The Way and it's Practice

[tolteclogic]

some say the old ways
no longer aply


“The mysterious female is the mechanism of opening and closing
of heaven and earth. The I Ching says, 'Closing the door is called
Earth, opening the door is called Heaven, alternate closing and
opening is called change,' Alternating closing and opening is
alternating stillness and movement. This is the meaning of Lao-tzu's
statement 'using it is not forced'.”

“An alchemical text says,
'Breathing out contacts the root of heaven, breathing in contacts
the root of earth. On breathing out, the dragon howls, clouds arise,
on breathing in, the tiger roars, wind arises.' I say that 'breathing out
contacts the root of Heaven, breathing in contacts the root of earth' is
the same as 'closing the door is called Earth, opening the door is
called Heaven.'On breathing out, the dragon howls, clouds arise,
on breathing in, the tiger roars, wind arises.' is the same as 'the
alternate closing and opening is called change.' It is also the
meaning of 'using it is not forced.' The breathing referred to here is
the endless coming and going of the true breath, the pulse of life
within the cyclic changes of the macrocosm and the microcosm.”

The Book of Balance and Harmony

~*~*~*~*~*~

adjustments through effort
Illumination by enlightenment
perception with clarity
never ceasing illumination
rest in the highest good
lucid and aware
inside and out
illumine the four quarters
we borrow the strength
and understanding of others
in order to break up
one's own weakness
and ignorance
Cultivate character
carry out task
sincerely without hurry
Accumulate achievments
Accomplish works
seeking below from above

“However, in restraining the base by the noble, there may be
the defect of pride while inquiring, the heart not being sincere.
It is fortunate if one is flexible and finds what is right, like a tiger
watching intently, about to give chase, eyes focused and mind
truly earnest, proceeding naturally, without forcing the issue.”

The Taoist I-Ching

[tolteclogic]

Allow the current to carry you
But do not mistake
the spuious for the genuine
How many more books
do you need to read
After you awaken?
From this point of knowing
the whole dynamic transforms
The ultimate Goal in Taoism
or any serious form of practice
is for you to become the keeper
of this wisdom made real in the
present moment… to reach
mastery we must first
walk in the steps


Far far and away
the teacher
did not say
Be Here Tomorrow

Yes what a glorious mess, i do agree…
but look at it like this, although there is
always one thing unchanging that
emerges unbidden full blown in the
mind of man/woman, call it freedom,
call it love ad infinitum - it is our truest
liberation and yet when the doors
of perception open… What Next?
Experience and lessons in life
will continue to occur until we
eventually hopefully stay the course
long enough to reach this point of
integration…. at least that is the
taoist way and it was my way, although
at the time i did not know what to call
it myself. The more important things
in life can not be taught but must be
felt through experience and hopefully,
every choice, every apparent calamity,
every hardship or deflection from some
preconceived notion of how we might
wish our world to be, changes and
what we learn is to roll with the changes
or be broken by the events in our life…

'Illumination that is not revealed is better
than illumination that is openly employed'
From 21 years to 50 that one thing does
not change, this oneness with all beings
remains incorruptible natural innocence
of being unchanging. Those who know
it work to cultivate this in daily practice,
we bulid character through the virtue
of humility, even as we stare into the
face of uncertain death we do not waver…
There is a prevalent outcry in our world
today against the province of dead
religions that says. “Why waste your time
being good…” But if goodness is our
inherent nature i think they miss the
point. What passes for love these days
i think has a bitter edge to it. What is this
'Great Awakening!'? when no one can
agree.


“So on the path of liberation from difficulty and escape
from danger it is most important that firmness and
flexibility balance each other. Not getting ahead, not
falling behind, not tense, not lax, taking advantage of
the right time to get to work, anyone will obtain benefit.
But the way to obtain benefit requires knowledge of
the southwest, the position of 'earth'. 'The medicine
comes from the southwest - this is the position of
'earth'. If you want to look for the position of 'earth',
is it apart from the human being? I clearly explain;
you should remember. I'm only afraid when you
encounter it your recognition won't be true.' Do you
suppose the southwest position of 'earth' is easy
to know?”

The Taoist I-Ching

Apply the work of increase and decrease
Once nature's time has arrived
Promptness brings good fortune
Prepare the weapons of wisdom
the silent operation
of spiritual awareness
to guard against
the unexpected
not forgetting the fundamantal
transmute accumulated mundanity

[tolteclogic]

“The path of the I Ching is the Tao of balance
of the earthly and celestial.”


energies fall and rise
around the wheel
of Yin and Yang


“Of the sixty-four hexagrams of the I Ching, the reason
'Heaven' and “earth' are the gate and door is to show
people the path of firmness and flexibility, simplicity
and readiness.”

“Modification to simplicity and readiness means that
knowledge and capacity are in their innate condition
of innocence…”

“The alchemical classics and writings of the adepts,
amounting to thousands of volumes, do not go beyond
the principles of the I Ching, and the principles of the
I Ching, its sixty-four hexagrams and three hundred
eighty-four lines, do not go beyond this path of firm
and flexible simple and ready knowledge and capacity,
which are both innate.”

The Taoist I-Ching


“The word 'I' of I Ching means change; that is, changing
in accord with the time so as to follow the Tao. As a book,
the I Ching is vast and comprehensive: by following the
principles of essence and life, understanding the reasons
of the obscure and the obvious, and comprehending the
conditions of things and beings. It shows the way to
enlighten people and accomplish tasks.”

Ch'eng I


“Sages are sages simply because of the application of the
principles of the I Ching. Application of the I Ching is accom-
plished simply by openness and tranguility. When open, one
takes in all; when tranquil, one perceives all. When open, one
can accept things, when tranquil, one can respond to situa-
tions. If openness and tranquilitty are continued for a long
time, one becomes spiritually illumined.”

Book of Balance and Harmony


“Whenever you encounter people making a commotion,
whether it concerns you or not, use it to polish and
strengthen yourself, like gold being refined over and over
until it no longer changes color. If you gain power in this,
it is much better than long drawn-out prctice in quietude.”

Huang Yuan-ch'i


“When people are in the midst of the distrubance, this is a
good time to apply effort to keep independent.”

