Step Five (continued...)

Airing Out

oxygen needed
every wrong must be aired out
get outside the brain

articulation
thought, reflection required
writing down wrongs helps

time...effort...finished
the depth of my wrongs exposed
ready to admit

Inspired by The Twelve Steps

 

 

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

what is our nature
what, if not integrity
work of a lifetime

with integrity
a person does the right thing
without trying to

even without thought
we can understand the truth
embody the Tao

through integrity
our own being is fulfilled
as are all beings

as fulfilled beings
we become truly human
as is our nature

fulfill all beings...
arrive at understanding
this is our nature

inherent in us...
humanness...understanding
also our nature

and by means of these
inner and outer unite
in integrity

acting in this way
all things that we do are right
true to our nature

This concludes haiku inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

the Master reflects...
she sees and corrects discord
before it can harm

the transparent mind
whose words and actions are one
sees all of the world

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

in an age of Tao
no need to reward talent
it’s reward enough

no need to pay mind
to the lovely and the wise
or the virtuous

and those who govern...
simply the highest branches
on top of the tree

the people wander
free, like deer in the woodlands
moving gracefully

they are honest folk
and think nothing about it
they do what is right

they are kind people
with no concept of kindness
they are just that way

they are trustworthy
though they know not what that means
they don’t need to know

they keep no records
of all the good deeds they do
so common are such

thus, little wonder
all their actions have vanished
with no trace at all

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

Chuang-tzu’s wife died
Hui-tzu came to console him...
found him on the ground

he was all sprawled out
he was banging on a tub
and singing loudly

what’s this, asked Hui-tzu
you loved her for all these years
you lived together

you reared your children
and together you grew old
but now she is gone

you owe her some tears
not this drumming and singing
that is a bit much

no, said Chuang-tzu
when she died, I too did mourn
like anyone would

but then I looked back
to the root of her being
before she was born

and even farther...
before she had a body
or she had a soul

then out of nowhere
suddenly came her body
and then came her soul

followed by her birth
and then a transformation
which led to her death

what brought her to birth
in due time, brought her to death
just as seasons pass

now she is at peace
there is no need for mourning
I stopped doing that

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER SIXTY

the Tao is perfect
yet does not seek perfection
letting it happen

understanding this
there is nothing more to seek
to gain or to lose

now...within yourself
once there...you will find what is...
inexhaustible

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao  

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

simplify your mind
you will simplify your life
learning not-knowing

you will be at home
as content as an infant
mindless as a calf

no longer tired
from chasing after answers
searching for the why

no more wandering...
coming to rest in the Tao
content with what is

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao 

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

if you are centered
deeply within non-being
your mind becomes one

with you mind now one
there is no more opening
for harm to enter

a drunk, when he falls,
even from a fast wagon,
he will not be killed

he is like others
but he falls differently
he is without care

thus, he has no fear
he meets all circumstances
he is without thought

much like an infant
unaware of his falling
his landing is soft

his bones tend to bend
as do branches of a tree
thus they do not break

learn from the drunk man
if there is safety in wine
how much in wisdom

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao 

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

a seabird landed
the Marquis was delighted
the bird was welcomed

inside the temple
he was regaled with music
poured a cup of wine

a feast was laid out
platters filled with beef and pork
the bird became dazed

he became listless
refusing the meat and wine
in three days he died

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

the Masters were men
yet their wisdom was profound
they stuck to the truth

unfazed by clever
never seduced by beauty
not swayed by the rich

to them, life and death
were thought insignificant
they were free from them

free, their minds could soar
to the edge of the unknown
beyond time and space

they could even plunge
past both beginning and end
they knew no limits

even manual work
brought them utmost contentment
they were virtuous

the more they received
the more they could give others
and have for themselves

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

life travels with death
death is the onset of life
who can understand

how do these relate
are they indeed companions
should we be concerned

all is connected
we arrive from the unknown
and we go back there

we say we love life
what do we love about it
transcendent beauty

we seem to hate death
what do we hate about it
the loss and decay

yet is losing loss
decay turns into beauty
beauty to decay

we are all breathed in
even as we are breathed out
understand one breath

understanding this...
fathom one breath makes the world
that is all you need

this is mystery
and the Master is aware
of the heart of it

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

where does Tao begin...
a man-woman relation
ends in infinite

now that’s a strange one
think I’ll not ponder too much
on to fifty-five

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao 

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

Lieh-tzu was eating
he was sitting near a road
and saw an old skull

taking it to him
he looked at it carefully
finally, he said

only you and I
know there’s no such thing as death
no such thing as life

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

the duck’s legs are short
you cannot make them longer
without hurting her

the crane’s legs are long
you cannot make them shorter
without hurting him

long needs no cutting
short need not be extended
learn these lessons well

once you accept them
you can let go of the world
let it go its way

do you know what’s best
think the world ought to conform
follow your thinking

all these do-gooders
how much worrying they do!
and for what reason

since time eons past
how much fuss and upheaval
do-gooders have caused

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

freed from achievement
as one who has been unchained
ordinary life

flowing like the Tao
unnoticed, unnamed, no goals
no expectations

living like a child
a fool, with nothing to know...
the way to freedom

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER FIFTY

a mature person
behaves like a good archer
who’s missed the bullseye

he quickly takes stock
to find the cause for failure
residing within

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao 

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

Chi Hsing-tzu...trainer
he trained gamecocks for the king
he had a new charge

the king was anxious
he kept asking the trainer
is he fight ready

at the ten-day mark
no, he said, too arrogant
relies on his strength

after twenty days
not ready was the report
too excitable

after thirty days
ready, pronounced Chi Hsing-tzu
he has all he needs

when a rival crows
he is like a block of wood
he does not react

focusing inward
he is intimidating
birds see him and run

not a fighting tale...
a story of harmony
inner and outer

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

let go assumptions...
the world will make perfect sense
you might be surprised

moving...be fluid
resting...bright as a mirror
responding...simple

keep your mind serene
like the surface of a lake
imperturbable

travel throughout life
as though you did not exist
walk but leave no trace

leave off arguing
and give up your opposing
you will be at peace

why will this be so...
you will be in harmony
with self and all things

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

a thing you can’t do...
discuss oceans with a frog
he lives in a well

here’s another thing...
discuss ice with a June bug
he lives a season

and here’s a third thing...
you can’t talk about the Tao
bounded by belief

the Tao is so vast...
understood only by those
who step out of self

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Ch’ing the woodworker
carved a bell stand so graceful
all were astonished

had a god made it?
how did you achieve such art
questioned the Marquis

My Lord, Ch’ing replied
I’m a simple woodworker
I’m not an artist

I can tell you this...
before I carve a bell stand
I prepare my mind

first, I meditate
after three days, no more thoughts
about praise or blame

after two more days
gone are all thoughts concerning
success or failure

two days after that
body awareness is gone
no more distractions

I enter the woods
then I look at trees...until
the right one appears

seeing the bell stand
inside the tree before me
the real work is done

I just have to start
now merely harmonizing
inner and outer

people think it’s art
concentration is not so
it’s a mind that’s free

Inspired by The Second Book of Tao