Tao Te Ching

By: Lao-tzu

All in the world know the beauty of the beautiful, and in doing
this they have (the idea of) what ugliness is; they all know the skill
of the skilful, and in doing this they have (the idea of) what the
want of skill is.

------

We look at it, and we do not see it, and we name it 'the
Equable.' We listen to it, and we do not hear it, and we name it 'the
Inaudible.' We try to grasp it, and do not get hold of it, and we
name it 'the Subtle.' With these three qualities, it cannot be made
the subject of description; and hence we blend them together and
obtain The One.

Its upper part is not bright, and its lower part is not obscure.
Ceaseless in its action, it yet cannot be named, and then it again
returns and becomes nothing. This is called the Form of the Formless,
and the Semblance of the Invisible; this is called the Fleeting and
Indeterminable.

We meet it and do not see its Front; we follow it, and do not see
its Back. When we can lay hold of the Tao of old to direct the things
of the present day, and are able to know it as it was of old in the
beginning, this is called (unwinding) the clue of Tao.

----

He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches
his legs does not walk (easily). (So), he who displays himself does
not shine; he who asserts his own views is not distinguished; he who
vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged; he who is self-
conceited has no superiority allowed to him. Such conditions, viewed
from the standpoint of the Tao, are like remnants of food, or a tumour
on the body, which all dislike. Hence those who pursue (the course)
of the Tao do not adopt and allow them.

-----

Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere. Those
who are skilled (in the Tao) do not dispute (about it); the
disputatious are not skilled in it. Those who know (the Tao) are not
extensively learned; the extensively learned do not know it.

The sage does not accumulate (for himself). The more that he
expends for others, the more does he possess of his own; the more that
he gives to others, the more does he have himself.

With all the sharpness of the Way of Heaven, it injures not; with
all the doing in the way of the sage he does not strive.

-----

The woman of the Tao

Holds oneness in her heart

And her world is at peace,

Does not try to please

And therefore shines,

Does not seek attentions

And therefore excels,

Does not justify herself

And is there for trusted,

Does not imitate others

And is therefore herself,

Does not compete

And therefore

No one in the world

Can surpass her.

Readings

Excerpts from:

The Top 200 Secrets of Success and the Pillars of Self-Mastery

-- Robin S. Sharma

Set aside one hour every morning for personal development matters. Meditate, visualize

your day, read inspirational texts to set the tone of your day, listen to motivational tapes

or read great literature. Take this quiet period to vitalize and energize your spirit for the

productive day ahead. Watch the sun rise once a week or be with nature. Starting the day

off well is a powerful strategy for self-renewal and personal effectiveness.

Use the rubber band method to condition your mind to focus solely on the most positive

elements in your life. Place a rubber band around your wrist. Each time a negative,

energy sapping thought enters your mind, snap the rubber band. Through the power of

conditioning, your mind will associate pain with negative thinking and you will soon

possess a strongly positive mindset.

Always answer the phone with enthusiasm in your voice and show your appreciation for

the caller. Good phone manners are essential. To convey authority on the line, stand up.

This will instill further confidence in your voice.

Stay on purpose, not on outcome. In other words, do the task because it is what you love

to do or because it will help someone or is a valuable exercise. Don't do it for the money

or the recognition. Those will come naturally. This is the way of the world.

Light a candle beside you when you are reading in the evening. It is most relaxing and

creates a wonderful, soothing atmosphere. Make your home an oasis from the frenzied

world outside. Fill it with great music, great books and great friends.

Stephen Hawking, one of the great modern physicists of the world, is reported to have

said that we are on a minor planet of a very average star located within the outer limits of

one of a hundred thousand million galaxies. Are your problems really significant in light

of this? You walk this Earth for but a short time. Why not become devoted to having only

a wonderful experience. Why not dedicate yourself to leaving a powerful legacy to the

world? Sit down now and write out a list of all that you have in your life. Start first with

your health or your family - the things we often take for granted. Put down the country

we live in and the food we eat. Do not stop until you have written down fifty items. Once

every few days, go through this list - you will be uplifted and recognize the richness of

your existence.

Remember people's names and treat everyone well. This habit, along with enthusiasm, is

one of the great success secrets. Everyone in this world wears an imaginary button that

screams out "I WANT TO FEEL IMPORTANT AND APPRECIATED!".

Read "As a Man Thinketh" by James Allen. And don't just read this little book once, read

it over and over again. It contains an abundance of timeless wisdom on living a fuller and

happier life.

Once a week, arise at dawn. It is a magical time of day. Be still, go for a walk or simply

listen to an old Ella Fitzgerald recording. Take a long, hot shower and do 100 pushups.

Read one of the classics. You will feel alive and invigorated.

Read the wonderful book "Discovering Happiness" by Dennis Wholey. It will certainly

open up new horizons for you in your quest for an optimal state of health and happiness.

Aromas have been proven to be an effective means of entering a state of relaxation.

Scents have a very noticeable effect on your mindset and moods. Purchase the essential

oils of orange and clove bud from your local health food shop. Put a few drops of either

oil within a cup of boiling water and inhale the sweet smelling steam for a few minutes.

Then let the mixture sit in the room where you are resting. You will gain a sense of peace

and serenity. A little apple spice in the air has recently been shown to induce a far more

restful sleep.

83% of our sensory input comes from our eyes. To truly concentrate on something, shut

your eyes and you will remove much distraction.

Make every one of your days a true masterpiece. Remember the old saying: "it's not who

you think you are that holds you back but what you think you're not."

Get into the habit of taking mental vacations throughout the day. Visit Bermuda for five

minutes in the morning. Visualize a swim in the Mediterranean in the afternoon and

skiing down the slopes of the Alps just before you head for home at the end of your busy

and productive day. Try this for two months and schedule these rest periods into your

agenda just as you would your essential meetings or tasks. The rewards will be

significant.

Do not talk when you are listening. Interrupting is one of the most common discourtesies.

Listen aggressively with the full scope of your attention. You will be amazed at what you

learn and how your counsel will soon be sought by many.

Keep your words soft and arguments hard.

When you look for something you will find it. If you constantly expect exceptional

success, you will surely have it. Peak performers attract success. You must keep the goals

you desire to achieve at the forefront of your mind throughout the day. Repeat your

ambitions at least five times a day and visualize yourself achieving them. If your goal is

to be rich, picture the house you will be living in, the car you will be driving, what it will

feel like to be rich and the pleasure of attaining your goals in life. Repeat your ambition

over and over until you have complete certainty that you will attain your desires and

eventually you will.

Things are always created twice. There is always the mental creation which precedes the

physical creation. Just as plans for a house must first be set down on paper before the

house is started, so too should your day be planned within your mind early in the morning

before the day begins. Visualize the wonders you desire this life to bring and they will

materialize as your subconscious mind starts to focus on the attainment of goals. This is a

true law of Nature.

POEMS and THOUGHTS

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”
-C.S. Lewis

Quotes

"In my dream, the angel shrugged and said, if we fail this time, it will be a failure of imagination

and then she placed the world gently in the palm of my hand."
—  Brian Andreas

"When I first discovered the moon, he said, I gave it a different name. But everyone kept calling it the moon. The real name never caught on."
— Brian Andreas

"Falling into Place:
deciding everything is falling into place perfectly as long as you don't get too picky about what you mean by place. Or perfectly."
— Brian Andreas

"Invention:
I always wanted to invent something that would move around & make funny noises & would change the world as we know it & I forgot all about that until we had kids & now I see I came pretty close."
— Brian Andreas

 It takes a long time to grow young.
— Pablo Picasso