The TAO of Living for Life

THE TAO OF LIVING FOR LIFE

Dualistic Existence

“With the fall of man, good cannot exist without evil.

Man is born with virtues, but grows up with vices.

Likewise, life and death complement each other.

Heaven is eternal life; hell is everlasting death.

Human existence is therefore dualistic:

it can make heaven out of hell, or hell out of heaven.

Faith and lack of faith go along with each other.

The first will be the last, and the last will be the first.”

(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 2)

We all have dualistic existence with our true self, and our ego-self. The true self is often pure and simple, but the ego-self is always tainted and complicated, leading to sin and evil. There is a constant conflict between the two—one forever trying to dominate and overcome the other. 

Humility, without the ego, is the only Way to go. But the Way is never easy, because we are all imperfect.

Imperfection, however, is a gift of life: knowing that nobody is perfect may enable you to understand that you should always accept others as they are, because you, too, like everybody else, are imperfect.

Likewise, the life journey is a bed of roses but always with some thorns. So, just embrace all your daily life problems and challenges, and learn some valuable life lessons from them.

The TAO of daily living: everything is impermanent; at the end, all pains and pleasures ultimately become nothing.

In the Heart of Every Being

“Each and every being in the universe

is an expression of the Creator.

We are all shaped and perfected by Him.

Therefore, we should honor the Creator

and delight in His eternal presence,

not because we are commanded,

but because it is our own nature.

The Creator gives birth to all beings,

nourishes and cherishes them,

instructs, comforts, and matures them,

and then returns them to their origin.

The Creator gives us life,

but does not claim to own us.

He is always acting on our behalf,

but expects nothing in return.

He is guiding us along the Way,

but does not control where we turn.

His presence is deep within us,

in the very nature of our being.”

(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 51)

                                                            

We are made into who we are with a mission and a purpose in this world.

Your role in this world is to find out your mission and passion, and then pursue them accordingly.

The problem is that in your pursuit you may follow your way, rather than the Way of the Creator.

Another problem is: how do you know what is your way or the Way?

With humility, you may begin to let go, giving way to emptiness, to be filled with the wisdom of the Creator.

Remember, the Creator always gives you the freedom to choose.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau