Time Marches On??? *Time Dao*

The equation of time found on Wiki.

I suppose for those self important scientists this is a great achievement, for those people who don't care it is a chain, and for those of us that reject the reality of the common person and substitute a different form of thought it is a constant fight.

Equations like the one above causes much destruction without many people realizing it. Think of it before these equations how much simpler was life. You woke up with the sun, went to sleep during the night, planted your crops according to the seasons and lived life relatively non-rushed.

Ah society though is now chained in time, Time provides a circle of numbers, that is unchanging, uneventful, and slowly we come to forget the relevance of time because we wear watches, or look at the computer or wall clock for the time. We no longer live the day, we watch the day go by.

We rush time to get off work, we stress because of the time it takes to do a task, we create car crashes because we speed do to time. Today we have schedules, and we must fulfill duties according to time, but what about the older days.

Back then people made time for each other, they were not pressed to do this or that. They performed their duties on the farms and when those were done they would sit with neighbors and friends and enjoy the time they had. They never had to schedule the time to do something.

Back then time did not exist in the since that it does now. Past, present and future were allowed to mingle together without as much friction. Past and future was merged into the present during those days. Today we focus on the future with a 1 track mind, planning and plotting our course through the sea of time. Back then people did without what they needed not what they wanted.

Someday I will return to the old ways. I will drop technology of modern day and go back to the field. I will be able to enjoy my day working the ground, raising a crop and not worrying about the time, nor the rushing of things.

I will be able to feel a true breeze upon my face without trying to feel it. I will be able to hear life at night, without the corrupt sounds of humanity. The light of the moon giving a full unobstructed view of the land. Time takes away from such things, it is not scheduled to enjoy the simple things in life and in turn you forget about them due to that chain of a schedule, and the demand of time.

Pride and Honor the Justification of the Blind

Oh my pride and Honor. How blind one leads life with these in control. Tho Dao speaks out against such things as they lead to the complete opposites as well. If you have honor then in your self serving honor you will commit dishonorable deeds. One leads to another and one is the same as the opposite. The birth leads to death and death begins life.

The blind cling to honor, pride and self elevation, for that is what pride and honor is about, it is for the self elevation of oneself. And if one thinks in terms of self then one separates themselves from the whole. A fraction of the pie, a piece of the cake is not as grand as the whole.

With pride comes another subservient blindness, that is a demand of respect. Respect should never exist as it separates the way one should act with the way one believes to act due to pride and honor.

Should I open a door any different for a president than the common stranger? Should respect and position matter to anyone. If respect is present then disrespect is not far behind, if pride and honor is present then rage is closing in. If one cares about positions then they have lost the reason that position should exist in the first place. The teach should be a student and the student become a teacher, only in doing both at once can one truly say they have mastered the art of teaching.

Only by truly caring about the student can one truly give the wisdom. Instructions are easy to give, but the wisdom and life philosophy is nothing without the action of the heart. Empty words falling on pride filled ears.

Due to respect the words are just shut out, and no words said to the one teaching, with no words spoken back not information given to the teacher to learn from, without the symbiotic relationship of teaching and learning the teach can not teach, the student can not learn, and all due to the blindness and deafness which pride causes, honor is hurt, and the road becomes an impasse.

Center thyself, become whole, drop the blinding ideas of pride and honor, of rage, and anger, of hopelessness and hopefulness. Live for all and in that living accomplish all that you need to by not lifting a finger for your own benefit. Become the ace in the deck of cards, your only goal is to make another person win, to present a opportunity in life for others to take. In the end the person states I got lucky, or I made it happen. The credit goes elsewhere, and elsewhere it should, as no matter how you present a thing humanity sees it as self raising, and self importance. Why does one need credit to perform a good deed. Why does one need to give respect in order to receive it. Why should one earn respect if one respects everything equally. If respect and disrespect are equally given to all then no respect and disrespect can be obtained.

