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...

Why Is It So Hard to Let Go?We sometimes hear the advice “Don’t stress out—just let it go.” But how often do we find that helpful? If we’re truly stressing out, then we likely don’t find it very helpful at all. Why not? Because it...

Water Does Not Try“The supreme good is like water, which nourishes all things without trying to.” (Lao Tzu) Water has no desire. It is not “trying” to nourish anything. It just does what it does. Similarly the Tao simply is w...

Lao Tzu and MichelangeloYou don’t often see those two names paired together, do you? So what am I doing putting them side by side? Good question. The answer is because of a quote attributed to Michelangelo which you may have heard.&nbs...

Good and Bad “When people see some things as good, then other things become bad.” (Lao Tzu) Interesting how that works. Give something a name, be so bold as to say that’s what it “is,” and we immediately create the “not-is” versio...

Choppy WatersIt’s an odd title for this month’s newsletter, but here’s where I want to go with it. We’ve all heard the phrase “to go with the flow.” When phrased this way, who wouldn’t want to go with it, right? For me, it conjures up...

The Master Serves As An Example“Thus the Master is content to serve as an example and not to impose her will.” (Lao Tzu) To serve as an example you have to “be” what you believe in. This is an inside job. It’s much easier to look...