Can We Work Towards Serenity?“Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity.” (Lao Tzu) But what if our work doesn’t turn out the way we want? What if it doesn’t have the effect on others that we want? Surely we nee...

Your Mind Is A Garden“Where there is no gardener, there is no garden.” You’ve likely heard this quote before. I like its simplicity. Gardens and minds are places where things grow. Plants grow in gardens; thoughts grow in our minds.&nb...

See The World As Your Self“See the world as your self. Have faith in the way things are. Love the world as your self; then you can care for all things.” (Lao Tzu) Typically we see the world as “out there.” We care for ourselv...

Growth Starts Where Comfort EndsThere’s no comfort if everything keeps changing all the time. Why not? Because we get no chance to get used to anything. We may not even get a chance to figure out if we like things or not before they ch...

Audiobook released!I know my emails are usually a monthly newsletter. This one is different. I do hope you don't mind.I want to share the exciting news that my book In Harmony with the Tao: A Guided Journey into the Tao Te Ching has just been release...

Why Does Desire Cause Trouble?“When there is no desire, all things are at peace.” (Lao Tzu) Does that mean we can’t desire for all things to be at peace? Why not? Seems like a noble cause; worth a desire or two. The trouble i...

Did Lao Tzu Meet Confucius?This newsletter is going to be a bit factual. It’s the result of trying to answer a question I’ve wondered about from time to time. Lao Tzu and Confucius are two giants of Chinese philosophy and their lifespans ov...

What Is Eternally Real?“The name that can be named is not the eternal Name. The unnamable is the eternally real.” (Lao Tzu) Things come and go. We wonder what is eternally real. The answer is none of the things that come and...

What’s Worth Worrying About?Nothing. Well, that’s a short answer—and not a very useful one. So let’s open it up a bit. Most of us would agree we spend a certain amount of time worrying. The question is: Is it worth it? And, g...

The Center of the Circle“The Master sees things as they are, without trying to control them. She lets them go their own way, and resides at the center of the circle.” (Lao Tzu) Imagine our thoughts and desires as being at the edge of a...