Pride deafens those from a gentler life. Pride demands a bigger paycheck, a fancy house, a title in life, respect of others. It demands on throw away people without remorse due to a self interested honor code.

What is right is also wrong. What one sees in life is not the complete picture. The artist hides many things in each painting and only after hours and hours of looking may one find the many details of the picture, but looking at the picture as a whole and one can certainly smile. Why not understand the picture in its entirety, instead of looking at it in sections. Throw those people to the curb and sections is what occurs.

Remove the limiters and people become mindful of the path. Teach them to give and they will learn not to take, remove the separation and one can only but become whole. What is good, but the beginning of evil. What is evil but the opposing force of good. In who's eyes states this is good and that is evil, when another may say the opposite. A fight of pride and honor looms in such ideological separations. What is day without night, does the each change it's shape at night, or disappear in the darkness. Is the ground still ground, and sky still sky in the day and night? So can you separate the two or say it is just a passage of nature.

Pride what a blinding ideological destructive force. Honor just leads to fights and arguments. Both lead to a sense of justice instead of a sense of wholeness. Sense of justice can lead to a path of destruction for those that could with a since of friendship and of concern can be shown a better life style. Pride and Honor what use has it really served you. Do you need them to live true, do you use them as a crutch to do what you want to others and justify it with these concepts, to self elevate your own position. To seek out the common ideas of people and use them to elevate oneself is to become bound by those very ideas.

Anger and Rage the destroyer of balance.

A note I read earlier tonight on a linked person's page from the social sites. It brought to my consciousness the anger and rage people tend to have. Rage, and anger unravels the balance inside one's self. Not only does rage and anger strip you of your own free will, your own control, but it adds the lethal stress factor upon the life.

Suppose anger clouds judgment too, rage blinds the eyes of truth, and obscures the right path. Generally when people get upset they throw away a good opportunity to make things better, or set something into motion that can be beneficial to all. How many times in my past did I let anger get the best of me, blinded by rage, not knowing the correct path to take? Too many and in the end it cost so much for the payment.

If your in a position to teach, or advise, or are a close enough friend to a person that has an issue with something that goes against your own self interest then there are many things to consider. You first have a choice in your mind, do you see the way or do you become angry and allow rage to blind you. Do you get upset and cast the person aside to protect yourself, or do you go the path least traveled and try to help them realize what they are actually doing?

Do you teach them moderation, or just to stop totally? Would it be honorable to throw them away as a hopeless cause just because you can easily say your more honorable than that and would not want that around yourself or your family? I think self interest is involved and the human reaction that we all so long to get rid of comes into play. The human reaction of emotion before thought of others, the emotions of acting out instead of preserving others. It is not really all that bad to help someone going down a path of destruction to come out of that path.

If your afraid of the dark you can ever really appreciate the light, can you? If you have never traveled on a dark road how can you appreciate the path of light you try to lead? Selfish is what I believe it to be. Hide it behind any excuse and form of self righteousness and honor you want but in the end you commit dishonor, and disgrace from the path, the way, and the arts.

If you meet a rogue and give him no chance to crawl out of the lower depths of society then chances are he will fall lower and lower, decreasing what restrictions he would do in order to survive. Yet casting the person out was righteous, was justice, was honorable? I suppose I just live in a different reality since that day, but I still feel the right thing to do is to help with not really wanting anything in return. Only thing I have ever wanted my students, my friends, and my apprentices to do is to help others to lift them out of the downward spiral that a person is going through. Guide them to a life they forgot they could have if they just tried to obtain it.

Do people respect me, respect my writings? I don't think so, but it does not matter really to me. I used to be told that: "You have to give respect in order to receive it?" This to me is wrong, you are giving something only on the grounds that you gain something. I have heard that you have to earn respect as well. But why should I yearn for respect, If i have respect then there will be disrespect that follows it. So why should I let respect cloud my ego. If no one respects me then no one can disrespect me.

