PRACTICING TAO ~*~

Its a Good Day!

I had a very busy, but productive day yesterday.

I was interviewed by Drew Canole from FitLife TV yesterday afternoon. It’s been quite interesting in the last couple years because most of the people interviewing me from the “fitness world” have been largely interested in my views of spirituality and how that relates to fitness or exercise.

Though interviewers typically come with a laundry list of questions, they seem so taken back by my answers to their questions of spirituality; they seem to realize that asking me another way to squat, deadlift, or burn fat isn’t really moving anyone toward wholeness; how big does your bench have to be before you can get along with your loved ones?

You can squat a thousand pounds, but the weight of our mind is killing you!

Yesterday, Drew was asking me (in paraphrase), what I thought it was that created so much challenge for people on the religious quest.

I chuckled. I quoted St. Francis of Assisi, who said, “What you are looking for, is what’s looking.” There was a moment of silence and the look on Drew’s and his assistant Jeff’s face was one of pause and deep introspection.

They both bubbled up with something like, “Wow, that is powerful, that says it all.”

We all giggled about the whole issue because those words exemplify why people ceaselessly look everywhere outside themselves, while arguing and fighting over what they think God is or isn’t, what they think “God wants or doesn’t want”!

PRACTICING TAO

TAO is the Unmoved Mover.
Though it contains and expresses tai-chi,
Movement,
Mind,
TAO is not this, not that.

TAO, like a mirror,
does nothing,
yet, look into it and there you are!

When you look into the mirror,
what do you see? What do you say to yourself?

Some are so distraught – they often break mirrors!
That damn mirror!

The mirror does not have emotions of it’s own.
It reflects what you represent.
The mirror has no face of it’s own.
It gives yours back to you without condition.

Close your eyes.
What do you see?

Open your eyes.
What do you see?

Looking in, you self-reflect
there you are.
Looking out at the mirror
there you are – self-reflection.

If you look in and don’t see,
your peace is entangled “out there”
You depend on the world to create your bliss;
can you control the world?

If you look at the mirror
and don’t see Love,
where will you look next?

Like TAO,
the mirror does not refuse.
Your reflections are your own.
TAO gives you you;
it does not bend, complain, or constrain.
That is the providence of mind,
your mind!

Your reflections
Your representations.

The truth cannot be known in mind.
Mind excludes
me!you?
White? Black?
Should? Shouldn’t?
Woulda!coulda?
What does your mirror say?

To know TAO
Practice Abiding.

No one there
Everyone there
ALL ONE.
What will you do now?
That is how you love.

THE MIRROR
Embraces everyone
Rejects no one.
TAO is Unconditional – Abiding.

This is what it means when Saints and sages say,
“Be Still, and know that I AM GOD”

When,
Where, and
how you dance,
that, is up to you!

Love and chi,
Paul Chek