Ancient Saying

[tolteclogic]

when false brilliance leaves
true illumination arises
sensitive and effective
clam and undistrubed
taking the fullness of water
to fill in the emptiness of fire
yin and yang join
emptying the human mind
to seek the mind of Tao
remaining correct
brings good fortune



“So the path of settling the unsettled has two aspects.
When yang energy is trapped, one must refine the self,
biding the time, thereby preventing danger. Once yang
energy had emerged from the trap, one should use
illumination to dispel darkness, thereby converting yin.
Only when intensity and relaxation, advancing and with-
drawing, are properly timed is this the path of twin culti-
vation of essence and life in which yin and yang settle
and complete each other. So students who would
practice the Tao should start by self-refinement.”


“However, although there is complete settlement in terms
of celestial time, still human affairs cannot be neglected;
one does one's best in human affairs, thereby assisting
the Way of heaven.”


“Otherwise, settlement in celestial time will be no more than
a chance interval: Without the accomplishment of adjusting
water and fire, the primordial treasure that has come will
go again.”


The Taoist I-Ching

[tolteclogic]

Throughly investigate the process
within smallness
there is development
return by way of the path
being strong yet remaining humble
embracing the Tao and keeping settled
strong energy grows day by day
concealing one's light
utterly empty and silent
within black there is white
reversing the path
yang fire arises
primordial energy
becomes manifest
from within nothingness
inner reality undamaged
by outward artificiality
original integrity
of the real mind


“The energy of harmony of essence and feeeling in
people is the yang fire; this is the real.”

“When yin culminates, yang is born; there is yang
within yin - this is called 'a compainion comes'. If
yin does not culminate, yang is not born, and the
compainion does not come, yin and yang do not
interact - then where would creative energy come
from?”

“Yin energy coalesces as clouds, yang energy arrives
as rain: As long as clouds do not rain, the yin energy
is prevalent while the yang energy is weak, and the
living potential on the verge of cessation; that which
is near, in oneself, is not even taken care of, so how
could one seek that which is afar, in the other? When
one empty voidness enters into quietism, how can
one restore one's celestial original state?”

“To return it, restore it, it is necessary to take advan-
tage of when this living potential appears and set
about quickly gathering it - only then can it be one's
own. If the living potential has not yet appeared, and
you keep to quietude in empty silence, how can it
return?”

“This path is not difficult to know, but it is difficult to
practice. If you know it but do not practice it, that is
tantamount to not knowing.”

“When the mind is empty, the human mentality is
absent and true yin appears; when the belly is full,
the mind of Tao emerges and true yang arises.”


The Taoist I-Ching

Illumination is the quality of fire
this is the spirit
Danger is the quality of water
this is the vitality
when fire is treated with water
irritation vanishes
when vitality is
governed by the spirit
water is treated with fire
so the vitality is whole



“With true yin following true yang, true yang govering
true yin, true yin and true yang conjoin, and in ecstacy
there is form, in trance there is vitality, crystallizing
into a tiny perl: Swallow this, and it will extend life
infinitely.”

[tolteclogic]

"The contest between the mind of Tao and the human mentality
is a matter of a hairbreadth - on this side, the mind of Tao, on
that side, the human mentality."

The Taoist I-Ching



what is the path of repelling mundanity?
strength being dragged by weakness
parting from negativity takes effort
requires deep understanding of process


"So in the path of parting from mundanity, it will not do to be too
adamant or too yielding; one must have flexibility within firmness,
and firmness within flexibility, parting gradually, advancing a por-
tion of celestial energy, repelling a portion of mundanity, so that
celestial energy advances to wholeness and mundanity spontani-
ously sublimates. If you don't know how to operate the process
with appropriate intensity and relaxation, and wish to accomplish
it rapidly, that will on the contrary foster mundane energy and dam-
age celestial energy, so that after all you will be unable to repel
mundanity."

what is the path of repelling mundanity
strength being dragged by weakness
parting from negativity takes effort
requires deep understanding of process

[tolteclogic]

"When practioners of Tao reach the point where yin and yang are
balanced, strength and receptivity are unified, and the spiritual
embryo is formed, then they can merge with the ordinary world,
hiding their illumination, to cultivate advanced practice."

"But to mix with the ordinary world, concealing one's own light,
requires great impartiality and impersonality. This is a matter of
being selfless."

"Every ordinary person in the world assimilates to others: but
most people do so for personal reasons, and do not do it cor-
rectly - they assimulate to those whom they should be the same
as, but they also assimilate to those whom they shouldn't be like.
This is not the meaning of sameness with others in the wilder-
ness. Therefore the benefit of crossing great rivers is beneficial
insofar as one is upright like a superior person. The superior
person assimulates based on correctness, not on sentiment.
What is correct is only a matter of what is right and true;
sentiment changes, while truth has no change."

"If one assimulates based on truth, then there is no sentiment;
when there is no sentiment, the ideas of others and self are
transformed. Only truth is to be preserved...."

"Seeing afar by means of illumination, acting directly by means
of strength, strength and illumination both working, firmness
and flexibility balancing each other, inwardly not losing oneself,
outwardly not hurting others, round and bright, clean and bare,
one stands in the midst of things without being inhibited by my-
riad things; one is within yin and yang without being constrained
by yin and yang."

The Taoist I-Ching

[tolteclogic]

nearing the end
of a new beginning

“True sense is unemotional sense; using unemotional sense to
control feelings is like a cat catching a mouse, like boiling water
being poured on snow - in a short time calamity turns to fortune,
the 'will of the people' is settled, and there is nothing to thwart the
Tao. Then one gradually puts into practice the pure, unadulter-
ated vitality of firm strength in proper balance.”



“When one is impartial and also lucidly aware, there is no one in
the world one cannot be the same as, and there is no one in the
world that is arbitrarily considered the same as something
different.”


“The metaphysical is called the Tao and the physical is called
the vessel; there is a distinction between the greater and lesser,
a difference between the noble and the base.”

“If there is any lack of clarity in this distinction, there will be that
much instability. Therefore the sages' science of fulfillment of
nature in comprehension of life requires thorough investigation
of principle as the first step.”

“When there is no consciousness of self or others, [then the con-
sciousness of self and others sublimates] then the human men-
tality leaves and the mind of Tao arrives.”