If your brother, or sister, father or mother was a drug addict would you give up on them and call it honorable? No it would not be honorable, but you can easily give up on someone that is not a relative. Tell their parents, kick them to the curb and wash your hands of it right. Why not go the correct way if your in a position of teaching, or advising. Teach them how the path goes, help them find their way, and assist them every step. Be their crutch for as long as it takes, tell the parents, tell the friends, get as many people to help be a crutch until the day comes where that person is no longer in danger. Get rehabilitation setup, visit the rehab to check up on them, do what you can to guide them, not just toss the people away.

But anger and rage cloud the thoughts, anger and rage blinds the eyes. Anger and Rage hide the path, and pride throw that in there with the sense of self righteousness, for they justify allowing the anger and rage to remain, to make it feel that the right thing was done.

Yet in the heart, deep down in the soul, a little circle of dignity or life is crushed because there was nothing more done, that there was no attempt to try to save a human life, and that maybe if you think about it, maybe they came to you because they did respect you in their own little way. Maybe just a little they cried out for your help, but anger and rage made your ears deaf to the indirect cry.

Without balance were is the human soul but swallowed by darkness. If help is not offered to those falling into darkness from those that can help, wouldn't you think the darkness would touch them just a little more each time.

Live life as the water, don't swim against the current but with it, bend like a reed and one will find, there is not much that can stress you out. You will learn that others well being is far more of a concern than oneself. If you get there then you will know, if you feel it then you can find the bliss of a whole different world. If you want it, you have to live it, if you live it then you no longer want it. If you live it then it is completed and no longer there.

We live life as an illusion and occasionally the masks come off, and when that does someone will be there to spot it, if it is for the light or dark or even shadows of both, a person will learn of it one day. All past sins, all past path deviations will be accounted for in the ends of ends.

Murderous Intent

After doing some Tai Chi today meditating during movement and meditating outside with the reverse blade sword I came to some realizations from past, present and future. During my youth there were times when I was seriously on the edge of destruction, seriously letting my anger, jealousy, and my own sense of immortality control me.

A sense of honor cloudy the truth, a sense of pride made it easier for me to hide behind that cloud. Fighting, struggling, and essentially all that leads to destruction of something in life. But doesn't destruction lead to constructing a new beginning. End and beginning does not exist without each other.

My Chi level is increased things are clearer in this state, things are easier to comprehend during these moments. An image of a friend comes to mind, a confrontation between strangers and himself. The scary part is that the friend had murderous intent during the conflict, a man that possesses skills in the martial arts, but no sacred joy of life back then. A person driven by giving fears to others. Myself drawn into the web during those younger years.

Was it that I was being controlled back then, or was I using him to hit the darkness quicker so I could find the light? Murderous Intent is never right, death only leads to a conflict in the soul no matter the reasoning, death that does not happen naturally goes against the way.

Caring for a stranger, wanting to help a stranger is more beneficial to that stranger than conflict, or murderous intent. Just because you have the power to take a life, does not mean you should use that power, instead if you have gained the power to take life, I say find the power to protect life.

My power is not my own, everything I have done in life I really have not had self interest involved in it. My relationships ended for reasons I was able to foresee. Don't believe me, look around you now, are you happy, do you have someone you can say you truly do enjoy life with? You came to me for a reason, a way to grow, I gave what growth I could and when I foresaw that it was time I let go. Though I am not saying I don't love you all, but growth sometimes happens with a little loss. Loss can become a great stage to rebuild upon, to strengthen your internal commitments to your happiness.

Some of them was lost when they came, others needed a darkness to be seen in order to run toward the light, others yet just needed someone to help during a tough stage in life. Did you know that each strand of smoke from something being burned lasts a different length of time, some are short and disappear fast, some long and takes time to disappear, but both regardless gives off a great fragrance of the incense.

How long has it been since I knew what I wanted, do I even know what I want now? Is kindness in the world too much to request? Is a sense of belonging more than I can hope for, but I belong to all in a manner of speaking. I belong to the greater sense of all. Murderous Intent is faded from my life, many many months ago. Nothing is worth taking a strangers life. Used to be I would say that if my family was hurt I would start to go berserk and kill. But that was a cloud as well.

