Daily Tao Manna Verse 7 The Tao is both infinite and eternal. Why is it eternal? It was never born; thus it can never die. Why is it infinite? It has no desires for itself; thus it is present for all beings. The Master puts himself last; that is why he ends up ahead. He is detached from all things; that is why he is one with them. Because he stays a witness to life, he is perfectly fulfilled. Verse 7 of the Tao is actually one of my most favorite verses. The reason is because of the amazing insight it presents relative to the Inner Self, that infinite and eternal part of us that Lao-tzu calls The Tao. The spirit within is infinite and eternal. Infinite implies that it is limitless, endless, and has no parameters. Eternal defines its constant duration. What has never been born can never die. This applies to the Tao and it applies to us, as manifestations of the Tao. We’re told by Religion that we are born and that we will die and so we assume this to be true. Our belief that life begins in the womb and ends in the tomb is an illusion. Upon closer inspection, we see that although it is true for the body and its constituent parts, the same cannot be so easily said about the “I”, the formless awareness that comprises our true being. The body dies; but not the spirit. In essence we are consciousness, which operates through the brain and body but which is never actually born into form; it remains elusive, intangible, like an invisible vapor. Even the bible supports this ancient belief. 1) James 2:26 - the body without the spirit dies. 2) Mt.10:28 - though the body can be killed; the soul is not subject to death. 3) Job 14:14 - when humans die they live again. Scientists can now scan the brain and highlight the areas in which consciousness appears to operate, but this is no more than observing footprints in the sand. It tells us no more about that elusive inner essence than the footprints tell us about the person who left them. We are the microcosm of the macrocosm; the Tao is the vastness of the universe and the essence behind and within all manifested forms. It is the creator Jesus identifies in John 10:34. It is infinite and eternal, and it was never born (in spite of the appearance and dissolution of physical matter), and thus it can never die. It has no desires for itself, because it doesn’t see itself as separate from anything. The ancient Shema is a Jewish mantra that clearly states the Creators oneness with all created things......Hear O Israel, The Lord is One! The creator is one with all things because all things are a form of the Creator. At the deepest level it is all one, so all works in harmony. This is as true for us as it is for that which we call the ‘Tao’, because we are not separate from it; we are it. Jesus said 3 important things in the bible that reveals he both read and understood the teachings of the Tao that preceded his own teachings by 500 years! Jesus referred to the inner Tao as my father, meaning my creator, my provider, my protector, and my preserver. 1) My Father and I are one. 2) When you see me you see the Father. 3) My Father is greater than I. The Spiritual Master, fully realizing that he is one with the Inner Tao, can see beyond the illusion of being a separate self, a separate ego, which is little more than a cluster of memories, thoughts, habits and conditioning. Aligned with the effortless action of the Tao, he gives and gives with no regard to this notion of being a separate ‘self’. Being detached from the myriad things of phenomenal existence, he understands that he is at one with all things. Many of us spend our whole lives trying to make ourselves happier, more fulfilled, successful and balanced. One of the biggest secrets in life is simply this: the way to true, lasting fulfilment is to take a step back from this compulsive, obsessive trap of self-interest. When we instead focus on helping and serving others, we align ourselves with the essence of the Tao, which is not about taking, seeking and acquiring, but is about creating, giving and nurturing. The true Spiritual Master realizes that true fulfillment and inner joy does not come from focusing on what we can get out of life, but by focusing on what we can give to life. As another translation offers: “Serve the needs of others and all your own needs will be fulfilled. Through selfless action, fulfillment is always attained. The bible teaches this eternal principle: What you make happen for others; God will make happen for you! Namaste
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 11:56:38 +0000
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