Open Mind, Open Heart discussion

Verse 29:

Do you think you can take over the universe
and immprove it?
I do not believe it can be done.

Everything under heaven is a sacred vessel
and cannot be controlled.
Trying to control leads to ruin.
Trying to grasp, we lose.

Allow your life to unfold naturally.
Know that it too is a vessel for perfection.
Just as you breathe out,
there is a time for being ahead
and a time for being at rest;
a time for being in motion
and a time for being at rest;
a time for being vigorous
and a time for being exhausted;
a time for being safe
and a time for being in danger.

To the sage
all of life is a movement toward perfection,
so what we need has he
for the excessive, the extravagant, or the extreme?

Wow, I need to memorize this verse.

To me this verse says you cannot expect to control the world by manipulating your surroundings. In fact, we have no control, because everything on this planet must obey the rules of balance. And like the song says, "For every season, turn, turn, turn...."

Everything is already perfect,
whether you use sage, rosemary, or time.
One only needs to drop the mental chatter
and focus deeply within in true meditation.

Yep. We are not in control. This verse reminds of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible...which just verifies my feeling that there are Universal Truths inherent in all religions.
It doesn't do any good to hate the hurricane or the earthquake or the illness. Even they are part of the Tao, and we need to give up trying to understand the "why?" of everything.

Beautifully put. There is a zen parable where a monk has the idea of paving the world with something soft so that your feet do not hurt when walking around (trying to control others, surroundings) and the master suggests a pair of shoes (work on acceptance in yourself).

You said it Benjamin: Acceptance. That is not an easy feat. I also agree with Peni that there are universal truths. Take the "Golden Rule," for instance. I feel we all know what is inherently right. It's when we feel defensive that we must question whether we are truly right. Think about people with extreme views. Don't you wonder why someone so right has to argue with you tooth and nail? Could it be because deep down they sense there is something wrong with their version of right?

Essentially I interpret "do unto others" (unto or onto?) as "do unto oneself" as we are ultimately one... deep down where we are awareness only. However, nature builds great diversity, and there is no right or wrong... only natural law. Freedom is a powerful thing and we all have it (whether we exercise it or not). These tooth and nail fighters are necessary on all counts. I have extreme views... extreme when you hold them up side by side next to mass held views. Outside of basic fundamental natural law there are no truths, and who is an authority on natural law? No-one is.
We all ultimately agree. If you talk long enough with a tooth and nail fighter you WILL find common ground… it can’t be otherwise as we are all ultimately the same. Language makes this impossible however, so I try and just agree with people. .. TRY. There is also a bit of trouble-maker in me though. I am afraid that I like to throw an occasional wrench.

Well said Benjamin! I suppose the operative word is "try." ;) Isn't that all any of us can really do?

How about 'Be'. just 'Be', as in Now. Be here Now; you don't even have to try. the past is ash, over, nothing can change it, it's existence is done. The future is an illusion, a dream, it doesn't exist,either. The only reality is NOW, that fine line between past and future. Thus, being anywhere else would be unrealistic, no?

j (lower case j)