Truth is I wanted to kill, I wanted to see the red rivers of another person drip from their flesh, but time marches on, I think what I really wanted was to stop life, stop the pain, stop the harshness of people. Now walking on this path, I see what all people want but are afraid to admit. They want happiness, they want peace, and they would very much want you to allow them to fit in. They would like to give up self interest, self preservation, self gain, if it made those around them happy, if only someone would take the first step. If only someone would give in to their own fantasies of that type of life.

A life for others instead of self. A life dedicated to the happiness of others, regardless of the pain they felt, the heartache, and the torment they see others commit. But one person can not change the world. It was presumptuous of me in the past to think I could, especially using the darkness to engulf people, or to drive them to a better place.

I remember biting into an apple in my youth, it was so pure, so delicious. It was like mother nature giving me a piece of herself to wash away the cares, to allow a time of ecstasy and bliss cover me. If that is not what it was then why do I remember it so vividly. I remember eating water melon as well. The sweetness of her breast, the caring and the sacrifice of both nature and humanity growing them a compromise to each other, but not a compromise, more of a collaboration of effort.

The lesson is there, but we cast a blind gaze to the lessons, we wait for one to guide us, we shun the change, we change the change to benefit self interest, and yet life is lost due to this self interest. Cast a gaze at our current war, our current way of life, and tell me you are happy with it, yet in daily life we do the same thing on a smaller scale. We murder the way, we murder our humanity a little bit each day, and we murder ourselves without realizing it. Murderous Intent has clouded many things, many hopes, many happiness opportunities, and yet we continue to march according to it's tune.

We disguise it as religion, we form conflicts with the words justice, and yet the only justice that should be recognized is the justice to live, the right to save life not destroy it. A country founded by Christians, and yet our government does not follow the teachings of turning the other cheek. A nation founded on faith of a god, and praising through hymn, prayers and yet they seek to go to war over a city called Jerusalem, both parties not following their own self guidance of preserving life, both religions founded by the core truths found in Dao. Kindness to one another, live for others. Give without self interest. Yet due to greedy men and women the laws of that religion have been altered, distorted or used in a way to cause harm.

I will leave it as that since my Chi is returning to normal levels. Since the time is shortened. Be happy with one another, for we should all live for the sake of others, and not for self interest, and not with murderous intent.

From the Depths *Neutral Dao*

Today I did some more Tai Chi. Moving meditation is always wonderful for sore muscles, pains and aches. Plus there is something on my mind I just can't seem to grasp around. Like a image that is obscured by gray smoke, I can see part of it to know somethings there but can not make it fully out. Or words that are whispered but my own heartbeat is pounding louder to obscure the words.

So I am returning to the Jade Cove in hopes that the image makes itself clear and the voice can be heard. Once again I used the term Caged last night in a conversation. I feel so locked down in this concrete cage. I can't seem to fly high enough, long enough, or smooth enough. The wind seems choked off at times.

Still the wind that does blow through has a nostalgic essence to it lately. An almost intoxicating fragrance, one that isn't really smelled as much as it is felt. Cold weather presents itself in the coming days, and as a snake I am very vulnerable to cold weather, it makes me tired, makes me cold, and makes me wish I had a bride, a girlfriend, or even a woman to share the warmth of their body. For now I will be content with what I do have, and try to further my goals of the Way but reducing the wants in life.

One venture gone just to lead to another, one life laid to waste to spring forth another, and yet the cycle continues. I guess I should be happy that I can look at her picture and not recognize her anymore, but would that not be awful of me to forget so quickly. Feelings I have but recognizing, loving her with all my heart, making life about her, these things are gone, they seemed to have died inside during the winter snow.

