Less and Less

It's the end of the Tao Te Ching and I must say, not that bad of a book. It had more than enough interesting things in it that taught me a lot. Or not really, but whatever.

But I did very much like this book and I could understand much better than the bible and what Confucius wrote. I realized the Tao had a lot to do with balance and I liked that. I agree that the world is a big mess of balance if you know what I mean. I mean, the Tao certainly kept me reading.

One that I found very interesting has to do with action: "Less and less is done, until non-action is achieved. When nothing is done, nothing is left undone." (Tao Te Ching ll 48) At least this part has to do with action.

Some of you may be thinking it means being lazy and don't do anything. Just sit in front of your family TV and eat a whole bunch of potato chips and life will be good.

No.

Instead it is a way or idea of action without action. It is saying live life the best you can and the way you want to. Don't waste time. Spend your time with people and doing things who or that are worth it. Lose yourself in life.

Simple, eh?

In the same chapter 48, it always explains, "In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired. In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped." This too is simply saying that when you're on a hunt for knowledge you learn something new every day. When you live the way of the Tao, you do less and less. You become more relaxed in a sense and just follow the way of life. Tao is a new experience I suppose and does good.

Living with the Tao ways I don't think life would be too bad. Maybe even better.