47

Without opening your door,
you can open your heart to the world.
Without looking out your window,
you can see the essence of the Tao.

The more you know,
the less you understand.

The Master arrives without leaving,
sees the light without looking,
achieves without doing a thing.

Tao Te Ching by Lao tsu trans. by Stephen Mitchell

Knowing – seeing – doing are the constituents to knowledge of the world. This is local, the here and now, according to the ancient Taost point of view. I have not been to Sweden or to Spain or to England or to… There are many places where I’ve never been. But I shouldn’t worry. I am situated presently in this Starbucks on Randall Road in front of the Meijer Market – the entire cosmos is available to me at the back of the room, at this table, and in this hot cup of dark roast coffee too. The forces, energy exchanges, the signature qualities of every place are featured now in the room. Fractal like.

Not a single galaxy, but all galaxies are represented by the scene in this room, by the parking lot just outside the window, by the tan shade of vapor/aroma emitting coffee. This cosmos in my cup! At least this is how I understand the ancient Chinese cosmology.

A small inner voice suggests how contrary this Tao-situatedness is to the plethora of media pitches, the infinitude of experience on offer… From Gutter-Guard to a resort vacation in Aruba (a island in the Caribbean), a must-experience according to the pitch! A mind spins like a top with the drumming of advertising!

Perhaps the way-making of tian (heaven) is even anti-American, a counter consumption way-of-living. Yes, something not for everyone.

to arrive without leaving
to see without looking
to achieve without doing a thing.

Friday, the final day of our work week. This song seems right for the day. Oh Very Young by Cat Stevens.