Yet for some reason I still feel like she is lonely, she is distanced herself from many people, and she is sad. I really wanted only smiles and happiness, yet she leaves and all I feel she has is sadness. Course the fake smile, the half-hearted attempts of looking like she is alright fools many people, but somehow I know, she is not how she appears. Somehow I know she is not happy. Yet in my heart I do not recognize her, in my heart I wish her happiness without me.

I will not cut my hair again, I will not change who I am for anyone. I will wear my duster till the day I die, I will wear combat boots until that day again. When my hair reaches my feet I will tie it up, when my old ragged body fades, what will it matter how I look. If people are weary of me and keep their distance what harm can I do to them, for those that brave a hello, what good can I give them in return.

The Zen that is playing brings me back to times where we sat on the pouch in the spring and listened to the frogs, crickets, and creatures at night. Talking and enjoying the night wind, the night light, and the night sounds. Back then an hour seemed like three, the conversation was not that deep but the enjoyment of the company was always felt. Those were the days back then, those were the days that I was free to be who I was, when was it all locked away, when did I cage up my emotions, my self, my core being. How come the wisdom stay behind unlocked and untouched?

As a child I loved life so much, I remember when my grandfather took me rabbit hunting. A rabbit dog is about the same size as a rabbit and at times can move like one too. I remember seeing the rabbit and the dog. My grandfather lifted his gun, took aim and killed the rabbit. At the time I was so small and the distance far enough away I thought he killed my dog. I cried at the time and my grandfather tried to comfort me, tried to tell me it was the rabbit, but still I cried, still I knew there was a loss of life. I was happy my dog survived, but sad still that the rabbit was no more. Later I grew up some and realized that the rabbit would be diner one night, and the rabbit provided much more as it's last deed on this planet.

Some of the greatest joys I had in my life happened before coming to the cage. Mowing Grandma's lawn, smelling the fresh cut grass and then walking in it barefooted. Taking care of the animals, making sure they were fed, groomed, and watered. The day I found out that my dog had cancer, crushed me. She was a kind soul, she even raised some cats during her years on this planet. For Ginger was a very kind dog, one that put other creatures (except rabbits) before herself.

The garden was another fun task. Weeding, picking, and just plain old caring to help the crops grow. Corn, Green Beans, Strawberry, Zucchini, water melon, cantaloupe, potatoes, tomatoes, egg plant, cucumbers, and we even had an area with blackberries, and raspberries.

I came to the city looking for freedom, was lured in by freedom, and found a cage waiting when I arrived. I wanted to make millions, wanted to be rich, but found nothing but poverty awaiting. I may work and get paid well, but when in a cage your just as poor as one with no money, possibly even more so.

I never thought of such things when I was married, was I even alive during that time I wonder now. I made my life into something that others stated was the life. Urbanized myself, made more walls around my cage, but at the time I had a wife, a person to lay in bed with, a person to add a presence around the house, at that time that was all that mattered. Now, I am not so sure who I was, why I did the change I did, and why I let another person manipulate me into it. Tis the things I have done since coming to the city, allowed myself to be manipulated into things.

I don't know why I feel like I do at times, right now I am peaceful, calm and collected, but still sad too. I do not know why I care for the stray cat like I do either. It is not that I miss Ray Ray, or that this cat has even allowed me to touch it, but I care for it. I talk to it, and I feed it. I guess because like people, the cat made an attempt to judge me for my inside and risked trying to know me, instead of running away in fear. I guess I care about the cat because I see myself in it as well. I should name him, I guess but what name would best suit a stray black cat, what name would I be able to give a gentle creature that visits my door?

The cat will come into the apartment by the door while I get it's food in the kitchen, and then walk outside when he sees me coming. The cat is not afraid of me at all, but like myself he shuns close contact with others. I suppose that is what I see in him that reminds me of myself. Yet I do so care what happens to this cat. I do so want this cat to find a good home with a loving family.

Family, I thought I was building a family with her, I thought that was the goal, but what exactly is family. I have my brothers and blood family, but honestly I really do not know what it is to be family. My family was problematic by the time I was born, but I love and cherish them all the same. They maybe messed up at times, but I would do anything for them.

