It [the Tao] is always present within you.
You can use it any way you want.
These words get me so excited!
People tend to think a spiritual life is a separate, special sort of life; that you have to be a yoga teacher, or life coach, or provide a home for wayward pigeons or some such. Not so! The Tao is ALWAYS present, no matter what you do.
I can remember talking with one of my spiritual mentors about his giving up a particular meditation and martial arts practice. He said: I don’t have to do that to be peaceful, I can be peaceful mowing the lawn. And that’s just it, it isn’t so much what you do as HOW you do it. Mindfulness and love can manifest in anything and everything you do.
When I think about the people I most admire spiritually, you wouldn’t necessarily know them to be spiritual people on the surface. One of the wisest, most grounded, most-able-to-get-me-laughing-at-my-own-monkey-mind people in my life is a process control engineer by trade. If I had to say there was a living embodiment of Love in this world and in my life, it would be a woman who happens to co-ordinate community gardens for a living. And one of the most positive, supportive, people in my sphere, huge on getting people connecting in collaborative communities, has built his career in software and web development.
It’s such a liberating idea, as I futz around trying to find my own groove: I can use it any way I want! Anything I do is automatically infused with it (well maybe not automatically, I still have the responsibility to not run around with my head up my butt). It give me a chance to be covertly spiritual, I don’t have to be preaching or hitting people over the head with anything (open up to Love dammit!). I can just be me, do what I love, and know that things done with authenticity and love enrich the people that touches, no matter what.
So go do YOUR thing, whatever your thing is. And know that it is right, and it brings great things to this world.
Valerie Roney 
I’m trying my friend I don’t know good I’m doing but as you say all you can do is try. Later Love Moi.
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the easiest way to apply this teaching is simply learning to Pause in the middle of whatever you are always doing, and just remember Love.
It brings your attention to the here and now and helps you put your focus back on taking action and breathing.
There’s nothing lovey dovey here, just an appreciation for the opportunity to be here and now, and grateful (even when they are boring or chores you hate) These things need our Compassion and Attention.
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I’m re-reading all these posts trying to get back in the writing groove, and I just have to say I love that Pause has a capital P. That it is a proper noun of much value, like Love.
Well said, without saying a thing. :)
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forgot that I had even written that. How insightful of me.
and yes, Pause needs that recognition,
we don’t Pause enough and don’t realize how often we hold in our breath, while doing normal actives; with meditation, you slowly begin to see it happen though.
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