[MD] Mind-body practice

[Dwaipayan Lahiri]

On Dec 22, 2007, at 8:54 PM, Dan Glover wrote:

> Thank you for writing. I find that my intellectual prowness is  
> rather dull and rough, not discerning and brilliant like others  
> here. But I do enjoy the company. While I have attended a number of  
> retreats my practice is and always has been a solitary pursuit so I  
> am hesitant to share. Still, you did ask and since it seems better  
> to answer than not...
>
> My practice leads me to believe that there is no Way as such. There  
> is only change. Change is frightening though. It is more comforting  
> to think there are precepts and/or scriptures to follow that will  
> ultimately lead to a life of happiness and fullfillment. Or if not  
> to a life of happiness then at least to an afterlife of pleasure.
>
> In a futile search we scour books and look for teachers to show us  
> the Way. We forget the mindfulness of experience and fill our days  
> with meaningless thought and internal discursive dialogue that  
> repeats itself over and over like a bad song we have stuck in our  
> heads.
>
> We all feel a need to be in control. Our days are planned down to  
> the minute. We are creatures of habit. All about us we weave  
> intricate webs of relationships and thought that hold us in place.  
> The harmony of the Way is not founded on a foundation of complex  
> habital relationships and action, however. The Way is simple.
>
> For me, the Way is found in the freedom of drift. The Way is found  
> not through action but inaction. For me, the Way has no goal, no  
> clear and defined ending point. My practice has shown me that the  
> Way is eternal, with no beginning and no end. The Way is like  
> finding myself in the middle of a fog, not knowing what will  
> happen, only that it will happen. For you it might be different. I  
> cannot be certain.
>
> I sit and walk in silence and the universe reveals itself to me. I  
> know that like the seasons every person that I know and love will  
> one day pass away so I smile, lighten my heart, and enjoy our  
> scarce time together.  I hope this answers your question.

Dear Dan,

What an eloquent and poignant description of Tao indeed!
I salute you, fellow Taoist!