Guess I have been damaged so much early on, that all I want to do now is heal. To go to the beginning and begin to put ointment on the open wounds and heal them. Go back to the beginning and figure out what I am to do, where I am supposed to go, and who I am to be with. My ex-wife is just a face now, it will not be her I am destined to be with. Brina is happily married and although I love her to this day I would never wish any destruction of that happiness, or her husbands. If he has made her happy, he must be a good man, and I would not want to interrupt or take a happiness away from a good man, not like it would ever occur.

So I am in a place where I am rebuilding. A place after the end and before the beginning. Rebuilding a bridge that has not been kept up, rebuilding the paths back to a place I let overgrow with foliage. I remember a time when I would sit in the evening and let the cool breeze take all the negative from me and wash away my cares. The only way in the city to get such a wind is to go to a roof of a building here.

I remember a time my eyes were not so heavy, my body not so sore, and my mind was as sharp as Sun Tzu's sword. Alas the city, the trials, and the divorce has made those memories. I am sore today, I am forgetting more and more everyday, and my eyes are really heavy. I suppose due to the lack of keeping up with my paths, I have years of cleaning, clearing, and rebuilding to do before I get those paths cleared.

Still once in a while I admit I think of her. I catch myself hopeful that she is happy, hopeful she is not sad, and hopeful she is doing well in life. At times I feel like she is not and a frown comes across my face, but then like a wind the thought is gone. I held on to all my ex's, held on to all their memories and cared about their welfare since the day we met. Though at times it did not seem it, in the mental realm of the Jade Cove their welfare was always forefront of the cove.

Suppose life is hard for some people, and people have big issues in life. I am not regretful of my decisions for that is bringing me to where I need to go. A path starts out by one walking and clearing the way, eventually the person can go back and lay the stone to make it easier for others. First though one must walk a path never before traveled if they are to create new roads for others.

My path was meant to go this way, was meant to end up here for a short time, and was meant to continue on. Paths walked by me, where mostly dark roads, mostly roads none would travel, but the end result being the wisdom picked up from the travels. That wisdom is the concrete stones I can lay down for others who would like to walk a path free of the foliage, dangers, and hardships.

In the darkness there is always a light, and in the light there is always a little darkness. I understand that all to well. I can at least say I can burn my incense to the Buddha's, spirits, Daoist elders, and god forms of the world. I can once again have the great smelling fragrance encompass my house, and bring a nice peacefulness in with it.

Every night I say a little line before sleep, and today I will end this article with it.

Good night Sun Wukong, Good night Guan Kong. Good night Lord Lao Tzu, Confucious, and Mencious. Good night Jade Emperor, and Good night all heavenly Deities.

Shadow of Death *Death Dao*

“Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides.”
Lao Tzu - Tao Te Ching

I guess I have always been odd about death, for the longest time I sought out death and never found him. However now I do not seek death, but I do not fear it either. I still see it as a joyous time not a sad time. Course if you look at a coin people will immediately look at it from one side or the other, but not as a whole coin. They split it into sides.

I know it hurts when one dies, but many times people focus on the loss of the person not the deeds or the way they lived life. I suppose I look at the positive side of death instead of the negative. Hurt, pain, lose are all the negative feelings of a person passing. Love, reflection of deed, the joy they gave you are aspects of the positive. Although physically gone the memory and reflection of such times are still present inside the person.

Life is the beginning and Death the end. Everything in between is the shadows of life and death. It is this part that should be focused on during the passing of a person. The dancing of shadows of ones existence on this world during the time they had. The joy they spread, the help they offered, and the love they had. Why focus on them no longer being around, when there is so much more to remember about them while they did perform the dancing of shadows.

Irish people perform a Wake for those that pass. Americans are somber and down and sad. Why be sad, look into the life of those that passed. My father lived life, experienced a wide arrange of jobs, lived according to his own drum, and really loved his children. Why focus he is gone when he lives within my brothers, and myself.

