TAO 16- Letting Go, Letting Thermodynamics

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.

Returning to Heaven's mandate is called being constant.
Knowing the constant is called 'enlightenment'.
Not knowing the constant is the source of evil deeds
because we have no roots.
By knowing the constant we can accept things as they are.
By accepting things as they are, we become impartial.
By being impartial, we become one with Heaven.
By being one with Heaven, we become one with Tao.
Being one with Tao, we are no longer concerned about
losing our life because we know the Tao is constant
and we are one with Tao.

The more I study creation, the more questions I have and the less I understand.  I have faith, not of religion, but of thermodynamics.  It is the source and reason for creation.  Accepting that provides spiritual peace.  Living with an eye to entropy and enthalpy is what is right.  Ignoring the balance is killing Gaia to no purpose.

When I accept that there is a purpose in this universe, and that purpose is for life to dissipate energy efficiently, I will be doing my conscious part toward that goal.

TAO 17- Who Will Lead Us?

The best leaders are those the people hardly know exist.
The next best is a leader who is loved and praised.
Next comes the one who is feared.
The worst one is the leader that is despised.

If you don't trust the people,
they will become untrustworthy.

The best leaders value their words, and use them sparingly.
When she has accomplished her task,
the people say, "Amazing:
we did it, all by ourselves!"

If we, as a race of hominids, are to change the race to destruction, we need to quietly and quickly educate others to our peril.  Politics, cap and trade, media hysteria, red/blue BS, and debate over scientific research won’t accomplish anything.  Only those who understand can lead the rest of the herd back from the cliff edge.  The greatest good is done one-on-one behind the scene in quiet.

The mentor in your life won’t be known to the masses.

TAO 18- Politics and Thermodynamics

When the great Tao is abandoned,
charity and righteousness appear.
When intellectualism arises,
hypocrisy is close behind.

When there is strife in the family unit,
people talk about 'brotherly love'.

When the country falls into chaos,
politicians talk about 'patriotism'.

We have arrived at a sad future.  Thermodynamics is unknown to the masses. The idea that our world, Gaia, is a living, energy dissipating entity has been forgotten and abandoned.

The extremists pound their fists:  “God will answer our prayers and save mankind.”  “God said that the righteous will be taken up- now is the time to abandon reality.”  The little man with the sign that says ‘The end is near’ stands on the street corner.  Politicians pass laws.

The smartest of the smart tell me that to save the world I need to cap something and trade something.  They assure me that to do so will prove my love of mankind and our ailing world.

It is clear that many corporations need to destroy for production and profits.  The political lackeys chide us if we don’t lock-step with their patriotic plans to save America and thereby the world.

The law of thermodynamics was not man-made and cannot be controlled by edict or earmark.  Obeying the law has nothing to do with patriotism until we become citizens of Gaia.

TAO 19- Thermodynamics is Not Society

Forget about knowledge and wisdom,
and people will be a hundred times better off.
Throw away charity and righteousness,
and people will return to brotherly love.
Throw away profit and greed,
and there won't be any thieves.
These three are superficial and aren't enough
to keep us at the center of the circle, so we must also:
Embrace simplicity.
Put others first.
Desire little.

We can’t out-think the law of thermodynamics.  Thermodynamics is not an anthropomorphic, all seeing, all knowing, version of ourselves that responds to petitions for change based on personal desire.

Entropy and Enthalpy don’t care about us.  Dissipation of energy and chaos theory is not related to our concept of the universe or the social demands we determine to be right.  There are no stock options on Entropy, INC.  

Even if we cap and trade or legislate our way into a sense of wellbeing, we fail.

Thermodynamics is simple, intuitive, and demanding.

TAO 20- Swimming Upstream

Renounce knowledge and your problems will end.
What is the difference between yes and no?
What is the difference between good and evil?
Must you fear what others fear?
Nonsense, look how far you have missed the mark!

Other people are joyous,
as though they were at a spring festival.
I alone am unconcerned and expressionless,
like an infant before it has learned to smile.

Other people have more than they need;
I alone seem to possess nothing.
I am lost and drift about with no place to go.
I am like a fool, my mind is in chaos.

Ordinary people are bright;
I alone am dark.
Ordinary people are clever;
I alone am dull.
Ordinary people seem discriminating;
I alone am muddled and confused.
I drift on the waves on the ocean,
blown at the mercy of the wind.
Other people have their goals,
I alone am dull and uncouth.

I am different from ordinary people.
I nurse from the Great Mother's breasts.

How far we have come from the concept that we are only an insignificant sidebar in the universe.  We revel in the arrogance that the Sun and stars revolve around us and that we have dominion over Gaia.  We have perceived needs and apply the concept of inalienable, god given rights as justification.

Lao Tsu challenges us to be true individuals and in tune with the energy flow surrounding us.  Move with that flow and quit swimming upstream in futility.

TAO 21- Tao = Thermodynamics

The greatest virtue you can have
comes from following only the Tao (Law of Thermodynamics);
which takes a form that is intangible and evasive.

Even though the Tao (Law of Thermodynamic) is intangible and evasive,
we are able to know it exists. 
Intangible and evasive, yet it has a manifestation.
Secluded and dark, yet there is a vitality within it.
Its vitality is very genuine.
Within it we can find order.

Since the beginning of time, the Tao (Law of Thermodynamics) has always existed.
It is beyond existing and not existing.
How do I know where creation comes from?
I look inside myself and see it.

Lao Tsu refers to the Tao.  I refer to the Law of Thermodynamics -- Same thing.

 You can’t see, touch, taste or feel energy dissipation, yet we know intuitively it exists.

It explains our deepest questions of Why? relating to Life and the Universe.  There is purpose in understanding, at the depth of our being, that energy must dissipate.

Steven Hawkings elegantly argues that we may live in one of an infinity of parallel universes--  Doesn’t matter; they all live by the Law.

TAO 22- Become Whole

If you want to become whole,
first let yourself become broken.
If you want to become straight,
first let yourself become twisted.
If you want to become full,
first let yourself become empty.
If you want to become new,
first let yourself become old.
Those whose desires are few get them,
those whose desires are great go astray.

For this reason the Master embraces the Tao,
as an example for the world to follow.
Because she isn't self centered,
people can see the light in her.
Because she does not boast of herself,
she becomes a shining example.
Because she does not glorify herself,
she becomes a person of merit.
Because she wants nothing from the world,
the world can not overcome her.

When the ancient Masters said,
"If you want to become whole,
then first let yourself be broken,"
they weren't using empty words.
All who do this will be made complete.

I hate: ‘Think outside the box; paradigm shift, and just have faith.’

If we are to have a chance to avoid species annihilation we must individually learn, intuit, and teach the concept of Gaia and Thermodynamics.  Old school thinking no longer works.  Greed and arrogance no longer work.  Religion no longer works.

The new intellegencia has to let go of the old ways, become broken, rebuild and provide an example through words and deeds.  We can’t enforce, legislate, bully, or browbeat ourselves into what is right.

Be an example- it’s that simple.