“Stillness is accomplished by realizing truth, not by the body;
resting in the proper place… In action, you act correctly, acting
on the truth, not in obedience to other people. With no self or
no others, having been able to stop inside, you can also stop
outside. Active or still according to the time, inwardly and out-
wardly in communion with the Tao - both action and stillness
come forth from mindlessness. Through this one principle all
faluts can be eliminated.”

testing stillness in action
action and stillness are
one continuum
inside and outside
are one stillness
secure against
empty quietism
free from
unbridled indulgence

being humble
not daring
to act arbitatrily
always upright
persisting in the path
faultless from start to finish
remaining upright
inspite of weakness
weak yet balanced
stopping in the proper place
means doing and not doing
action and stillness being as one
resting in the realm
of ultimate good
the faithfulness of
weakness seeking strength



“Only when practioners of the Tao have the capacity to contain mountains,
as it were, can they sustain the heavenly practice and cultivate the heavenly
Tao. Being inaccessible without hiding, they are near to invulnerability…”

“Tolerant of everyone, they live in the world without destorying it, they are in
the midst of the mundane yet can transcend the mundane. They are not
disliked by lesser people, yet as their self-discipline and conduct are beyond
the ordinary, and because they are conscientious, lesser people avoid them
even though they temselves do not try to avoid lesser people.”

“When action and stillness are both enlightened, one spontaniously clarifies
the quality of illumination and rest in the highest good, with enlightenment
present everywhere.”

“Spiritual alchemy, the science of the gold elixir, uses the 'yellow woman'
as the go-between for yin and yang. The 'yellow woman' is true intent;
'faithfulness in the center' is truthfulness in the center - truthfulness is as-
sociated with earth, which is called the yellow woman. With the yellow
woamn in the center, it is possible to harmonize yin and yang, to com-
municate with self and others, to respond to myraid things - there is
nothing that cann't be influenced.”

“However, the seventy-two aberrant schools, with their three thousand
six hundred deviated practices, all cling to voidness or stick to forms;
these are not studies that can fulfill our nature and lead to the meaning
of life.”

“It is hoped that there are rulers or powerful people with clear eyes who
will trust and employ the enlightened; then everyone will have a
spiritual model, and will receive blessings without end.”

The Taoist I-Ching

[tolteclogic]

from a discussion on 'enlightenment'


Someone once said that “God is not a concept.”
and just as simply put, enlightenment is not
some cure all, end all in itself, but is the be all
of our being. The world happens and we are
swept along in it's current, this river of life
with all it's sorrow, happiness, joy and pain.
We identify with the pride of our material
achievements within the confines of our
cultural programing and this is who we are.
Concepts get tossed around willy nilly as if
by some miracle we might one day awaken
from this dream by adding even more content
and things to be done to achieve this notion
of liberation and freedom from the norm…
as long as this fits some preconcieved notion.
We hear all the platitudes 'It is only by letting
go of everything giving up attachments and
desire that everything is then given to us',
but what does this really mean… Certainly
popular trends would indicate a new awakening
where essentially the concept of enlightenment
has no true value or meaning. The mind set
that would say, 'I am sorry you have become
enlightened, now get back to work.' Sort of
goes back to the old 'chop wood and carry
water' approach to awakening, except that there
is a big difference where this quest for personal
powers is concerned. Essentially there are at
least two directions which need to be distinguished
before we can begin to understand the true meaning
of what it means to be enlightened. One form tends
to glorify intelligence and ego where as the other
does not. There is a really big difference in the
do nothing nihilistic quietiest who forget themselves
with the intention of somehow transcending the
world of illusion and those who recognize the
importance of direct experience as the means
of building character through the actions of virtue
and genuine humility. That is one side of the
spectrum where innocence welds the sword
of truth unseen and unspoken. For lack of a
better word some call this the Tao. But like
so many things that are passed down through
the ages it's meaning is lost upon interpretations
and the Tao now means all things to all people
distilled into a few words from a book that has
lost it's foundation the 'Tao Te Ching' of Lao-tzu.
The Tao also 'is not a concept'. Yet endless volumes
are written attempting to point the Way within our
most mundane preoccupations. The Tao is indicative
of an alchemical process, which occurs naturally
but to be effective should be harnessed for optimal
effectiveness in sustaining the way of balance.

Then there are those who would sum up the entire
spiritual preoccupation with 'Enlightenment' as
the greatest illusion of all. Or those who attempt
to change the definitions of illumination to mean
something completely and utterly different from
the simple truth of being that it is. There are those
who embrace their darkness, who live in the shadows
and call this the light. There is a huge difference in
the occult pursuit of mystic powers and the majesty of
the Tao. Enlightenment is liberation within intergration
with all things, but to create your own concept in the
pursuit of it does lead to separation and greater
illusion. A meaningful recapitulation is necessary,
learn to die before you die, kill the mind enliven the
spirit, those who attain this 'immediately ascend to the
rank of sages, while those who miss it sink in the stream
forever.'

“The work of comprehending essence and arriving at the
universal order of life is all a matter of thoroughly penetrating
truth.”

“Correcting oneself, there is no ego; spirit and energy do not
dissipate, and rectitude becomes the self.”

“Doing what is improper is not conducive to growth or impower-
ment. Even if one becomes powerful, this is power that abandons
the real and enters the false, empowering that which should not
be powerful. This is really not power.”

“Returning to pristine purity, steady as a mountain, upstanding as
a tree, the business of doing is completed and the business of
nondoing comes to the fore. From now on one practices in a
different mode… whereby it is possible to enter the realm of
unfathomability of spiritual transformation.”

“Once the real is restored, the false evaporates of itself. The real
is thus within the false, and the false is not outside the real.”

“Without determination, even talented and intelligent people are
incapable of attaining the Tao; with determination, even ignorant
men and women are capable of attaining it. As it is said…”

cultivate the path of firm and flexible
restore simple and ready knowledge
and capacity which are innate
reverse the effects of the mundane
overtaking of the celestial
the path back to the primordial


“Innate knowledge and innate capacity are primordial, while
artificial knowledge and artificial capacity are conditioned.
When you recover the primordial reality, then you comprehend
nature and realize the meaning of life, and so enter the road
of life; this is the eternity of the path. If you follow conditioned
artificialites, you obscure nature and damage life, and so enter
the road to death; this is the misery of the path.”