Death and life is the same thread , but it is what lies between the thread that counts. The line of a person is measured in life and death, but not in what they brought to the world, why then do we feel sad at the time of death? Should not one focus on the things that life brought to the world, the joys, sadness, the humor and seriousness, the positive and the negative, all being the same person, the same being. Should not one focus on the being not the loss of the person.

When I pass on to the next adventure I would say that I want to fade away silently. I would rather pass with no one realizing it, there fore no sadness and no forgetting memory can be done by those that see the passing as a sad time. When I came into the world it was just my mother and father, and maybe my brothers, when I leave I would like to die as I was born. I was born as part of all things and I want to die as a part of all things. I am strong enough to die in serenity, solitude, and peaceful quietness.

The ones that know me know I see death as a darkness or a necessary evil, but as a new adventure or a part of a cycle. Those that don't know I pass can not be sad of the passing. Those that will know or find out should have happiness knowing I will die with a smile on my face, knowing that all I could give I did give, and all I could do I did do. Why should any of them be sad if I lived a full life regardless of the length of life. I danced in the shadows and eventually saw it time to sit and rest.

The point is this do not look at life and death as separate ideas, they are one and the same, they exist together, and without one the other does not have a chance to start. Mourn, but celebrate what the person has done for the world they touched. So often people forget the memories of a person, or they only surface when they are reminded of them, why not sift through the memories on a daily basis and keep the memories fresh, dust free, and alive within you.

47 *Hua Hu Ching*

Kind Prince, The confrontational Nature of dualistic worldly life is so unhealthy; the way of misleading religions is distorted, the way of materialism is cruel; the way of blind spiritualization is unreal. Chanting is not more holy than the murmuring of a stream. Counting one's prayer beads is not more sacred than normal breathing.Colorful religious robes are not more spiritual than plain civilian clothes. Therefore, relying on these superficial trappings of spiritual life will get one nowhere. The only way to attain absolute state of being is though embracing absolute Oneness and leading a selfless life. By anonymously contributing to other's lives one may burnish the brightness of one's soul and radiate virtue to the world. Imbalance may be created by overdeveloping the physical or mental aspects of one's being. Be calm, happy and content with your own being, and live only according to your true nature.
Kind Prince, it is impossible to escape the destiny you have formed by your past actions. There is hope, however, for evolving and transforming one's being. Those who have all-encompassing, universal awareness are able to take responsibility for their lives and for their environment.They radiate a healthy influence to others and illuminate the world's darkness. Their absolute virtue becomes a sanctuary, not only for themselves, but for all beings. Virtue is the only true power of life. Those on the Universal Integral Way are resolutely dedicated to their own evolution and also to the evolution of all beings. Their lives are a process of self-refinement and self-transcendence. They are truly an extension of the Universal One.
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Step by step we go through and find something in this. having duality is confusing, but we all do it in some degree. We separate mind and body. Separation of body and spirit. We even separate work and play. We create a dual world to live in, we are used to this, we are taught early on to think this way. If you put your being into your work, and your being into play time are you different? If not why separate them. Are you nothing but a mind, a body, a spiritual being? Or are you just a being trying to walk a path of the Integral way regardless of what you call it.

Misleading religion is stated. What is misleading religion? Name a religion and I am sure in some for it misleads. Not to judge any religion but to generalize all religions real quick. This group dislikes that group, that group is going to hell or the abyss, this group is out casted by all other groups, and when you boil it all down we are no different from one another regardless of a group. Control is what is boils down too, that and money. You can say amen till your blue in the face without living the way fully you are doing nothing at all. Strangers are starving and you pass them up on the street, or a person dressed weird holds a door open for you and your afraid to even say thank you, but yet your holy because you attend a religious facility.

