The Open Heart

He who talks, it is said, doesn't know
he who knows doesn't talk...
After all once we are cleansed
of our personal history, once
the past falls into proper perspective
What more is there to say?
How many more books need be read
at the point of nonstriving spontaneity?

We simply learn in a different manner
once the search has ended... once there
is no more need for seeking if we do not
understand the necessity for hidden
practice all that has been gained will be
set to ruin against the mundane...

If you realize that all things change
there is nothing you will hold on to
If you aren't affraid of dying
there is nothing you cann't achieve
teach without a teaching
act without doing
arrive without being summoned
heal yourself of all knowing
without opeing your door
you can open your heart
to the world...
seeing into darkness is clarity
knowing how to yield is strength
if your want to take something
you must first allow it be given
if you want to shrink something
you must first allow it to expand
this is the subtal percepception
of the way things are
return to the source of light
practicing eternity...
these teachings are older
than the world how could
we grasp their meaning?

~*~

the subtle perception of the way things are
less and less do you need to force things
until finally you arrive at nonaction
when nothing is done - nothing is left undone

it is possible to arrive without
understanding the process
many paths will do
in recapitulation...
understanding the process
however, requires mastery

~*~

The master, it is said, teaches
by weakening their ambition
and strengthening their resolve
to emtpty one's mind and
thereby filling one's core...


yet there is danger
in solitary cultivation
of tranquility...
being outwardly flexible
but inwardly firm
refining oneself
controlling the mind
ascending from lowliness
to the heights...
eliminating anger
and convetousness
entering gradually
this realm of beauty
stopping falsehood
maintaining truthfulness
clarifing the good
restoring the original
"Profoundly arriving
at self-realization,
one will rise into
the inner sanctum
of sages."

"When one is flexible and balanced, keeping to
one's lot calmly and constantly, without thought
or effort, sincere and singleminded, this can
be called constancy in this one virtue. However,
fidelity to this single-mindedness is suitable
for cultivating quietude apart from society, but
it is difficult to thereby comprehend essence
and reach the destiny of life."

"So practioners of the Tao should be constant
in the right way, especially in practice of the
right path. Only then can they get somewhere
beneficially, comprehend essence and arrive
at the meaning of life, and preform the great
work in the world that is eternally unchanging."

I Ching

When imbalanced
and disoriented
craving happiness
not knowing
it requires
discipline...
Being weak
striving for
exeternals
the wound
of lament
is self inflicted
no fault of others

"When people are unable to make their virtue
lofty and great, it is because they do not know
how to follow virtue, and instead go
against it."

Not having a substantial basis
pursuing what is far away
abandoning the near at hand
not following virtue
wanting to enter the
inner sanctum
before the door
has opened
at the first
hint of even
a little progress
imagining they have
attained the Tao

"To reach a state of lofty greatness,
gradual progress and harmonious
action develop together; herein
lies what is known as profound
attainment of self-realization."

this simple daily practice
working the firing process
knowing the medicinal
sustance...
when to advance
and when to retreat
not losing the proper way
a time for being swift
and the time for stillness



"Gold becoming bright when refined by fire"

Using fire to refine gold...

"Change means getting rid of the old and not using it."

Restoring the celestial:

"The arbitrary feelings of people are mundane gold,
the true sense in people is celestial gold."

"Using the true fire of the riginal spirit to bun away the
mundane gold of arbitrary feelings, when arbitrary
feelings are gone true snese appears..."

"gold becoming brigth when refined by fire"

Gold on the top thereis fire down below...

"A cauldron is that wherein something is refined to obtain
the new."

Mirror images of one another
now there is fire on top
and wood down below...

Perfecting wood in fire
changing its polluted
substance...
returning to reality

"Human temperment is mundane wood,
the true nature of humanity is celestial wood."

"Using the true fire of the original spirit to burn
away the mundane wood of temperment,
when the temperment vanishes, the
true nature appears..."

Wood without smoke or flame
impersonal nature
producing wood in fire

illumination inside or out:

"Change and renewal, the false departing and the new arriving,
is the uniting of nature and sense, returning to the origin and
going back to the fundamental. However, it is necessary first to
change the old, in the sense of refining the self, emptying the
mind and bidin g the time. After that, the cauldron obtains the
new... so as to form the elixir."

One illumination pervades both striving and nonstriving...


Walking the circle
we are like
the forces of nature
active when it is
appropriate
to be active
Still when it is
approriate
to be still
sincere within
active without
action is not
to be divorced
from stillness
gradually
one advances
to the realm
of profound
attainment
of self-realization
stopping in the realm
of utter goodness
without evil...

not staying in lowly position

"So in the path of practice of the Tao, it is not a matter of the
level of people's talents or qualities, but of whether or not
they have determination. 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, those who realize it immediately
ascend to the rank of sages, while those who miss it sink
in the stream forever."

The Taoist I Ching


what form of narative is this
pointing a finger at
the thing that
cannot be discribed
nature of the beast
mundanity at its best
manifest or sink
in this stream forever
the crossing of great rivers

~*~

"When practioners of the Tao get to the stage of taking (yang)
from water and filling in (the yin) in fire, so that water and fire
settle each other, they are fortunate to accomplish this after
untold exertion and toil; then when they seal it securely and
guard against danger, they thereby complete the work that
requires striving. Otherwise, if they relax and stop working,
the firing process goes amiss, unsettling what has been
settled, losing what has been attained. Therefore the methods
of striving and nonstriving are to be used according to the
appropriate time. The ultimate accomplishment is when being
and nonbeing are one, emptiness and fulfillment are both
included, and essence and life are both comprehended."

Toaist I Ching

~&~

The Open Heart

Reverse obediance
Restore natural
innocence
follow the mind of Tao
walk this dangerous precipice
return to appropriate order
master yourself
foster primordial energy
become selfless
Nonegotistical Being
preserving truthfulness
there is no regret
disperse the self
transmute the negative
upon the path of firmness
flexibility is required
No danger exist
within the open heart

Essentially we all have a choice
where the path of high adventure
is concerned, and yet the
potential for misuse of intent
creates yet another prison
where freedom may not be found.

Would it not be better if we
were free to choose the path
of the inward way? Which is
not to say that we are
rendered powerless in our
quest for freedom, quite the
contrary. We are commended
to be the master of controlled
folly. "To be shaken lose from
the debilitaing restraints of
our social conditioning, and to be
given back confidence in one's own
worth and in one's own potential,
is a great gift indeed, and yet
even this gift pales into
insignificance next to the
gift of transformation..."
T.M.



Accumulate virtue
study widely
with serious intent
everyday improve
precedents of speech
with action
To emulate
the sages of yore
question earnestly
think for yourself
fulfill nature
reach the meaning of life
stable as a mountain
permanent as heaven
strong in stillness
resting in the highest good

"Practioners of the Tao should carefully develope
immense energy, and combine duty with right action,
so that they may attain to perfect truthfulness
without error."

The Taoist I-Ching


First overcome self-importance
Being and nonbeing are one
action is not done
without understanding
firmness and flexibility
balance each other
within the death
dealing mechanism
reverse the usual
course of conditioning
with harmony and joy
Appropriate living potential
Amass sane energy
comprehend nature and life