Dear Friends,
Like me, I’m sure you love the teachings of Jesus, Buddha,
Krishna and many of the more modern spiritual teachers.
Lao-Tse (which means ‘The Old One’) often gets his wisdom relegated to gift plates and mugs. His real name was Li-Er and he lived around 2600 hundred years ago in China’s Henan Province.
He was a librarian in charge of state archives. He met Confucius once but always retained his own belief that wisdom could be directly received from the Spirit world.
After retiring he channelled that wisdom into the remarkable book,
The Tao Te Ching, a compendium of extraordinary truths.
In time, that blossomed into Taoism.
Hopefully, my chosen example will bring you greater support as the world’s economy descends into economic madness and disruption.
Lao-Tse wrote….
If you are depressed you are living in the past……
We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Sadly, we can get caught up in sad memories, unresolved disappointments, remembered slights and insults, regurgitated fears and worries…..we each have a thousand opportunities to plunge back into the past….and when we do it’s almost certain to disappoint, depress and sadden us…..
What memories from Yesterdayland still affect you?
Lao-Tse then wrote….
If you are anxious you are living in the future……
We’ve all visited that place, too! In fact, we’re creative geniuses at guessing what might happen, speculating on what could occur, surmising on what may eventuate and generally worrying ourselves silly with negative thoughts prior to anything happening at all!
Hands up if you’re living in Tomorrrowland!!
Thankfully Lao-Tse didn’t leave us depressed or anxious. He wrote…
If you are at peace you are living in the present……
Yes! In this moment, right now, for 99.999999% of us there is Peace.
Right here.
Right now.
Yes, we can easily slip back into the past and find depression.
Yes, we can effortlessly move into the future and become anxious.
But what do we achieve?
Black Shadows and irksome noise.
Black Shadows and the irksome noise of what has passed.
Black Shadows and the irksome noise of what hasn’t even happened.
In the present moment, there is for almost all of us …….Peace.
(That’s one of the great values of regular meditation and chant).
So where do you choose to place your awareness?
And why?
What does it achieve for you?
And after it has been achieved………
Where will you choose to place your awareness?
Bountiful Blessings!
Peace Be Within You!
Les