Zaadz: The Taoist Temple

Wayne Dyer and the Tao

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 05:49:33 -0000

Wayne Dyer Gets Down With The Tao (from Beliefnet.com)
Interview by Valerie Reiss

You've probably caught Wayne Dyer on public television, pacing the stage, offering self-help wisdom in between the channel's fund-driving pitches. Or maybe you're one of the many millions who bought his books like "Manifest Your Destiny," "10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace," and "The Power of Intention."

The ubiquitous teacher and author has been doling out non-religious inspiration for several decades in the form of world-wide workshops and 30 books; he and Deepak Chopra, that other profitable prophet, pretty much fill the "Personal Growth" section of any bookstore. Dyer was also one of the first to popularize the "law of attraction"-the notion that your thoughts create your life-which "The Secret" book and DVD cashed in on so successfully. Dyer recently talked to Beliefnet from his home in Maui about his latest book, "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao" and what he's like now that he's embraced the Tao, an ancient Chinese philosophy. He also tells us what's missing in "The Secret," and how we can get in on the truest secret of all.

What's the Tao to you?

The Tao is actually three words, the "Tao Te Ching." And the Tao in ancient Chinese means "great way," "te" means living the great way, and "ching" means book. So, it's the book of living the Great Way, or how to live the Great Way.

Some people have called it the wisest book ever written, sort of a blueprint for living a moral life based upon the principles of the highest levels of consciousness that we know today. It was written somewhere between 2,500 and 2,700 years ago, by a man named Lao Tzu who was a contemporary of Confucius but was very much opposed to governments and laws and rules, and fighting and killing, and really believed the way to guide your life is by staying in harmony with nature. That all the answers come from nature.

They all sound very paradoxical. Water is referred to a lot in the "Tao Te Ching" as an example of how softness overcomes hardness, that flexibility overcomes rigidness. The opening line of the "Tao Te Ching" says, "A Tao that can be named is not the Tao." So the Tao is almost like a synonym for God without the religious aspect. It's trying to describe something that's indescribable. But, if you had to describe it, it would be that which animates all of life, which is doing nothing but leaves nothing undone, which is constantly in motion, which doesn't have any requirements for anybody on how to live their lives.

And it is that divine, organizing, invisible intelligence from which all things emanate and to which all things return. It's what allows the other clouds to form, and the mosquitoes to be here, your heart to beat, and your hair to grow.

How does that notion of Tao compare to God?

Well, it's always interesting about God because, it's like all of the religions in the world say that they pray to the same God, and yet they ask that same one God to divide itself up and agree with this one and fight against that one.

Where it's different is that the Tao doesn't break it down into any pieces. It's a complete and total oneness that encompasses all and doesn't look for any kind of religious structure or organizational principles. It finds all of its strength in nature itself-a spider web is a perfect example of the Tao at work. It just takes what comes to it, and what doesn't come to it, it doesn't get itself obsessed with.

[The Tao] wants to reach out and to be creative, and to be in harmony with its own source. And yet, at almost every turn we're taught to not to trust in our nature, and to listen to other people, and to seek outside for guidance and help and sustenance.

And I think that's probably the most profound thing that you can learn from it-is that you, too, have a nature, and that those inner murmurings that you hear about what you want to do or why you should do it, those kind of things are from an inner nature.

And how has reading the Tao changed your life in a practical way?

The way that I wrote this book is that I worked on [each of the 81 verses of the Tao for] between four and five days, and really tried to live what was being taught in each one.

I See Myself as Palm Trees

And then, the last day I would just sit down and write, and look at a drawing of Lao Tzu in front of me... and I would just ask. I would get very quiet and very peaceful and experience what I call automatic writing. It would just flow to me. It made me almost radically humble. I really began to see myself as just as natural as the palm trees that are out in front of my place. I began to see myself in everyone. It's made me much, much less stressful. Much less judgmental, non-interfering, almost totally. I have eight children and many of them are here with me, in fact, they're here right now. The Tao teaches us not to intervene and interfere. The things we love we have to learn to leave alone. And the people we love we have to learn to let them be. So, when my grandchildren were here, I found myself just biting my tongue rather than telling them how to behave or whatever, just letting them figure things out.

I think I've become much more non-interfering, much more patient, much more tolerant, much more peaceful. I'm in almost a total state of gratitude all the time. I've become much healthier. I've been doing yoga instead of running because it teaches us to be more flexible. One of the most famous lines of the Tao is in the 76th verse: "A man is born gentle and weak. At his death, he is hard and stiff. All things, including the grass and the trees are soft and pliable in life, dry and brittle in death. Stiffness is thus a companion of death. Flexibility is a companion of life."

Flexibility and softness and pliability are associated with life. A tree that is young is flexible. The wind comes along and blows, and it'll blow, and then it'll come back. A tree that's old and hard--as the wind comes along, it'll snap it in half. So I've learned that this is true not just in our bodies, but in the way that we think as well.

What's the most common spiritual affliction that you see?

