If you want to awaken
all of humanity
awaken
yourself
Truly,
the greatest gift
you have to offer
is that
of your
own
transformation
by Tracey Rich
These are lines I use often in my teaching. They have the power to distill the moment to its essence. I thought they were a perfect gift to share in the opening of this new year. This quote is a beautiful and profound meditation. The words have resonance that span all ages and are never without potency.
Often cherry picked from a larger work, these two lines are apparently incorrectly attributed to Lao Tzu, author of the Tao Te Ching, and come approximately 500 years after his one and only work. These lines, actually taken from the Hua Hu Ching, it has been said, were part of a treatise of Taoist philosophy that was trying to influence and win back the hearts and minds of the people against the growing influence of Buddhism in China at the time--a Taoist political response of sorts against Buddhism.
The words carry great wisdom and will always be relevant. I love the two line distillation. They are pure poetry, a satori. The other information accompanying this mis-sourced quote offers a wonderful chance to reflect on the nature of things. It is interesting and welcome.
If our meditation is our life, and if our meditation allows us to uncover things as they are and to awaken ourselves, then let us embrace our own transformation.