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Whoever is planted in the Tao
will not be rooted up.
Whoever embraces the Tao
will not slip away.
Her name will be held in honor
from generation to generation.
Let the Tao be present in your life
and you will become genuine.
Let it be present in your family
and your family will flourish.
Let it be present in your country
and your country will be an example
to all countries in the world.
Let it be present in the universe
and the universe will sing.
How do I know this is true?
By looking inside myself.
54
Tao Te Ching, a New English Version, copyright ©️ 1988 by Stephen Mitchell, published by HarperCollins. All rights reserved.
I often joke that I’ve read more in the last three years than in my first 23. A combination of serendipitous friendships, entrepreneur-induced intellectual ambition, moving to another country, and more time alone unleashed a passion for reading and learning I often envied in others. Compared to Bill Gates’s 50 books a year, my achievements are dismissable, but even so, I’ve lived through the experience of being what I call an Intellectual Cameleon.
An Intellectual Chameleon is a person whose beliefs and opinions match the latest book he read. Whatever he reads, he turns into that color. And, as beautiful and awe-inspiring as chameleons might be, I believe there are certain colors one should stick to which should not depend on whoever spoke last.
Being a Chameleon is, of course, a necessary part of the Way. How will you recognize your colors If you’re not open to being them when they show up? Ideas that you read about are, after all, useless if you don’t make them your own. But be aware that this process is prone to mistakes. Being over-sensitive to the ideas available is my vice, but another common one is to confuse colors as your own. On this second mistake, the Buddhists have something to say:
“Understand that the words (wisdom) of the Buddha are like a raft built to cross a river: When its purpose is completed, it must be left behind if we are to travel further!”1
In other words: always be ready to leave your current color behind.
When in doubt, look inside yourself. Give yourself the casting vote on all matters and all beliefs. Leaps of faith are not necessary. Does it make sense to you? Take it. Is it still making sense? Keep it. Does it stop making sense? Drop it. And for everything else, there’s always “I don’t know”.
Quote of the Week
“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, it must be said again.”
—André Gide.
Song Picks of the Week (Official TTT Playlist here)
Black Rain - Jayda G Remix, Rhye (House)
In My Feels - Bronze Whale (Indietronica)
El Jardin - Hermanos Gutierrez (Ultra-Chill)
Thank you for reading!
Until next Tuesday,
Daniel
From The Diamond Sutra