Materialistic is cruel, look at Americans. Let me explain I am an American by birth and citizenship, but I can see it. You buy the big T.V. the house, expensive Jewelry for the wife/girlfriend, and realize you need more so you start charging it all, eventually you go bankrupt and still want more. Things eventually have to be sold and you end up not at square 0, but at square -1. Cruel way to think about the world of materialistic. There are such more fascinating things in the natural world. It is far Healthier to go outside and garden, or go for a walk than to eat on the couch watching American Idol. Did it cultivate you watching that scum on T.V., or will the walk / Gardening benefit you more.

Spiritualism without question is blindness to words produced by others. If I wrote a book and say the one true god wrote this and convinced you that it was true and demanded to follow the book without question, then how can you find your answers, Oh that is right, pray or go to the holy provocateur and find out what his opinion is of the situation. A divine insight of the reiligious provocateur. Follow religion blindly and religion may end up destroying the very thing in you. Your own Integral Way. Each persons Integral Way is different as well, the Integral way has as many and more different ways to live as there are people. Regardless of the way though their are commonalities in every Way, Kindness being one, selflessness, and contentment.

Kind Prince, it is impossible to escape the destiny you have formed by your past actions. I like this bit because I can use science to identify with it. The Law of Cause and Effect. Think of it this way, each decision you make can have a consequence. The cause being your decision the effect being the consequences. Destiny in the former sentence incorporating both the cause and effect in one unit. You can not escape it, but you can take the responsibility for the cause and take the effect.

If we live in duality then we separate from our being. If we see it as self, we separate from the oneness of all, if we see self then we shall be selfish. When realizing that we are the same can we do for others without failing the self. If I was to ask you to tell me all the times you were alone and happy and smiled could you do it? Can you remember every time you helped another person smile and became immediately lifted, immediately more happy? I bet you can do the second easier than the first. Why is this? Because the bond to others happiness is greater than the lonely stand of self happiness.

Update for Tonight

No new writings tonight. Got to focus on financials tonight, then read some of the Hua Hu Ching. Got to figure out an exit plan and see how long it will take to execute.

Zodiac

THE FIRE SNAKE 1917 AND 1977
Fire Snakes can be a bit loud, speaking their minds and smothering you with their opinions. This does add a twist to his dynamic and vibrant character, as he is quite the extrovert. These Snakes have a great wisdom. They are intriguing communicators who leave you breathless after a conversation. Fire Snakes can change even the most obstinate mind with their powers of persuasion, convincing you their opinions or ideas are better than yours. This does make them a little self-centered, but you can’t say they aren’t driven for success.

This does for the most part fit me, so does all the things stated at:
http://www.usbridalguide.com/special/chinesehoroscopes/Snake.htm

Looking at this I kind of feel like destiny has made me into the shy stand offish person I am, and yet I know some of the family affliction has a part to play in it. What makes me think of such things, look for such things, question myself. Well I want to know who I am, where I should go, and how to bend like the reed in a storm the easiest way possible. Snakes are calculating in manner so it says.

I have never been good at compliments, receiving them that is. I don't know when people compliment me I feel bad, I feel like they only say such things because they don't know the real me, only what I show to them. I guess I am looking toward the Chinese Zodiac to compare myself with characters in the anime I am watching. It is called Fruits Basket and you can find it on you tube.

Confucious said that "The man of honor thinks of his character, the inferior man of his position. The man of honor desires justice, the inferior man of favor."

While I used to believe in honor and justice and all that Jazz, I found through Dao that one is the same as the other. So the superior man and the inferior man is more alike than what people see. Honor spawns dishonor, justice spawns injustice. Choose to follow one and the other is sure to come into your life.

Unlike my zodiac sign, I am finding ways to change certain aspects of myself, change the thought style I have, and learn that a balance is needed. When being gentle, be strong in the mind. When fast moving, be slow in thought. When relaxing, remember to turn off the mind. Return to nothingness and the body will calm, the mind will slow and things that once could not be seen shall shine brightly.

Amazing how well the Chinese Zodiac is for people, pretty accurate when describing characteristics.