Carl Jung said that the number one purpose of organized religion is to prevent everyone from having a direct experience of God. With spirituality the implication very often is that some people have it and some people don't. And those that have it dispense it to others. And I think it's more than an affliction. It's a huge, huge, huge error to make--each and every being on this planet is a piece of God. We all came from the same source.

It sounds like you're talking about separation.

Separation from our source, yeah. In the first nine months of your life, when you were inside your mother's womb, you were doing nothing, you know? You were just being done. And you surrendered to that completely. And you didn't worry about it, and you didn't pray that your nose would show up on time, and that your fingernails would come and they would be in the right place, and all that. You just surrendered to it. And then, when you're born, we are surrounded by people who suddenly say, well, that was good work, God, but now I'll take over from here.

When We Develop the Ego

And then, we develop this ego, which is an acronym for Edging God Out. As we edge God out, we take over ourselves, and we start believing that we're not these divine creations. We start believing that we are what we have and what we do and what we accumulate, and what our reputations are, and we start really believing strongly in all of that stuff. And in the process, we lose our connection to what we really are.

How can changing your thoughts change your life?

You Can Change How the World Looks at You

They say when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Einstein once said that the most important decision you'll ever have to make in your life is whether you live in a friendly universe or a hostile universe. And if you're a person who believes that you live in a hostile universe, you're going to be looking for that. You're going to be experiencing that. You'll be seeing it everywhere. You'll become a person who's always looking for occasions to be upset or to be offended or to be hurt, or depressed, or sad, or right, or whatever.

If you live in a world that you believe supports you, and is friendly and is there for you, and is bringing you all that you need at any given moment, and all the experiences that you have are perfect, if you just really believe that, then, the things that you don't like you'll just be able to ignore, and the world looks very, very different.

Since so much of your work has been about the law of attraction, I wanted to ask what you think about "The Secret."

Why I Turned Down Filming
'The Secret'

I'm thrilled that the book sales have been so great on this thing. It's really brought people to a new awareness of the power of the mind to create what you want. The reason I wasn't in that movie--I was asked to be--is that I think too much of the emphasis is on manifesting stuff. Manifesting more things. Nothing wrong with stuff and things and so on. But to me the great secret is that when you're giving, when you put your attention on what you really want and then shift to [asking] "How can I offer this to others rather than seeking it for myself?" That's the ultimate secret-the more you give, the more you receive.

I wrote a book about the secret long before "The Secret." It's called "Manifest Your Destiny," and it's really much, much more about putting your focus on serving. Like, if you say to the universe, "How may I serve," the universe responds back with, "How may I serve you?" If you say to the universe, "Give this to me," you're coming from a position of shortage or lack. If you say to the universe, "Gimme, gimme, gimme," the universe says back to you what you ask for, which is, "Gimme, gimme, gimme." And you're constantly feeling as if you're never given enough, you know?

So, is there an ideal way to ask for what we want?

Focus on Serving the Universe

I think the best way to ask for what you want is to say, "How many I serve?" I have a rule with myself. Which is that I start out every day by doing something for somebody else that they're usually not expecting, whether it's one of my family members or, oftentimes, it's people from around the world--somebody wants me to call them in the hospital, or I send a book or a gift. And the opening words out of my mouth are, "Thank you" when I awaken. I have found that the more I'm able to offer and give as much as I possibly can, that I can't even control how much flows into my life. It just comes in bigger and bigger.

Re: Wayne Dyer and the Tao

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 13:42:55 -0000

I am usually quite certain about how I personally feel about a discourse or a dialog after reading through it or hearing it. Today however, with Mr Dyer's beating about the bush, I am not sure whether I catch his drift or not. The way in which he posed his answers to these relatively tired questions is in a manner which reads like a bad, or even childish, wikipedia article.

What are your views Samme, on the Truth behind the popularization of what we are horribly calling 'The Law of Attraction' and all that jazz? Do you feel that there is something to asking the universe how it wishes to be served?

I am thinking about it to much, so I best cut myself short -but asking how the universe wishes to be served is creating a dualism between oneself and, well, the world and the universe which it now seemingly resides.

Damon saying hello

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:10:14 -0000

Hey all, just joined up, wanted to say hello, I have a Taoist Yoga and Tai Shing Pek Kwar in NYC, come by my profile, in service, Damon http://damonomad.zaadz.com/

Taoist Yoga Teacher Training with master Paulie Zink

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:11:25 -0000

Hey all, I am bringing my teacher to NYC and wanted to shout out to you all about it! we at the temple have put him up at zaadz as well, http://pauliezink.zaadz.com/ so you can visit, and say hey! if you go to the profile or the web site you can get the contents of the seminar, thanks, in service, Damon Taoist Yoga NYC in partnership with City WingTsun and Temple of the Monkey announces the first NYC Taoist yoga seminar with Taoist Master Paulie Zink. All levels are welcome, workshop hours can be applied towards teacher certification by request. Date: November 3 & 4, 2007 Location: Battery Dance School 380 Broadway 5th flr New York, NY Register at: Temple of the Monkey Contact: Damon Honeycutt 860.729.0561 info@Templeofthemonkey.org http://www.templeofthemonkey.org/events.html

Hello wonderful friends!

