Knowing others is intelligent. Knowing your self is enlightened

“Knowing others is intelligent. Knowing your self is enlightened,” says Lao Tzu.

Do not be conceited if you can command others. Can you be truly honest to and be able to template yourself? Only then that you have the true strength! http://www .tao-in-you.com/in_tao.html

Master of Living

You may be a teacher. You may be a salesperson. You may be an entrepreneur.

How can you be the best of teachers, salespersons or entrepreneurs?

Try this:  Do not see yourself as a teacher, a salesperson, or an entrepreneur.

Rather, see yourself as a master of living! Live thoroughly, and you will be the best of what you are.

As Lao Tzu say,

‘All things are born of being, being is born of nonbeing.’ (Chapter 40)

http://www.tao-in-you.com/nonbeing.html

Over sharpen a knife, you takes away its edge

Over sharpen a knife, you takes away its edge.
Fill the house with gold and jade, you end up feeling insecure.
Overdo with honor and pride, no one can save you from a fall.

Know the limit, happy always will you be.

– a reflection on Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

http://www.tao-in-you.com/tao-personal-effectiveness.html

Learn to Accept the Least

One of the biggest reasons why people fail in life is fear.

First, many dare not even start to pursue what they love due to fear. They dream to have their own business, but are fearful to risk even the first dollars. They want to lead, but are afraid to do so fearing that people would not listen to them. They secretly admire someone, but dare not even stand up and speak to the persons.

Fear also brings failure to those who have embarked on their journey. They have self-doubt. They are fearful of the challenges ahead. They are doubtful if they are doing the right things. Fear inflicts in them stress, worries and perplexity that reduce their chances of success in life.

One of the ways to overcome fear is as Tao puts it — learn to appreciate moderation. Aim for the best, but be happy to get even the least — and appreciate whatever you get.

For example, if you put in your best, but are still rejected by the person you like, the very least that it can get is to have a clear idea of what the person think of you. Better still, it may allow you to come up with a better strategy when you make your second attempt.

When you can appreciate the least, fear could very well leave you alone – because you can afford to lose. Without fear, you become more confident and are more at ease.

Paradoxically, it is because you can accept the least that you may get more. This is because the confidence that you have earned increases in your chances of success.

There is nothing better than moderation, for teaching people or serving Heaven.” - Lao Tzu

http://www.tao-in-you.com/tao-te-ching-translation.html#Chapter%2059

Is it your Dream?

It looks as if it’s only right to dream big.

“Set the target to achieve your first million! Pin the picture of your dream home up. Admire it every morning and imagine that you’ve already owned it,” this is what a typical motivator would tell you.

It is important to dream. Pursuing of dream motivates success.

I am what I am, partly because of my dreams.

It is, however, equally important to reflect on whether the dream that you are pursuing is really yours.

“When people see things as beautiful, ugliness is created. When people see things as good, evil is created,” says Lao Tzu, the sage, in his book Tao Te Ching. In the definition of Tao, nothing is absolute. Value is ascribed by people who see it.

A dream could well be a nightmare.

How do you know dream if a dream, and not the nightmare?

The answer is honesty – be honest to yourself! Constant reflections on what you really want is a way to find out exactly what your dream is.

While it is good to dream big, it could be equally good to dream simple.

What is important is to find out where your heart directs you to.

http://www.tao-in-you.com/tao-te-ching-translation.html#Chapter%202

Tao and Clear Mind

Tao is about clear mind.

Clear mind happens with tranquillity. It is like reflection of water. Water that is stirred cannot reflect clear image; a mind that is disturbed can not see things in perspective. The water has to be settled and calm for you to see a clear reflection; your mind has to be unruffled to reflect a vision for the future.

So the first step towards clear mind is tranquility, as expounded by Lao Tzu in Tao Te Ching:

“If you can empty your mind of all thoughts
your heart will embrace the tranquility of peace.
Watch the workings of all of creation,
but contemplate their return to the source.

All creatures in the universe
return to the point where they began.
Returning to the source is tranquility
because we submit to Heaven’s mandate.”

http://www.tao-in-you.com/tao-te-ching-translation.html#Chapter%2016

Be Wise, Not only Knowlegible

Knowing is insufficient to make you great.

Knowing makes you resourceful. Without knowledge, you can hardly be competent.

To be great, you’ll need to be discerning; so as to tell the truth from the falsity; the right from the wrong, or the lasting from the transitory.

You’ll need to have wisdom — in addition to knowledge.

What’s the best strategy to combine knowledge and wisdom?

From the perspective of Tao, the first step towards wisdom is to know yourself.

“Those who know others are intelligent;
those who know themselves are truly wise.
Those who master others are strong;
those who master themselves have true power.” – Lao Tzu, 33

http://www.tao-in-you.com/tao-leadership.html

Reflection on Tao

Is Tao difficult to Understand?

Many have heard of Tao. Those who can put it into practice, however, are few and far between.

One of the best ways to understand Tao is to read the book Tao Te Ching, written by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu. It is not long. Consists of only 81 verses, it is made up of slightly more than 5000 Chinese characters. Those who are willing to try hard enough may even have it committed to memory without much difficulty. The English versions are longer due to the technicality of translation. Still, it is not long.

While terse, the book is a sea of wisdom. Over the years, there are always new discoveries awaiting me during every rereading. How fascinating! Indeed, learning of Tao is a journey that never ends.

I’ve decided to write the blog to share with you what have learnt from the book, and the philosophy of more than two thousand years old.

Is Tao difficult to understand?

It is not, if you are ready to see that it simply leads you to focus on the laws of nature.

The problem is that we complicate things, and ignore the nature of things. We tend to clutter our mind. Learn to eliminate the unnecessary in everything you do. Eliminate the disturbances. Keep things simple. Only then that clear mind can emerge.

Clear mind will never happen when your mind is cluttered.

http://www.tao-in-you.com/clear-mind-simplicity.html