“The medicinal substances are the firm and flexible, simple
and ready qualities of knowledge and capacity in their innate
innocence.”

“The firing process is the sixty-four hexagrams, indicating
modification of simple and ready knowledge and capacity
to restore them to their innate goodness.”

“What is the root of the aggregate of mundanity? It is the
discriminating spirit of the human mentality. The discrimi-
nating spirit is the seed of endless routine, the root and stem
of personal history; its authority is very great, its roots are
very deep.”

“Liberation is when firmness and flexibility combine,
simplicity and readiness are uninhibited, knowledge
and capacity enter the spiritual, and neither being or
nonbeing remain.”

The Taoist I-Ching

[tolteclogic]

While it is true that 'compassion' is one of the
three treasures as set forth in the teachings
of Lao-tzu, ie, Simplicity, Patience,
Compassion, understanding can not be
attained through the process of adding
more knowledge. The master takes
action by allowing things to take their
own course. He has nothing and so, has
nothing to lose. What he desires is non-
desire. What he learns is to unlearn, thus
he can care for all things. When they think
they know the anserws people are difficult
to guide, when they know they don't know,
people can find their own way. He has no
expectation for results, thus he is never
disappointed, his spirit never grows old.
When you realize there is nothing lacking
the whole world belongs to you.

Be content with what you have. True
fullness seems empty, true perfection
seems tranished, true wisdom seems
foolish. The path into the light seems
dark. She lets things come and go
effortlessly without desire. And simply
reminds people of who they've always
been. By not dominating the master
leads. The simplist pattern is the
clearest. Her constant practice is
humility. Return is the movement
of the Tao. Yielding is the way of
the Tao.

She doesn't glitter but allows
herself to be shapped by the Tao
and appears as rugged as a stone.
The master does nothing, yet leaves
nothing undone. Ordinary man keeps
reaching for power, thus he never has
enough. The master does what she
needs to do and demands nothing of
others. She doesn't try to be powerful,
thus she is truly powerful. True words
seem paradoxical. She steps out of the
way and lets the Tao speak for itself -
allow things to happen without
interference. The way forward seems
to go back. The direct path seems long.

There is no greater illusion than fear.
Less and less do you need to force
things until you arrive at non-action.
When nothing is done nothing is left
undone. True mastery can be gained
by letting things go their own way. It
cann't be gained by interference. The
master has no mind of his own, thus
he is truly present. Let the Tao be
present in your life and become
genuine, present in your family
and the family will flourish, present
in your Country and your country
will become an example for the
whole world, present in the Universe
and the universe will sing. How do we
know this is true, by looking inside
ourselves.

[DavidMc]

Cleveland, I just want to put on record I completely respect what you are doing here. This thread may not be for everybody ... but this forum is!

David

[tolteclogic]

Thanks David, and the hits just keep coming
it is understandable, owing to the nature of
these post, that replies are so infrequent.
Your words are much appreciated.

In Spirit
Cleveland


We buy into unquestioned
the words of New Found
teachers…. never thinking
to seek beneath their
surface to the source
of all knowing and distortion


how then will this new
melanoma turn out
four times negative
this one appears
to be different
why worry we may not
be here tomorrow
All for love?
what choice do we have
where never there is enough
the long and the short of it
when now is all there is
should we not be content?
for all the love we are given
it is a gift into our being
and should not the
hanged man
feel for any less
standing in the
place of others
who could not
endure the test
alone


Working the I-Ching

Without this climax in stillenss
there could be no
corresponding
dynamic action -
how would we ever learn?
Attachment in meditation
to tranquility alone
misses the point
the life of a recluse
is of no use or end upon itself
So who will kill this sacred cow?
Remove the seeds of vicious circles
Clarified awareness
Planting lotuses in fire
Dive in to the Dragon's pool
Acquire this pearl
of untold value
stabilized awareness
seven-times restored elixir
spiritual embryo
true intent
focus of attention
time of incubation
threashold of the dawn
of the original mind
reality that is unmasked
enter into the lair
looking for the tiger
using difficulty and danger
the challenges of this world
the external furnace
to refine mind
and develop character

[tolteclogic]

Using stillness to
motivate action
outwardly empty
inwardly fulfilled
joyfulness
and pliability
are as one
the realm of
utter goodness
without evil

Joyfully practicing
in a gradual manner
penetrating
by truthfulness
outwardly fulfilled
inwardly empty
sincere within
active without
functioning flexibly
advancing gradually
into the realm
of profound attainment
of self-realization
faithful and sincere
truthful within
the mind is stable
the will is far reaching

From striving to nonstriving
gradual to immediate
the length of perserverance
the swiftness of sensing
tranquil and unstirring
yet sensitive and effective
the Path that is to be traveled
the Way that is to be carried out


“Action is carried forth by the means of stillness, action is
bassed on stillness. Obviously the small may be excessive
but the great may not be excessive.”

“When it comes to the great matter of nature and life, one must
know the appropriate moments to advance and withdraw, to
sustain and negate, one must know the principles of filling and
empting, effacing and fostering - since even the slightest miss
can result in an enormous loss, no excess is permissible.”

“When strength is balanced and one deeply understands the
firing process, masters the ability to adjust effectively to changes,
is constant in timing rather than minding, constant in the Path
rather than in things, constancy being without form or trace, this
is constancy in which regret disappears.”

where in difficulty
when one cannot be free
return to the origin
withdraw the firing
no form no trace
reversed back inward
illumination is concealed


“Having illumination but not exercing it does not mean vacant
inaction can accomplish the task; there in is the work of pre-
venting danger and the path of constant recollection.”

“The rule of spiritual alchemy is in the firing: Too little firing and
the elixir doesn't form, too much firing and the elixir is damaged.
When the elixir has been completed, you should quickly halt the
firing, rest, and gently nurture it, keeping to the center and em-
bracing the one, deeply concealing the illumination in impercep-
tibility, not allowing so much as a spark of fire.”

“If one does not understanding the firing process and only knows
how to to go along using illumination and does not know how to
reverse and withdraw illumination, this is reverting to darkness by
not understanding.”

