Thoughts I've thunk while sippin' at a cup of tea and reading something provoking, often get dropped here for the benefit of humanity and my own hubris.
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Once upon a time, I attended a high school history class put on by Lawrence Esplin, who actually got me interested in the subject. In one of his classes, he described the term, Renaissance Man, which so inspired me, that I decided that would be my goal. And now that my goate is gray, I realize that concept was one of the primary mottos of my life.
MORE...Here I sit, looking out my front window with a cup of tea in my hand. I see a beautiful bluejay swoop out of a tree in that characteristic ‘W’ flight pattern and perch itself a few feet away. “What a beautiful bird,” I think … at least, I think this until it opens its mouth to release the most awful sound… a sound that is a blend of a primeval scream and an annoying shriek.
Think it is just coincidence that the word banshee and blue jay both start with the letter ‘B’? I think not.
Now, I realize that despite what some people may say, a bluejay’s features were not designed for my pleasure or entertainment… or even my “benefit and use”, but it is surprising that such a pretty bird can make such a hellish sound.
MORE...I guess I could have written, the essential quality of poetry or something equally austere, but I've been basically thinking, "What makes a poem?" I believe my previous sentence is not a poem, but I also don't feel that a poem must rhyme or be overly structured.
But perhaps most poems announce themselves as poems because of a certain quality of sound and form. You know what I mean, right?
MORE...I've always thought that Zen Buddhism was a blend of more traditional Buddhism with Taoism. I guess my hunch is being investigated as research, as I notice the following book on Amazon, The Tao of Zen by Ray Grigg.
Although maybe I'm just becoming an old man, but sometimes the "scholars" don't always illuminate, and will it deepen my understanding of either Taoism or Zen? Guess I won't know until I read it. 
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While the entire verse is great, I especially like the first part and the last part of verse 24 of the Tao Te Ching:
Who tiptoes, doesn't stand Who strides, doesn't walk … Too much food, and a tiring pace-- Some things are simply bad.
I guess the phrase "for long" should be appended to each of the lines in the first half of the verse, since you may be able to tiptoe, but not all day.
MORE...Bush's "War on Terrorism" bothers me. Not because I'm in favor of terrorism, or anything so unpatriotic, but I question the real motivation behind such actions.
MORE...Taoism has this concept of "do without doing," and I've been trying to figure out exactly what this means. One of the better explanation comes from Stan Rosenthal's version...
The sage seems to do little or nought, Yet he leaves nothing undone. A foolish man must always strive. Whilst leaving much undone.MORE...
The following section is from verse 38 of the Tao Te Ching (Red Pine's translation):
When the Way is lost, virtue appears. When virtue is lost, kindness appears. When kindness is lost, justice appears. When justice is lost, ritual appears. Ritual marks the waning of belief, and the onset of confusion.MORE...
At the end of verse 39 of the Tao Te Ching, is the phrase:
Not wanting to clink like jade, They clunk like rocks.--Translation from Red Pine
Most translations make both lines somewhat negative. Like in this translation from Stan Rosenthal:
Do not sound loudly like jade bells, Nor clatter like stone chimes
But Red Pine's variation is intriguing. As if just acting humble is not sufficient. Not wanting to draw attention to themselves as ringing bells, they don't make music at all.
MORE...In the Tao Te Ching, at the end of verse 37, it goes something like this:
By following the Natural Way They would not desire And not desiring, be at peace. And the world would fix itself.MORE...
According to verse 20 of the Tao Te Ching:
Yes and no
aren’t so far apart
lovely and ugly
aren’t so unalike
From a Taoist point of view, “yes” and “no,” “beauty” and “ugly” are just words… just labels. And like all labels, are completely relative from the point of view of both the talker and the listener.
MORE...
I just picked up yet another copy of the Tao Te Ching. This one is translated by Red Pine. I've just loved some of his other translations (see Poetry of Stone House) as he seems to make a good balance between accuracy of the Chinese meaning and readability in English.
Today, my Grandmother would have been 98 years old. I sure miss her. It is amazing how we cherish people more once they're gone... too bad. A friend of mine just had his father pass away, and I sent him the following quote from the Tao Te Ching:
All things arise together;
In their arising is their return.
Now they flower,
and flowering
Sink homeward,
Returning to the root.
The return to the root is peace.
Peace: to accept what must be.
Concerning the 11th Poem of the Tao Te Ching, my mother wrote:
One I really quite like is the one about … the bowl is most useful where it isn't - the room is really a room where it isn't. It's so fun to think about. Although I've never quite gotten the wheel part - 8 spokes or something is where the wheel isn't.MORE...
On my shelf of favorite books is the Tao Te Ching, and one of my favorite chapters (or poems as I like to call them) is the one variously entitled, Returning to the Root.
MORE...The unwanting soulMORE...
Sees what's hidden,
The ever-wanting soul
Sees only what it wants.
The following quotes, are from Ursula LeGuin's rendition of the Tao Te Ching. While her version may not be the most accurate (she is not a Chinese scholar), I find that her version is very poetic and portrays a different perspective.
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