We are lucky that when we follow our path, we have no shortage of teachers. There are both living and non-living teachers. There are teachers who do not know they are teachers. You might find them at work, within your own family, or wherever you go. Often we do not see them as teachers but [...]
I was out early this morning in the garden re-staking some tomato plants. It was pouring rain and I got pretty wet. I did not mind though. The plants were going to break unless I put bigger stakes in the ground. There were also some weeds to pull. Our practice is like a garden. The [...]
The idea of being one with the Tao means we realize that we exist right along side the sun, moon, and stars. We are on equal ground with mountains, rivers, and forests. All things living or not are a part too. It is all one, united. Sometimes we hear someone say that they wish to [...]
The most important part of a practice is consistency. We have to practice everyday Tao. It is better to practice ten minutes a day than an hour once a week. Of course, it is best to practice every second Tao! Practicing everyday keeps the flow going. Stopping and starting is hard on your car’s engine [...]
The ancients of long ago found great joy in the simple things. Today, we have so many distractions that pass for joy that the simple joys are forgotten by most. A good day of work in the garden is most enjoyable. Planting, weeding, moving stones, watering are important not only in the garden but in [...]
When we practice, we may get the false impression that we are doing something special. We may think, “Oh, I am one with all” or “Look at me doing zen”. That is our ego talking. Our ego is saying “Look at me!” In reality, we are doing nothing special at all. Lao Tzu and Buddha [...]
Maybe one day we decide we want to make a delicious cake. The first thing we have to do is find a good recipe. Now that we have the recipe, we need to check and make sure we have the ingredients. If the recipe calls for eggs and we do not have any, we need [...]
Once we are here, we have no choice but to vanish. Some people have great fear of what happens. Of course, no one knows for sure. I just know I want to be at peace when the time comes. Often people are frightened because they have lived their lives ignoring the inevitable. If we [...]
I like candy. Perhaps you like candy too. Candy is good but too much candy leads to problems. If we have too much candy in our practice, we can get cavities. Too much means we fall in love with our practice. Practice is for practicing. It is not for falling in love. If we are [...]
Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper. In turn, paper beats rock. No one is almighty. Each has a strength and a weakness. To cling to one is to invite both victory and defeat. Be flexible like the pond reed. Seek the wisdom to know what is required when. If we are building something, sometimes we [...]