“Conditioned yin and yang always interact, but their intercourse is
not correct; it has no conclusion, and goes wrong. For example,
there are ignorant people in the world who join the energies of
heart and genitals, or join the active and passive energy channels
up and down the back and front of the body, or cause energy to rise
up the spine at midnight and descend down the front of the body
at noon, or or gather energy from sexual intercourse, or heat lead
and mercury together, or regulate their exhalations and inhalations -
all of these are recognizing the artificial as real, and trying to force
communion; imagining that they will thereby live long, instead they
are hastening death. This is quite wrong, a serious degeneration.
If practioners of the Tao want to persist to the end, they should first
know what is wrong; if they know what is wrong, they will not be
deluded by the depraved words of false teachings. Then if they
seek to persist to the end, there is hope they will be closer.”

“The Tradition of Connected Sayings of the I-Ching says, 'By finding
out truth and fulfilling one's nature, one arrives at the meaning of
life.'

The Taoist I-Ching

[tolteclogic]

You can awaken anytime you wish
just let go give up control allow
the unseen to flow through you
undeniable as being or non-being
infinite and eternal...

What i have come to understand
that awakening is and aways
has been a beginning of learning
you awaken free of concepts
and then it is up to you
to make sense of it
how best to integrate
this into your life...
without the direct benefit
or guidance of an awakened
master this process will very likely
require many years of struggle
through untold hardship and
uncertainty until at last you
discover for yourself the
language of your own truth
I do not accredite the Tao
the I-Ching or the Tao Te Ching
for this awakening
fingers point at the moon
but it is a very good
process for understanding
and integrating the occurrence
of awakening into everyday
life as we gradually learn
from where we are
and the ways of being
in connection that
have crossed our path
The I-Ching is no more than
a work book for sages
unless you are serious
about your being here
now in this present moment
it will make no sense to you
Awakening is not what we think
it is free of books or concepts
completely present in this
present moment
lived by the Tao

[tolteclogic]

Funny how the Tao seems to suck the air out of a room…
Takes all the fun out of argument…

Unification of strength and flexibility
resting in supreme good
without evil…
the function of reduction
is extremely fine and subtle
to be effective it changes
according to the time
it is not a matter of fixed rules
if we do not perfect the beginning
how will we complete the end?

“When practice of the Tao is always present,
and the gold elixir crystalizes; going on thereby
to transmute the human mind, there is all - around
benefit. The mind of Tao is the master, the human
mind is the servant. When the mind of Tao is in
charge of things, every step, every undertaking, is
celestial design; personal desires do not arise, and
even the human mind transforms into the mind of Tao:
'getting a servant, there is no house' - all pollution
vanishes, aggregated mundanity is stripped away,
and the elixir is perfected. Leaping out of the cage
of the ordinary, one's life span is myraid years. This
is returning to ultimate good by reduction.”

The Taoist I Ching

Clearly we are far to attached to our personal desires
to consider the truth of it.





The Alchemical Classics
ToltecLogic

For those who are genuinely curious…


The Mysterious Female

“Practice of the universal science requires using the original

spirit to control the discriminating spirit. When the discrimi-

nating spirit does not arise, aberrant fire goes out; when

aberrant fire goes out, true fire arises. When true fire arises,

the harmonious energy is fertile and the mechanism of life

does not cease; so there is hope of attaining the universal Tao.

“The ignorant who do not know this mistake the conscious

discriminating spirit for the original spirit. This is wrong.

The original spirit is the nonpsychic spirit, its consciousness

most real, its reality most conscious. The conscious discrimi-

nating spirit is the psychic spirit; though conscious, there is

artificiality in it. Consciousness in the midst of artificality is

the seed of compulsive habit and routine. An ancient adept

said, 'The root of infinite ages of birth and death, the ignor-

ant call the original being.' The root of birth and death is

the discriminating spirit.”


“Mysterious stands for yang, for strength, for action; female

stands for yin, for flexibility, for stillness. The opening of the

mysterious female is the aperture of yin and yang, the door

of strength and flexibility, the gate of action and stillness;

it has no direction, no location, no shape, no form. It is like

an opening hung in space, where the five elements cannot

reach, where the physical elements cannot touch. Ultimate

nonbeing, it contains ultimate being; ultimate emptiness,

it contains ultimate fulfillment. This is the opening within

the conjunction of yin and yang.


“The ignorant who do not know this take mouth and nose

to be the mysterious female. The mouth and nose are the

gate through which the breath exits and enters, not the

gate through which yin and yang enter. When yin and

yang conjoin, they produce immortals and buddhas; can

the air breathed in and out produce immortals and bud-

dhas? Understanding Reality says, 'Few are they who

know the opening of the mysterious female; do not act at

random with the nose and mouth.'”


“The mysterious pass is a most recondite and abstuse pass-

ageway. It is also called the door of life and death, the

chamber of vivifing and killing, the border of divinity and

humanity, the gate of punishment and reward, the opening

of being and nonbeing, the lair of spirit and energy, the

ground of emptiness and fulfillment, the crossroads, and

many other names. All of these terms depict this one open-

ing. The mysterious pass is another name for the mysteri-

ous female. Because its recondite subtlety is unfathomable,

it is called the mysterious pass; because yin and yang are

herein, it is called the mysterious female. Really it is just

this one opening.


“The ignorant who do not know this sometimes take the

space below the heart and above the genitals to be the

mysterious pass; some consider the center of the umbilical

region to be the mysterious pass; some call the coccyx the

mysterious pass; some take the center of the spine, where

it joins the ribs, to be the mysterious pass. These are all

wrong. The mysterious pass has no fixed position; if it

had a fixed position, it would not be the mysterious pass.

“Ch'en Hsu-pai referred to the point where thought arises

as the mysteriouus pass; this seems to be correct, but really

is not. The point where thought arises already has fallen

into the realm of temporal form; how can it be considered

the mysterious pass?


“I now clearly point out to you that the mysterious pass

lies in subtle abstraction, where being and nonbeing in-

terpenetrate. Understnading Reality says, 'Seek the image

of being in the subtle; seek the true vitality in the recon-

dite. From this being and nonbeing interpenetrate; before

you have seen it, how can you imagine it?' Also the Four

Hundred Words on the Gold Elixir says, 'This opening is

not an ordinary aperture, made by Heaven and Earth to-

gether, it is called the lair of spirit and energy. Within

are the vitalities of Water and Fire,' These passages truly

point out the opening of the mysterious pass.”


“However, there are few people in the world who are in

genuine earnest. Most cannot put forth intensive effort

or endure long perseverance; also they do not seek out

the fundamental true principles, but just think of the mys-

terious pass and mysterious female in terms of physical

locations and do some minor techniques which are at-

tached either to voidness or to form, falsely imagining

that they will attain the Tao thereby. This is pitiful.


“If one is a true stalwart, one can decisively set aside all

entanglements, so that all objects are empty, and concen-

trate on the matter of most urgent importance, call on

teachers, form associations with worthy companions,

never changing one's determination; then one can even-

tually come to know the mysterious pass, see the myster-

ious female, and finally comprehend essence and life.

Students should work on this.”


“The great Tao is uncontrived,

based on spontaneity;

But until the work is complete,

one cannot adapt with autonomy.”


“The Inner Teachings of Taoism”

Chang Po-tuan





“Lao-tzu Said:”

according to Wen-Tzu


“Those who are known as real people are united in essence

with the Way, so they have endowments yet appear to have

none; they are full yet appear to be empty. They govern the

inside, not the outside. Clear and pure, utterly plain, they

do not contrive artificialities but return to simplictiy.

Comprehending the fundamental, embracing the spirit,

thereby they roam the root of heaven and earth, wander

beyond the dust and dirt, and travel to work at noninvolve-

ment. Mechanical intelligence does not burden their minds;

they watch what is not temporal and are not moved by

things.


Seeing the evolution of events, they keep to the source. Their

attention is focused internally, and they understand calamity

and fortune in the context of unity. They sit unconscious of

doing anything, they walk unconscious of going anywhere.

They know without learning, see without looking, succeed

without striving, discern without comparing. They respond to

feeling, act when pressed, and go when there is no choice,

like the shining of light, like the casting of shadows.


They take the Way as their guide; when there is any opposi-

tion they remain empty and open, clear and calm, and then

the opposition disappears.


They consider a thousand lives as one evolution, they regard

ten thousand differences as of one source. They have vitality

but do not exploit it; they have spirit but do not make it labor.

They keep to the simplicity of wholeness and stand in the center

of the quintessential.”


translated and edited by

Thomas Cleary




Dissipation

“The human body is only vitality, energy, and spirit. If you

do not care about your vitality and waste it arbitarily,

that is like putting water into a leaking cup; it will not fill

the cup, but will gradually leak away. Finally it will be

all gone, not a drop left. If you do not care about your en-

ergy but let it go whichever way it will, that is like placing

incense on a red-hot brazier, letting it burn away; add

more fuel and fire, and the incense will become ash. If you

do not care about your spirit and dissipate it arbitrarily,

that is like placing a lone lamp in the wind, uncovered, so

that it goes out.



“The Seed of Emotion”


“Because of the six organs, people produce the six con-

sciousness; and because of the six consciousness they

produce emotions. They hardly realize that emotions

confuse them in regard to fundamental reality. Once fun-

damental reality is lost sight of, then emotions run wild.

But the seed of all emotions is craving. Why is this? Be-

cause craving is at the root of emotions. If you don't

crave anything, you don't want anything; if you don't

want anything, how can you be attracted to anything?

If you are not attracted to anything, you are not re-

pulsed by anything; if you have neither attraction nor

repulsion, what anger can there be? When there is no

anger, fear does not occur; without fear, sadness dis-

appears.


So we know that cravings is the root of emotions, If you

try to control emotions forcibly without extripating the

root, you control nothing but outgrowths. This is like a

flood of water: if you try to dam it without stopping the

source or clearing the flow , eventually you'll be drown-

ed. It is also like a blazing fire: if you try to beat it out

without removing its fuel or cuting off its path, you'll

just increase the force of the flames, so that you'll be

threatened at every turn. It is also like the waves of the

ocean, one following another endlessly.


Feeling emotions and evoking them, they all accom-

pany the mind, growing according to circumstances.

Only developed people, knowing the seed, use the

sword of wisdom with great aspiration and fierce de-

termination to cut through the root and sprouts, extir-

pate undesirable syndromes, and prevent emotions

from growing on them like parasites.



“Disorientation”


“The emotions are a huge bolt, and craving is the lock

on the bolt. When you cut through the lock and take

away the bolt, you can get beyond the barrier and go

in peace, freely, without hinderance. Mastering under-

standing of the ultimate Way, you then ascend to ex-

alted reality. I pity people who create all sorts of

demons and obstacles because of cravings. They are

confused and disoriented all their lives, rarely tak-

ing stock of themselves. Even when people of high

attainment try to enlighten them, it is like beating a

drum for the deaf, like presenting a lamp to the blind.

After all they do not wake up. What a pity! Still they

feigh interest in the Way, but their interest is misguid-

ed - what they seek is immortality. This is like opening

pandora's box - it's not that they don't find anything,

but there is harm in it.



“Removing Emotions”


“How can you remove emotions? The way to remove

them is to think there is no self. What is called no

self? The self is originally not self; we are not these

selves. So what does the self cleave to? Once there is

self and you cling to it as yourself, when clinging to

the self as yourself, then nothing is not self. When

nothing is not self, there is nothing to which the self

does not cleave. The country is not one's own, yet

one will die for love of it; the home is not one's own,

yet one will die for love of it. Things are not one's

own, yet one dies for them, like flies seeking ordure,

like ants gathering in putrid flesh, like bees tring to

get through a closed window, smashing themselves

against it when they see the sunlight. Gluttony and

greed make people like vultures, insatiably vora-

cious. But try to think of the self; before the self ex-

isted, it wasn't like this: it must have been clear and

cool. The self is transient, like a fleeting shadow,

like the morning dew - in a moment the self is gone.

Since the self has no self, what is the purpose of

self-love? You will grab your heart and laugh in

astonishment; when you meditate in this way,

what craving will not disappear?



