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 circle. See th...

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 is really hard to l...

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 what it is. If we must use...

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. The quote is “I sa...

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” version. Now we have to la...

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 an image of a w...

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 at the world outside...

Ikigai and the Tao Te ChingWhat is Ikigai, and what does it have to do with the Tao Te Ching? Good questions. This newsletter will explore them, and hopefully show their common focus on how to live our lives in harmony with the world around us. Ikiga...

Ikigai and the Tao Te ChingWhat is Ikigai, and what does it have to do with the Tao Te Ching? Good questions. This newsletter will explore them, and hopefully show their common focus on how to live our lives in harmony with the world around us. Ikiga...

Time To Do Nothing?“When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.” (Lao Tzu) Sounds paradoxical, doesn’t it? This is Chapter 48 of the Tao Te Ching talking about how we often see each action as a separate “thing” expected to produce a result. But if...