Simple Words, Simple Truths

“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.” – Lao Tzu

Hello friends,

Even though we are not simple creatures, we have always looked for simple answers.

From the first caveman to stare up at the stars, to old Michelangelo reaching for the heavens in the Sistine Chapel, to the astrophysicists searching for clues to the beginning “bang”, we have always tried to unravel the meaning of life, complicated as it may seem.

In pursuit of that meaning, we have created constructs of the mind. Today we call them superstition, religion, and science just to name a few. Some of us were given these paradigms from youth. Others have discovered them on their adult journeys. Many of us view them as necessary rites of passage into maturity.

Yet I offer that they do not intrinsically guarantee meaning.

The stories, theories, and formulas are only footprints of someone who once found meaning left behind. To simply declare that one worships God or believes in science is not enough to attain fulfillment. Otherwise everyone in the world except for naive children would be fulfilled.

Yet it often seems to be the other way around, doesn’t it?

The reason is not that the ideas hold no value.

The reason is that people fail to give them value. They do not integrate knowledge into their being.

To say you believe in a set of morals is one thing, but to embody it is another. I am not saying you have to experience all of your beliefs in order to understand them. What I am saying is that in order to truly believe them, you must consider the words in the context of your own life, experience, and emotions.

Words were never meant to be passed around like appetizers or be worn like makeup. For words to come alive, they must be lived. Living takes time.

This is the most important point of this article. Everything else is bonus.

The sages throughout history understood the fundamental truths of life, and they knew that they could not pass their whole understanding onto others. After all, it took them decades to reach a point of enlightenment, and even then there were variations of subjective experience. What they did was to light the way for others to follow. In other words, they left words.

Their teachings are not confined to culture, language, and time. They are thus eternal.

You may see them for yourself. Some books fill the bookshelves for a brief moment in time, like “Fifty Shades of Grey” or “Twilight.”

The works of sages fill the annals of human literature throughout history.

Because they have lighted the way, writers have discovered and lived the wisdom for themselves. Those who are the best writers in history are often its most avid readers.

As result, the meaning of these words are not simply found in a handful of books or sacred texts, but buried in the countless clichés, idioms, and passages through the ages. Where there is literature, you will find these timeless words.

One can rebel against them, but through the course of one’s life he will inevitably discover them. Or is it to re-discover?

Your spiritual, intellectual, and moral journeys will arrive at these Gnosticisms. There are no shortcuts, and no paths other than that of living your own life.

Below I present some words as representations of these truths. Yet I cannot know them completely at this juncture of my life, and I cannot know where you stand on your path towards understanding them.

They will of course make sense. They are timeless after all. But whether or not they prove to be timely, only the course of your life can tell.

Enjoy.

Number one: The Golden Rule

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”- Jesus Christ, Matthew 7:12

“Whoever wishes to be delivered from the fire and to enter Paradise…should treat the people as he wishes to be treated.” –Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him

“What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others.” — Confucius

Number two: Belief creates reality

“The universe is change, our life is what our thoughts make it.” – Marcus Aurelius

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” – Hebrews 11:6

“To see things in the seed, that is genius.” – Lao Tzu

“Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive, because your words become your behaviours. Keep your behaviours positive, because your behaviours become your habits. Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive, because your values become your destiny.” – Ghandi

Number three: There is complement and balance in the universe

“In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order.” –Carl Jung

“You cannot understand the meaning of good unless you understand the meaning of evil.” – Alan Watts

“All things carry Yin yet embrace Yang. They blend their life breaths in order to produce harmony” – Lao Tzu

Simple, isn’t it?

Treat others how you would like to be treated. Positive belief creates positive reality. There is Yin to every Yang and vice versa.

Simple words that speak directly to the soul, and yet may take a lifetime to truly appreciate.

The beauty lies in the simple contemplation of these words at every juncture of life.

I believe that if you do so, your life will become rewarding and meaningful.

If you live by the words echoed within your heart, the words that your inner child has always known, you will always find your place in the universe, no matter how much you have grown.

Until next time.

Your friend,

-Tie