of yin/yang by which the whole universe works.

eye of the storm:
I see life as a hurricane, this cycle is always shifting from yin to yang, and when I need to take a break from this constant shifting, I go into the eye of the storm via meditation, heres a place of oneness, a place of stillness, where we can find harmony, away from the everyday constant shifting between yin and yang, but when I'm done resting, I gladly dive right back into the cycle of motion.

Meditation, key to other dimensions?:
Could Meditation hold the key to other dimensions? Some scientist think so, it seems physics and mathematics can only allow us a glimpse of possibilities of other existing dimensions but impossible to reach them with today's technologies. According to DR Michio Kaku, a professor of nuclear physics, in his years of study of superstring theory and quantum physics, came to the conclusion that if we are to have any hopes in finding ways to enter portals into other dimensions, we would have to seek out knowledge from those in the East, such as Taoist, Buddhist and Yogis! It seems that instead of using metallic machines, we might be able to accomplish this one day using the "mind" via meditation. So meditation shows promise in this area. Check out the book, Hyperspace by Michio Kaku.

Birth of the Universe:
I sometimes ponder with delight and interest of the similarities between Taoism and Physics, for example: notice the similarities between the big bang theory and the Taoist view of from non-existence comes existence. Also the similarities between the big bang and Lao Tzu saying Tao give's birth to One, One gives birth to Two, Two gives birth to Three, and Three gives birth to the Ten Thousand Things.

Tao being Voidness.
One being Fullness.
Two being Yin Yang.
Three being man/earth/heavens (the five elements).
Ten Thousand Things being all that exist. (total existence)

Now my theory is as follows:
Tao being 10 Dimentional Hyperspace (potential) gives birth to One,
One being Big Bang gives birth to Two,
Two being Positive and Negative "Opposites" gives birth to Three,
Three being (Energy) "Gravity" gives birth to Ten Thousand Things,
Ten Thousand Things being The Total Universe and/or Universes.

The Absolute Tao:
When someone says that nothing is absolute, I beg to differ, for the source is whats absolute and its manifestations is whats not absolute, to say nothing is absolute is in itself an absolute. All things change but the only true absolute constant is the eternal source known as Tao.

The Paradox of Change:
Eternal change is the opposite of itself, paradox at its purest, while all things are in constant change, the only thing that doesn't change is change itself, that making it the opposite of itself, though both are opposites, both are one in the same whole (TAO). Change produces the temporary manifest (nothing last), the coming and going of things, that is to say the impermanence of things within this manifested reality. Change on the other hand is also eternal, because it itself never stops changing, a result of the Source. So I guess my point is: Change is permanence producing impermanence permanently. Maybe the source is a single frozen moment, the point of  unity before returning to duality, sort of a stop and go cycle. Maybe before the big bang, there was a single moment of stillness before banging into movement, in other words maybe its an infinite amount of big bangs and yet this flux between change and no change, can in itself still be seen as a change, again the changing cycle seems endless one way or another. If change, that is to say movement doesn't stop, then change is eternal, but if change was to stand still, then moving change would not be eternal, but change would still be eternal, because even to flux back and forth from stillness to movement is in itself a change. This concept of change, I see as a paradoxical truth.

Yin and Yang:
When things are down, boring or off balance, just remind yourself of this, NOTHING LAST, it cant be yin forever, sooner or later it has to swing back to yang. This is life, a constant shifting between yin and yang, yet if we dont try so hard to avoid yin while also trying so hard to reach for yang, we might find the balance and harmony needed in order to make our journey's path more easy. Life has its ups and downs (polarity), otherwise it wouldn't be life, we need to accept this shifting for its the one reason we exist. There is no utopia within duality, life is a give and take, when dealing with the manifestations, we need to maintain balance in order to find harmony along our path.

What is TAO?
Tao is everything that exist and everything that does not.
Tao is both yin and yang, yet is the source of both yin and yang.
Thus unity is the source and duality its manifestation.
That which manifest is definable, while its source is undefinable.
That which manifest is limited, while its source is limitless.
That which manifest is illusion, while its source is non-illusion.
That which manifest is its branches, while its source is the root.
Tao produces five elements, which in turn produce all myriad things.
The Tao can be talked about, but not the total and/or eternal Tao.