Exploring Wisdom

Excerpts: (c) Copyright Julian Gresser, Piloting Through Chaos—The Explorer’s Mind (Bridge 21 Press March 2013). All rights reserved.

“Take the world lightly, and your spirit will not be burdened. Consider everything minor and your mind will not be confused. Regard death and life as equal and your heart will not be afraid.”

Masters of Huainan

LIGHT AND SHADOW

“I have no parents. I make heaven and earth my parents.
I have no home. I make awareness my home.
I have no life or death. I make breath tides my life and death.
I have no divine power. I make integrity my divine power.
I have no means. I make understanding my means.
I have no body. I make endurance my body.
I have no eyes. I make the lightning flash my eyes.
I have no ears. I make sensibility my ears.
I have no limbs. I make promptness my limbs.
I have no strategy. I make unshadowed-by-thought my strategy.
I have no designs. I make opportunity my design.
I have no miracles. I make right action my miracles.
I have no principles. I make adaptability my principle.
I have no tactics. I make emptiness/fullness my tactics.
I have no friends. I make you, mind, my friend(s)
I have no enemy. I make carelessness my enemy.
I have no armor. I make compassion my armor.
I have no castle. I make heaven/earth my castle.”
I have no sword. I make absence of self my sword.”

14th Century Samurai

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