In all things, balance.

"Know the strength of a man, but keep a woman's care! Be the stream of the universe! Being the stream of the universe, ever true and unswerving, become as a little child once more. Know the white, but keep the black! Be an example to the world!...know honor, yet keep humility...ever true and resourceful, return to the state of the uncarved block..."

-from Twenty-eight

I'd like to preface this, and all my subsequent posts, with the strong iteration that I do not wish to offend or "attack" any person, or their beliefs and ideas. I will always try my best to present my opinions and ideas in a respectful manner, and I apologize in advance for any offense I may ever cause, as this will certainly not be my intention.

My games of magic book keep leading me to different chapters with the same general theme: Balance. Perhaps this is because there's just a lot of passages about Balance in the Tao; perhaps this is truly guided by something higher than chance. I like to believe the latter. Balance is something I've struggled with a lot in my life, and I'm faced with reminders to be aware of balance and perspective almost daily. I also keep finding passages with the theme of water; movement and fluidity, adaptability, and the general "go with the flow" motif.

I think a big part of the endurance of eastern philosophies and beliefs is their applicability to different cultures and experiences. A lot of the contention between western religions, I think, stems from disagreements over the "facts" of a belief. Is the Holy Trinity a single entity in three persons, or three separate entities? Was there a virgin birth or not? These are some of the disagreements that have led to the fracturing of Christianity (which is the only major branch of religion I know enough about to compare).

All my experiences with various eastern beliefs, however, has been that they are less specific and more general than western beliefs, leaving more room for interpretation and are therefore more accepting.

I'm a very spiritual person, and I'd like to think that I'm being guided to the passages that are most relevant to my own life and struggles right now. To argue objectively, however, the very abstract nature of the Tao is why I am able to find guidance in many of the passages; like much of eastern philosophy, the Tao is open for interpretation. By being vague, the Tao is able to reach a wider audience.

I think maybe it boils down to this: Am I finding personal relevance in the Tao because it is inherently there, or because I am looking for it?

That's about all I've got for now; these comments are mostly musings. I hope this might help open up discussion, or at least provoke thought. Thanks for reading.

(Photo credit: My own. Taken in Pharping, Kathmandu, Nepal.)