Ancient Secrets Revealed

The Tao is a Chinese spiritual and philosophical concept. Literally translated, the Tao means “the Path” or “the Way,” and it is filled with a great deal of wisdom that has as much truth for humanity now as it did when it was written many centuries ago. However, understanding the concepts of the Tao can be very difficult from a human perspective.

The Tao Te Ching is an ancient book of wisdom that is considered to be invaluable in the study of the Tao. Tao Te Ching, loosely translated, means book that adds color or light to the Tao. It is made up of 81 verses that offer guidance on how to live our lives spiritually, morally and for the good of all.

The Tao Te Ching has been translated into thousands of versions in virtually every language, making it the second most translated book in the world (the bible is the first). The original book was written with 5,000 Chinese characters, some of them no longer used today. As a result, there are many different interpretations of the original 5,000 characters.

There are also different accounts of the origin of the Tao Te Ching. One common account is that a prophet named Lao Tzu (or Laozi) retired from his position of keeper of the imperial archives and headed west. As he was leaving, he was asked to record the essence his teachings and the Tao Te Ching was born.

In the first verse, the Tao Te Ching says that the Tao is unnamable and that to name it is to lose it. It is the essence of all things and the ultimate Source of everything. The Tao has no beginning and no end, and is the origin of heaven and earth. It does nothing yet animates everything.

The Tao is God energy.

The Tao Te Ching tells us that the mystery of the Tao can only be seen when we let go of our desire to see it. In other words, we experience the Tao by allowing it. By observing our world and simply experiencing we will reach the mystery of the Tao.

Obstructing the natural flow of life by judging people and situations and trying to change what is, prevents us from seeing the beauty and the mystery beyond the physical. When we try to control instead of allowing we experience the 10,000 things, of the physical world around us.

If we let go and allow all to flow in its own perfection we will allow the mysticism and the mystery of the Tao. According to the last line of the first verse of the Tao Te Ching, “And the mystery itself is the doorway to all understanding.”

The Tao Te Ching
Verse 1

The Tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named
is not the eternal name.

The Tao is both named and nameless.
As nameless it is the origin of all things;
As named it is the Mother of 10,000 things.

Ever desireless, one can see the mystery;
ever desiring, one sees only the manifestations.
And the mystery itself is the doorway
to all understanding.

[from “Change Your Thoughts–
Change Your Life,”
by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer]