Dear Wisdom,
Please explain the words of the Tao te Ching: “If I had the least bit of wisdom, I could follow the path of Tao quite well. My only fear would be trying to go my own way. The Great Path is simple and direct, yet people love to take the side routes.” verse 53
What does it mean? What is the path of the Tao, the Great Path? Simple and direct? Does that mean abstaining from all earthly pleasures and meditating on a mountaintop? Where are these side routes? Thank YOU!
Care to comment, Wisdom?
Answer
This simple path to Tao or God is love. Trying to go one’s own way is to follow the ego. Following God’s path is harder because one needs to spend their life trying to tame the ego.
Most do not like to deny themselves anything. To choose to follow one’s spiritual course takes discipline.
If a person decides to play an instrument, it is a struggle to learn the chords and positioning of the fingers. Many do not continue on because it is not as fun as going to the movies or talking with friends. It can take years before the person masters a few songs. In today’s era, people are envied by how much they can “multitask”.
*The true path is one-pointed.
*The focus is magnified when one concentrates on one thought at a time.
People think they are accomplishing many things at once but they end up being distracted and not paying attention. They spend lots of time looking for items or redoing a job over. They can become impatient and harried. Some are addicted to multitasking. The internal clock of the mind feels as if there is never enough time. They are literally rushing to their death as a human.
*To take the Divine Lords path, a wise person is willing to practice delayed success. It might seem that jobs take longer but one savors the experience.
*When on God or Tao’s path, doing dishes is sacred, not a chore and to hurry up.
*Compassion is easier when one does not feel rushed.
One’s path asks a basic question. To follow the ego the question will be, “What’s in it for me?” To follow God, the question will be, “How is love the answer?”
Thank you so much, Wisdom, with joy.
You are welcome little Island.
They can become tourist locations. People who live on the island tend to set a different pace if they are a “true Islander”.
There are more distractions and hectic pace on the mainland.
Louise Hay teaches one to create their own “island” in the mind. Choose to practice “island living”.
*The goal in life is not rushing to the end. Savor an island lifestyle. One stops to “smell the flowers” and greet the neighbor with a smile.
The slogan on your shirt reads, “This person slows down and stops for a smile”.
No one can speed up your own internal clock. God did not intend to experience life as a race.
*God’s question to you is: “What is the rush? I thought we could explore life together.”
