CedarTree

Favorite Daoist Quote

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All things have different uses and varying capacities; fine horses can travel a hundred miles a day, but unlike cats or weasels, they cannot catch mice. 

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Is the sky revolving around? Is the earth remaining still? Are the sun and the moon competing for their places? Who manages them? Who holds them in control? Who has nothing to do and is making these things move? 

      - Chuangtse  (Lin Yutang)

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During his day those questions were far more difficult to even imagine than they are today and we still don't have an absolute answer for the last three.  (Yes, some would say they have the answer but others would disagree with them so their answers are not universal.)

 

 

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As to who, some would argue that the answer is the Dao; that is, it is self-so.

 

Some may take issue with the anthropomorphism, "Who". I am OK with that since I understand the use as metaphor. In fact, I rather like it. 

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On 2/24/2018 at 4:06 PM, Marblehead said:

Tao existed prior to the Big Bang.

 

 

 

That is a faith based assumption.

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every river has its banks, every ocean has its' shores.
 

Edited by moment
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3 hours ago, moment said:

 

That is a faith based assumption.

No, not really.  Science states that the Big Bang was a result of Singularity exploding.  Therefore Singularity existed prior to the Big Bang.  Singularity is One.  Tao gave birth to One.

 

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6 hours ago, Marblehead said:

No, not really.  Science states that the Big Bang was a result of Singularity exploding.  Therefore Singularity existed prior to the Big Bang.  Singularity is One.  Tao gave birth to One.

 

 

6 hours ago, Marblehead said:

 

 

The name “Big Bang” was actually coined by astronomer Fred Hoyle, who was the leading proponent of an alternative theory, where the universe continues forever without a beginning. Dark matter (which holds galaxies together) and dark energy (which makes the expansion of the universe accelerate) are the biggest mysteries that aren't described by the Big Bang theory by itself. The "Big Bang" is a theory and not a fact.

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Agree.  Big Bang is a theory.  But still the best one available.  There are many things we still don't understand.  Dark Matter and Dark Energy are two of them.  Theories tell us what they likely do but there is still no proof.

 

Yes, Hoyle coined the term but he didn't accept it.  Neither did Einstein.  Hoyle wanted it to be more complicated and Einstein wanted a static universe.

 

Maybe there wasn't a "real" beginning but rather cycles of redundant universes?

 

Edited by Marblehead
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2 hours ago, Marblehead said:

Agree.  Big Bang is a theory.  But still the best one available.  There are many things we still don't understand.  Dark Matter and Dark Energy are two of them.  Theories tell us what they likely do but there is still no proof.

 

Yes, Hoyle coined the term but he didn't accept it.  Neither did Einstein.  Hoyle wanted it to be more complicated and Einstein wanted a static universe.

 

Maybe there wasn't a "real" beginning but rather cycles of redundant universes?

 

What I do know is that Tai Chi and other Daoist meditations have made me a calmer, healthier, more rational human being.  Even though millions of people have had similar experiences, science has had very little success in cracking that code. That I will continue to become a more competent human (in this journey which I have very little clue about anything) is an assumption based on faith and hope.  As always, it has been a pleasure talking to you.

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Hey, guys! 

 

As I recall, Fred Hoyle may have brought forward the term Big Bang but it was meant as a derisive shot at George Gamow, who was the Big Bang exponent of the time. The Big Bang v Steady State debates of that time are legendary ... and quite humorous.

 

Your posts prompted me to inquire about the state of the Big Bang theory today. One line of thought appears that it may have been more of a bounce than a bang. The lecture below is now 20 years old but illustrates how far thinking has progressed from the Big Bang.

 

http://www.hawking.org.uk/the-beginning-of-time.html

 

Enjoy!

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The great Sage does nothing; he takes no action but simply flows with the energy of Tao.  In doing this, he follows the pattern of the Universe.

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The Tao is the treasure of the good man and that which protects the bad.  Heaven covers all equally.

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It's alright to work with the nature of things, but it's quite another issue to violate their nature.

 

- Michael Sternbach -

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  1. True Leadership is leading people to get things done for the people.
  2. False leadership is managing people to get things done for oneself (himself, cronies, political party, etc. But definitely NOT for the people).
  3. Management is managing people to get things done.

Do you see the similarity between False leadership and Management?

No professor dares to add the last phrase, "for oneself" for that will destroy the entire meaning management where there are more than a million books have been written on management.

 

- Eric Woon -

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Clearing blue sky,
A promise in bare branches.
In winter, there are sunny days.
In adulthood, childhood can return.

 

                                    Optimism, 365 Tao, Deng Ming-Dao

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That something that gives birth to other things could not be a thing itself, for things could not exist before there was something.  There must have been something that preceded it and there must have been something that still precedes that preceding something.  Therefore, all things come from non being.

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With possession of the Tao, one can go wherever one likes. Without the Tao, one is lost wherever one goes. (Chuangtse)

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43 minutes ago, OldDog said:

With possession of the Tao, one can go wherever one likes

and leave no footprints.

 

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