Brian’s Reflection: Friday, June 18, 2010

If something has never been alive,
it also cannot die. Death awaits us
only because we are, at this very
moment, gloriously alive. Without
death, it is not possible for us to
have this life that we cherish so
much. Thus, life and death are but
two sides of the same coin.

Derek Lin, in “The Tao of Daily Life”


The Tao. I hope it isn’t outlandishly presumptuous to say that I think I get it! “The Tao”, I mean. Of course, like every path to Life, the proof is in the pudding – in the Doing of it. Taking action. One can “get” the Gospel message of Love intellectually, but it is useless unless one loves.

I think Derek is bang on about the Mystery of Life & Death. Take that first sentence and turn it around. It basically says, If you can’t die, then you can’t ever live. It’s both ….. or neither. I like that! The corollary to this is, of course: I embrace Death, so I can live.

The point being, we are then Free. And THAT in my opinion is what’s behind all the business, in every religion or Path, of overcoming death, of Salvation, of an Afterlife, etc. It’s so we lay aside, as much as possible, all the fear, and get on with becoming Gloriously Alive.

What we want then is the courage to Act. The minute I step out the door (if not before!) today, possibilities for Life will come rushing at me. A yellow hibiscus to be thrilled by. A homeless person to somehow connect with (we have lots in San Diego!). A dog to pat. An espresso to enjoy while surfing the net (free!) on Dennis’s iPad, a bit of my book to write (I’m on page 3), a friend to talk with on that wonderful invention the mobile phone. And a thousand other things.

Sadness and Delight. Creativity and Destruction. All go together. All part of Life.

Death be not Proud! In the Tao, your power, like John the Baptist in relation to the Christ, is to decrease, while the power of Life is to increase.

Brian+