“Nurturing the Seed”


“The seed of the beginningless is undefinable, imper-

ceptible, formless; how does one set about nurturing

it? The way to nurture it is to nurture the temporal

first. The temporal nature has inner design and en-

ergy, pure and polluted, real and false, which can-

not be equated; what can be nurtured? Nurturing

and quelling means to get rid of the false and purify

the polluted. Getting rid of the false is not easy, pur-

ifying the polluted is difficult. Out of pity for people,

I will point out the way to start.


Where do you start? From pure desirelessness. When

you have no desire, there is reality. Reality is without

fabrication; when there is no fabrication, there is

purity. When pure, you can be clear; when real, you

can understand. What can you clearly understand?

The attainment of pure reality illumines everything;

the clarity of illumination understands every way.”


Sayings of Ancestor LU

[tolteclogic]

The Spirit of Tao


'Sayings of Ancestor LU'




'Consciousness of the Past'


“Whether there is good or bad fortune, if feelings are for-

gotten along with situations, what gain or loss is there,

what weakness or strength? The ignorant are bound up in

many concerns, upset and uneasy, confused and worried,

going mad by losing their minds for no reason. To try to

comprehend the Way in this condition is like trying to

cross the ocean in a tub, leaving you helplessly adrift; it is

like trying to descend into the abyss of a thousand fathoms

by means of a well rope, which is not only impossible but

dangerous. Therefore students of the Way must clear away

this consciousness and not be fixated by it, so that nothing

retards them and they are in a state of wholeness, every-

thing evaporating, leaving no more false awareness mix-

ing up true awareness.”




'Consciousness of Personal Knowledge'


“Cosidering oneself to be intelligent and enlightened is

not going by the right Way. Unaware that presumption

of personal knowledge greatly obstructs the Way, you go

back and forth in a fog, stagnant, without expanding. This

not only obstructs the Way, it actually destroys essential

life. Therefore students of the Way work to eliminate this

consciousness, because if they do not eliminate this con-

sciousness they will never clarify true consciousness even

if they eliminate other consciousness.”


~*~*~*~



“Spontaneity”


“Serenely accord with spontaneity; don't act willfully, or

you'll lose the fundamental. What is the fundamental? It

is the essence of mind. The awareness in this essence is

called true awareness. The awareness of true awareness

is called accurate awareness. The awareness of accurate

awareness is great awareness. This great awareness is

primal awareness; it doesn't depend on calculation or

reasoning, it is not willful, insistent, fixed, or egoistic. If

you follow its basic truth and let it be as it spontaneous-

ly is, then you will understand the beginningless and

endless. penetrating the universe.


“This is very subtle and abstruse. Taoist call it the know-

ledge of sages, Confucians call it spiritual communica-

tion, Buddhists call it silent illumination. These are all

terms for true awareness. Consciousness without this

awareness, is called false consciousness. Unless false con-

sciousness is eliminated, it will obscure true awareness.

“But to eliminate false consciousness, it is best to get rid

of five obstacles.”



“Doubt”


“What is the obstical of doubt? The Great Way is easy to

know, simple to do; the indications of an illumined teach-

er are a lamp in a dark room, bright and clear, like a crys-

tal globe. Nevertheless, the obstacle of doubt plants its roots.

When one person talks about the Way, many people add their

remarks and opinions, until the influence of the clamor be-

comes blinding, and people turn from that which is accurate

to that which is deviant, confusing the true with the false.

This is like falling off a tree into a deep canyon.


“The words of the sages are supreme indeeed: 'The open spirit

does not die; it is the entry to all marvels.' The Way of the sages

if great indeed: open and free, responding to cause, pure and

serene. What is the use of different doctrines? Arbitrary indul-

gence in fuss and confussion makes the obstacle of doubt, by

which people impede themselves. What a pity that they do not

understand and wind up subject to pernicious influences.


“It is necessary for practioners to learn from genuine teachers;

don't be confused by false doctrines, and don't take to side-

tracks. Clear openness, calm stability, nurtuing vitality, nurtur-

ing spirit, the mysterious pass, mystic receptivity, pure attention,

nascent enlightment, yin and yang, real knowing and conscious

knowing, overcoming pitfalls, illumination, creative strength

and receptive tranquility - all are in the mind. What is the use

of names? Forms do not remain. If you do not get rid of the ob-

stacle of doubt, there will be a thicket of confusion.



“The Obstacle of Principle”


“Even when the obstacle of doubt is removed, there is still the

obstacle of principle, which is even more harmful to the Way.

The obstacle caused by individual clinging to partiality pre-

vents comprehensive perception. The obstacle of Confucians

is in reification, the obstacle of Taoist is in nothingness, and

the obstacles of Buddhists is in emptiness.”


'Integration'


“The obstacle of reification leads to delusion, which makes

it hard to wake up. The obstacle of nothingness leads to

withering, in which there is no realism. The obstacle of

emptimness leads to quitetism, which reverts to nihilism.

The ancient sages were realistic yet open, empty yet realis-

tic. They saw that emptiness is not empty, that emptiness

does not void anything. This is the supreme Way. It is at-

tained by integration. It is only because of succumbing to

the obstacle of principle that no one knows this. So stu-

dents of the Way should be careful.”



'The Obstacle of Writings'


“For the obstacle of priciple to be removed, there is an

obstacle whose roots derive from writings. But in reality,

the obstacle of writings is an obstacle of mind. The mystic

sayings of the Tao-te Ching all come from profound enlight-

enment: If you view them literially and lose their inner

sense, if you fail to understand and succumb to this obsta-

cle, then all sorts of false statements, aberrated doctrines,

curiosities, and fantasies enter the mind, causing damage

to the nature and body.


So what ancient adepts set up as truths were mostly in the

form of indirect allusions. For example, the terms water

and fire, furnace and cauldron, girl and boy, dragon and

tiger, yin and yang, and mysterious female - all are allu-

sions to something else. People who are obstructed by

words often do exercises without knowing the Great Way

is in vitality, energy, and spirit. Nurturing these three tre-

sures is nurturing the seed; this seed is the root of the ulti-

mate. What all those terms refer to is this one energy; the

basis of the energy is this seed. When you recognize the

seed, all the various explanations are dregs. Why con-

sume the dregs?


So writings are not real explanations of the Way. When

you personally realize the Way, You can dispense with

all the writings.”



