When a superior man hears of the Tao, he immediately begins to embody it. When an average man hears of the Tao, he retains some and loses some. When a foolish man hears of the Tao, he laughs out loud at the very idea. If it were not for that laugh, it would not be the Tao. - Lao Tsu. Tao te Ching. A superior man (or woman) as stated here I think is one with a deep understanding and acceptance of truth, a foolish man, one who says about everything: thats a load of rubbish, and an average man, one who can grasp some of the merits of a new idea but who still clings to his old viewpoint for safety. The Tao is about balance, the yin and the yang of things. We all know that after night comes day, there is full and empty, we take the rough with the smooth, there is ignorance and wisdom - everything exists in this perfect balance, or it wouldnt be balance. When lifes troubles knock on our door, we can remember that within every experience there is always the spark of its opposite and we can focus on that, encouraging it to grow. When times are dark - we begin to seek out the light, were always leaning toward wholeness whether we realise it or not. We want to be understood, to satisfy our hunger and our thirst, to feel happy. The more troublesome our situation, the more peace can ultimately be attained from it. The more something hurts or irritates us, the more calm we feel when it stops. Since this too shall pass, whatever it is were going through will change. Just remembering that can help. Becoming aware of that spark of light in every difficult situation can set us on the path of discovery to a new way of responding to life. No experience is lost or wasted, so whenever people laugh to hear an idea thats new to them, their laughter is in a way merely reinforcing the ideas importance. Thats just part of the balance, and not a call for anger - but rather for a knowing smile, even an inward one ;). The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment - Elbert Hubbard. Let them laugh. May we all walk in perfect balance today :) xXx
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 13:19:57 +0000