Sat, 03 Nov 2007 01:33:03 -0000

Hello.

This is Dana, and I am a lover of the Tao.

If we are not friends already, please send me a message; I would love to be Tao friends with you!

I have been studying Taoism for several months now, and I would love to know more. Digging into the Tao is like finding the most wonderful pearls...priceless and beautiful.

Love to you all!
Dana

Hello!

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:05:55 -0000

Hello!
My name is George and I am a Taoist.

Re: Body Work

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 06:47:52 -0000

I love TaiJi, I believe what I have been taught is Chen style. My instructor is spending the Boar year living in Yosemite, so if anyone in Tucson, AZ knows of any free/very low cost classes, please let me know :-)

In the meantime, I practice in my home with a video or on my own.

who new? Me too..

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 02:08:38 -0000

I'm new to zaadz . Imagine my excitement when I discovered a taoist pod, tempered by the post dates. I hope to discuss qigong with anyone who knows anything about it. Thanks!

who new? Me too..

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 02:08:43 -0000

I'm new to zaadz . Imagine my excitement when I discovered a taoist pod, tempered by the post dates. I hope to discuss qigong with anyone who knows anything about it. Thanks!

Re: who new? Me too..

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 02:12:16 -0000

all the old hippes said "farm out" don't know why there are 2 of the one post I made, maybe it's a dharmic echo...(or my finger slipped)

Re: Hello wonderful friends!

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 16:57:47 -0000

Hi Dana,

I just joined the Pod, hope to have discussions with everyone here.

Phil

Re: Body Work

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 17:13:48 -0000

I started out learning Tai ji when I was living on Okinawa. My teacher put a lot of emphasis on it being a "martial art", albeit softer than karate, for instance. I soon discovered Qigong as a result of raised energy consciousness, and now prefer it to Tai ji. Currently, I practice a form called White Crane, which has 128 movements, divided into 5 sets.

Unfortunately, qigong instructors are rare here in the US, so if anyone has any tips, or techniques to share, I'd love to hear them.

Re: My use of the Oracle

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:47:43 -0000

I use the I Ching to help remind me of what the path is all about! Sometimes old habit creep into my life and I use the I Ching to help "recenter" my mind.

Re: Body Work

Thu, 27 Dec 2007 02:08:15 -0000

Hi Samme, I practice Wu Ji Jing Gong Tai Chi. It 's a form I've learned at Silver Tiger studio nearby. Here is a link to the school: http://silvertigertaichi.com/ . I've been studying for about 3 years. I am limited by time and money but practice what I have already learned daily. I have learned the first section of three and some applications. I have also learned the set of qigong exercises related to this form.

Names can be given but not permanent labels

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:52:58 -0000

The fingers move but the mind does not. So vast how could space move? Gazing out, images, sounds and textures arise, change and disappear. Gazing in, mages, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings arise, move and disappear. If I'm not concerned its because I am floating, arising and disappearing in it also. ;-)

Re: Hello wonderful friends!

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:01:37 -0000

Hi Dana,

I've been a philosopical Taoist for about 34 years. I've studied and experimented with many other philosophies and religions but always came back to Taoism. It's the only one that seems to fit comfortably. Check out this Taoism board for lively discussions of all things Tao:
http://www.linwebsite.com/forum
I hope to hear from you. Please be a friend!
-George

Re: Hello wonderful friends!

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:31:48 -0000

Hello Dana and everyone,

I can relate to George's statement above (hi George). I keep coming home to the Tao despite my path winding all over the place. I'm having a hard time finding resources in my area (Qigong or T'ai Chi, for example) so I do meditation, reading, playing (!), and I practice yoga instead of Qigong or T'ai Chi.

Anyway, anyone may feel free to friend me, etc., and I look forward to learning and sharing in discussions here.

Mo

Re: Body Work

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:26:20 -0000

Hi everyone,

I practice the taoist martial art ot Ba Gua - the sister art to tai chi. Before this I practiced karate. I find that Ba Gua is a very deep and extremely demanding martial art.

In all honesty I expect many more years of basic practice before the art starts to flow within me, although the circle walking is very energetic and I can get a sense of it's power and grace.

There are also various qi gong moves (none static) that seem to torture me with their twisting and stretching postures. On the occasions that I focus correctly they are again very powerful and can be very invigorating, totally different to static qi gong postures.

In ba gua alot of work is required in order to prepare the body to move chi to where it is needed to defend yourself. The chinese masters have figured out lots of elaborate ways to find new muscles to twist!

A Taste of Alan Watts

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 10:12:49 -0000

Please check out this audio recording by Alan Watts with accompanying animation.

http://www.neticons.net/music_life/

thank you,
Samme

Hi!

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:25:24 -0000

Not new to zaadz/gaia but I think new to this group. Forever joining/unjoining but pretty sure this is new.

I'm not really anyTHING.

Went to the tag cloud, clicked on Love and scrolled til something yelled "Click on me!".

Here I am :)