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

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