The Spirit of Tao



Translated by

Thomas Cleary

[tolteclogic]

there is nothing so difficult that
we can not step out of our own
way to realize our own true
potential...

Recently i begain a thread (elsewhere)
but the title was drawn from some
other content that did not relate
to the topic at hand. This was my
attempt at a correction.

in spirit


Yes, the title of this thread is a misnomer,
(but at least the root canal(s) were
successful)… Originally, at the end of the
day, this was the title to a completely
different thread about personal hardship
and really doesn't relate all that well to
the topic at hand. A far better title would
have been “doing not doing” wie wu wie.


Less and less do we need to force things
until we arrive at nonaction. When nothing
is done , nothing is left undone. Being
fully present in the moment is to be liberated
from superficial discriminatory habitual
patterns of awareness. When Lao-tzu
speaks of desirelessness this does
not in any way imply the absence
of passion from our lives, but i
would say quite the contrary.

We are so attached to our idea of
physical gratifications that we will
go to any length to sustain our
suffering through magic and loss.
Never understanding the truth of
such statements that, If we want
to be given everything, then we
must give everything up. What
could be more simple? Here
in the moment of our being.

If we close our minds in judgements
and traffic with desires, chase after
money and security how will our
heart ever unclinch? Darkness
within darkness, the gateway
to all understanding. Fear and
hope are phantoms that arise
from thinking of the self, when
we don't see the self as self
what do we have to fear?

Should we not be like the
forces of nature? Hidden
but always present. When
the wind blows there is
only wind. When it rains
there is only rain. And when
the clouds clear the sun
comes out. These are the
central truths to the Art of
Living. Listen and it cann't
be heard. Look and it cann't
be seen. Yet when you use it
it is inexhaustable. Only in being
lived by the Tao can we truly
and fully be ourselves.

“Everything is difficult until
it becomes easy.”

[tolteclogic]

Clearly, “the method of striving in spiritual alchemy is to burn away
all the pollution of acquired conditioning, and not let the slightest
flaw remain in the heart, so that one may eventually reexperience
original completeness.”

putting forth effort at every step
advancing the fire without delay
just when lead meets winter
the great medicine appears
spontanious liberation
is the portent of good fortune

“Since beginningless time people have accumulated faults and
defects, the seeds of habitual compulsions growing deeper as
time goes on; now if they want to do something of benefit to
essence and life, they cannot accomplish this unless they first
extract the seeds of these compulsive habits. But the seeds of
habitual compulsions cannot be removed all at once; there are
processes, and procedures.”

“The way of gain and beneficial action lies in concentrated will,
making thoroughly dedicated effort, made from within difficulty
and hardship.”

“When the celestial and the human act together, one uses the
return of this one bit of positive energy to go back, back to where
there is pure positivity without negativity, so the mind of Tao is
always present… Only then is one liberated from danger and
difficulty, and able to act freely in any way, just as one wills.”

Decreasing the human mentality
increasing the mind of Tao
decreasing aberrated energy
increasing sane energy
reduction within increase
every beginning has a conclusion

“Only when one has dissolved the seeds of compulsive habit
of time immemorial will one be able to restore one's original
being. Therefore it is also 'beneficial to cross great rivers.”

“Illumination is the energy of open awareness in the palace
of 'fire' (the heart); it is the spirit of humans, the master of
mind. When the mind is open it is aware; the original spirit
is in charge of affairs, and illumination is managed properly.”

“When the mind is unruly, it wanders; the discriminatory con-
sciousness is in charge of affairs, and illumination is not
properly directed.”


The Taoist I Ching

[tolteclogic]

“The Tao of striving for the gold elixer has been set up for middling
and lesser people, in whom the joining of the mundane to the
celestial has already taken place. Striving means to the foster the
celestial and detach from the mundane. Detaching from the mun-
dane by means of the celestial requires that one first foster the
celestial while within the mundane; fostering the celestial is just a
device to repel mundanity.”

“The way to get rid of the discriminating spirit of the human mentality
is to be firm yet capable of harmony, to be strong but flexible, neither
obsessed nor indiffernet, niether forgetful not insistent, waiting for it
to lose support and wane in power, so that it canbe removed by de-
tachment. Extripatingthe root of misfortune, bringing forth the original
state before personal history, round and bright, clean and naked,
bare and untrammeled, unborn and undying, this is something in-
destructable and incorruptible.”

“The firing process is the sixty-four hexagrams, indicating modification
of simple and ready knowledge and capacity to restore them to their
innate goodness. The medicinal substances are the firm and flexible,
simple and ready qualities of knowledge and capacity in their innate
innocance.”

“…otherwise there are thoughts that do not leave.”

I know no one likes
being force fed
the truth…
But here it goes anyway
and since you (won't) or aren't likely
to take my word for it
I' ll let the Tao
do all the talking…

“To advance the fire and employ illumination, it is first necessary to
illumine the inner; illumination of the inner is refining the self. Re-
fining the self simply means refining the yin within ineself. What yin
is this? It is the human mentality.”

“People in the world who contemplate voidness, stick to quietude,
forget about people, forget about their own bodies. and go like this
all their lives without change, are certainly sincere about reduction,
but they are faithful to what they should not be faithful to, and re-
duce what they should not reduce - thus there is decrease with
increase, which is still faulty.”

“When the mind of Tao becomes manifest, the mind is illumined;
then the vitality, spirit, soul, psyche, and intent all transform into
guardian spirits of truth.”

“Being firm and clear minded, voluntarily humble and self-effacing,
living embracing the Tao, is like adorning the feet. The firmness of
adorning the feet does not let external artifice injure internal reality;
therefore one leaves the car and is content to walk. This is the
adornment of firmly preserving rectitude.”

The Taoist I Ching


the heart pure, the mind quite
thoughts not arising within
extrnals remaining without
impervious to outside influences
carefully watching over
one's inner state
controling movement by stillness
conscientious sternness bodes well
positive strength being balanced
the mind is correct
good fortune comes naturally
the unification of firmness and flexibility
it can not be forced
it is not forced



Let me clarify that these words are completely tailored from my
daily practice through the Tao by casting the I Ching… If it
makes sense to you, do not mistake this for the
condition of your present awareness, but i strongly recommend
you begin this work in triplex unity and discover for yourself
the depth of meaning beyond all knowing.