TAO 46- The World Follows Thermodynamics

When the world follows the Tao,
horses run free to fertilize the fields.
When the world does not follow the Tao,
war horses are bred outside the cities.
There is no greater transgression
than condoning people's selfish desires,
no greater disaster than being discontent,
and no greater retribution than for greed.
Whoever knows contentment will be at peace forever.

We live on a planet that has created and evolved complex life.

That creative process has been ongoing for billions of years.

Creation, life, survival, balance have nothing to do with you or me.

If we ignore this simple premise, we will burn up our planet, kill ourselves,

And leave no legacy.

Arrogance, greed and selfishness cannot be accepted.

Arrogance, greed and selfishness cannot overcome thermodynamic law.

What is more important?

A balance that can give all of us everything we need, or

Creating millions of cubic feet of carbon dioxide for twenty years behind the wheel of an SUV.

TAO 47- Understanding

Without opening your door,
you can know the whole world.
Without looking out your window,
you can understand the way of the Tao.
The more knowledge you seek,
the less you will understand.
The Master understands without leaving,
sees clearly without looking,
accomplishes much without doing anything.

Homo Sapiens have evolved to a level of complexity that we can describe and begin to understand something so complex, so simple as Thermodynamics.

It doesn’t require a Phd, or anointing by the scholarly priesthood.

The more complex we make it, the less we understand.

It’s simple.  Balance.

Take from here- give to there.

It’s not rocket surgery.

TAO 48- Gaians Understand and Accept

One who seeks knowledge learns something new every day.
One who seeks the Tao unlearns something new every day.
Less and less remains until you arrive at non-action.
When you arrive at non-action,
nothing will be left undone.

Mastery of the world is achieved
by letting things take their natural course.
You can not master the world by changing the natural way.

We can write complex mathematical descriptions of energy transfer.

We can honor Einstein, Sagan, and Hawkings for that complexity.

Or we can simply understand that energy and matter are the same thing.

We can understand that energy flows in one direction-

From High Quality to Heat.

We can accept that life’s purpose is to facilitate that flow.

To be a Gaian is to accept that we do not control the flow.

TAO 49- All Things Are Equal

The Master has no mind of her own.
She understands the mind of the people.

Those who are good she treats as good.
Those who aren't good she also treats as good.
This is how she attains true goodness.

She trusts people who are trustworthy.
She also trusts people who aren't trustworthy.
This is how she gains true trust.

The Master's mind is shut off from the world.
Only for the sake of the people does she muddle her mind.
They look to her in anticipation.
Yet she treats them all as her children

Lao Tsu often refers to the concept of the TAO in the feminine,

With anthropomorphic characteristics.

Substitute Thermodynamics and this makes sense.

The law exists.  It plays no favorites.

Those who understand, dissipate energy and live in balance

Those whose greed would suck dry all the resources

Are the same in the eyes of the law.

Thermodynamics is not confused, it just is.

It is the complexity we call human that doesn’t understand.

TAO 50- Half Full / Half Empty

Those who leave the womb at birth
and those who enter their source at death,
of these; three out of ten celebrate life,
three out of ten celebrate death,
and three out of ten simply go from life to death.
What is the reason for this?
Because they are afraid of dying,
therefore they can not live.

I have heard that those who celebrate life
walk safely among the wild animals.
When they go into battle, they remain unharmed.
The animals find no place to attack them
and the weapons are unable to harm them.
Why? Because they can find no place for death in them.

We live divided.

Right wing, left wing, blue, red, tea or coffee.

Rape Gaia for the resources to drive an economy.

The rich are evil, the poor are pathetic.

They all steal from us.

Religion is or isn’t the answer.

Your glass is half full- go for the gusto, grab the gold.

Your glass is half empty- bemoan the tragedy of life.

You don’t need a glass to change sunlight into heat.

Rejoice experiencing your participation in thermodynamics.

TAO 51- Thermodynamics is the Birth of All Creation

The Tao gives birth to all of creation.
The virtue of Tao in nature nurtures them,
and their families give them their form.
Their environment then shapes them into completion.
That is why every creature honors the Tao and its virtue.

No one tells them to honor the Tao and its virtue,
it happens all by itself.
So the Tao gives them birth,
and its virtue cultivates them,
cares for them,
nurtures them,
gives them a place of refuge and peace,
helps them to grow and shelters them.

It gives them life without wanting to posses them,
and cares for them expecting nothing in return.
It is their master, but it does not seek to dominate them.
This is called the dark and mysterious virtue. 

 

Entropy and Enthalpy are the reason for life, the creative force, the driving force.

There is no anthropomorphic god or intelligent design.

Life simple exists for the purpose of dissipating energy.

Our environment, Gaia, is self-creating to obey this law.

The awe of life is the reward of this simple concept.

Thermodynamics/ the TAO doesn’t demand a sacrifice.

There are no required churches and alters.

It is not aware of the complexity we call human.

It does not care about human.

It does not seek to dominate human awareness.

It is there for the taking, without obligation.

TAO 52- The World Had a Beginning

The world had a beginning
which we call the Great Mother.
Once we have found the Mother,
we begin to know what Her children should be.
When we know we are the Mother's child,
we begin to guard the qualities of the Mother in us.
She will protect us from all danger
even if we lose our life.
Keep your mouth closed
and embrace a simple life,
and you will live care-free until the end of your days.
If you try to talk your way into a better life
there will be no end to your trouble.
To understand the small is called clarity.
Knowing how to yield is called strength.
To use your inner light for understanding
regardless of the danger
is called depending on the Constant.

We seek to understand creation.

How can the Big Bang be?

Everything from Nothing makes no sense

Without the invocation of a god or intelligence.

As we walk this path of understanding,

As we argue p-branes and m-branes and string theory,

As we contemplate alternative universes with 26 dimensions,

As we ask if physical laws even exist

We accept that we exist

We accept that there is logic to existence

We accept that we cannot know everything

We accept that we are part of, not drivers of, this existence

The Yin/Yang; Entropy/Enthalpy is the Constant