This verse contains the first of five instances of "Ziran" which are the last two words of this verse, meaning, "It all happens naturally." Other ways to translate Ziran include, include "something that happens by itself constantly," spontaneously self-so, or “It is so by virtue of its own” and “the nature of what is so”.

Ziran is the result of acting silently, without fanfare or drawing ANY attention to self, and practicing the highest virtue - Tao, or, the "greatest thing above or beyond." This practice is the true practice of transparent leaders, parents, neighbors, or colleagues.... Things just seem to happen naturally on their own.

Deborah Lynn gave voice to our quotes this week. Her question stumped me, and so I am asking you listeners to help me answer her.

Audrey Davis is our esteemed artist. Molly Hartwell sings her haunting song, “Put Your Roots Down.” Fortress Press holds the copyright for quotations from my Tao Te Ching translation. Thanks to you for your attendance in this class on Taoism.

Radical emptiness, teaches Taoism, includes the emptying of fears. You know as well as I that life can be a fearful place. Before the ends of our lives, so much will happen that no one could predict. Lots may be asked of us, of our health, by our loved ones. It could be quite easy to hide somewhere we feel we would be impervious to life’s existential challenges, slings and arrows.

VERSE 16 teaches us that a life clinging to false things, ideas, and fears is a diminished life indeed. Rest assured, though: Everything false, from fears to desires, will eventually fail, perhaps slowly, but let this confident mind be in you. Nothing artificial has the power to last forever.

This podcast is an original labor of love, designed, written, and co-produced by many, whose central idea is that Tao te Ching is good news for today. Tao still speaks. David Dixon’s voice uttered our quotes this week. Audrey Davis is our valued artist. Molly Hartwell sings her song, “Put Your Roots Down.” Fortress Press holds the copyright for quotations from my Tao Te Ching translation. Thanks to you for your attendance in this class on Taoism.

May your days begin in peace, and become wombs for radical hope!

Marc Mullinax

This week, a most revolutionary verse, one that asks us "to checklist" our operating values in life with the most ancient of values and practices of the pre-Taoist masters.

What are these? Care, alertness, being courteous and honorable, fluid, malleable and supple, receptive and open, clear of distractions, and patient.

Meditate on this: When one practices these values, are we not more human??

May your days begin in peace, and become wombs for radical hope! -Marc Mullinax

I am looking for future quote readers? Might you be one? [email protected].

In this second bonus episode, I demonstrate how, using free will and awareness, we can reframe, or transform, the crap which we hate, into positive and life-affirming acts of compassion. It is a simple process, this reframing, but few practice it, as we fall into unquestioned habits that transform the goodness of this world into things we think of as evil, or not worthy of our time.

Here is the link for the Three Vinegar Tasters.

May your days begin in peace, and become wombs for radical hope! -Marc Mullinax

In Verse 14, Lao Tzu re-emphasizes with rather direct energy his past themes of emptiness of mind and senses, in order to gain a renewed emphasis on the PRESENT (rather than a re-tread of the past, or anxiety about a fictional future).

It is indeed possible – right now, and exactly where you are – to live in accord with all creation. For in the now/here/this is all the teaching one needs. Of other teachings one needs little. The peaceful person, or animal, lives in the clear-eyed, clear-eared, and emptiness of no place, and no time, ever in the eternal now.

**The practice of the present is the practice of the infinite.**

Tao te Ching is good news for today. Tao still speaks. Wes Own spoke our quotes this time. Audrey Davis is our artist. Molly Hartwell sings her song, “Put Your Roots Down.” Fortress Press holds the copyright for quotations from my Tao Te Ching translation. Thanks to you for your attendance in this class on Taoism.

May your days begin in peace, and become wombs for radical hope.

In this Verse 13, Lao Tzu teaches us to mistrust the small mind beliefs about our body, so we can (1) recognize how our ego is at work in order to counteract it, and (2) learn to fall in love with our natural and Tao-birthed bodies, even if we need to fall back in love with them.

This podcast is an original labor of love, designed, written, and co-produced by many, whose central idea is that Tao te Ching is good news for today. Tao still speaks. Mickey Moreno spoke our quotes this time. Audrey Davis is our artist. Molly Hartwell sings her song, “Put Your Roots Down.” Fortress Press holds the copyright for quotations from my Tao Te Ching translation. Thanks to you for your attendance in this class on Taoism.

May your days begin in peace, and become wombs for radical hope.

FYI, there are transcripts available for all episodes. Just write and ask for the episodes you want. [email protected]

In this episode treating Verse 12 of Tao Te Ching, we are given a choice: To pay attention to our unedited desires and cravings for what Lao Tzu calls the myriad swirl of the 10,000 things. OR, to pay attention, mindfully and with discipline, to the miraculous nature of the present moment, the present time, and the present circumstance. This is how to avoid soul-chaos.

This podcast is an original labor of love, whose central idea is that Tao te Ching is good news for today. Tao still speaks. Madison Thomas spoke our quotes

May your days begin in peace, and become wombs for radical hope.

We have used the word "empty" or "emptiness" in our episodes 107 times already! And here yet another verse on emptiness!

Don't worry, for today, I give the mic over to the players in this verse: "Hub," "Bowl," "House," and "Open Door." (Lots of fun!)

This podcast is an original labor of love, designed, written, and co-produced by many, whose central idea is that Tao te Ching is good news for today. Tao still speaks. Ryan Wallace spoke our quotes this time. Audrey Davis is our artist. Molly Hartwell sings her song, “Put Your Roots Down.” Fortress Press holds the copyright for quotations from my Tao Te Ching translation. Thanks to you for your attendance in this class on Taoism.

May your days begin in peace, and become wombs for radical hope.

This bonus episode treats the myths and narratives of our forgetfulness to live as full humans, alive, and in community with all creation, which is NOT dead.

I treat the myths and narratives given us by Genesis 1, ancient Mesopotamia, Greek philosophy, and the Enlightenment.

May your days begin in peace, and become wombs for radical hope!!

Marc Mullinax - [email protected]

IMAGINE a world without acquisition for ego's sake.

We know how the aim of the unchecked ego is EVER to gain, acquire, and surround itself with trophies of its accomplishments. Can this be reversed? Can we live for others instead of living only to feed our desire for more accomplishments, more acquisitions, more ego-assisted schemes?

The answer is a resounding YES, WE CAN! My translation of this verse aims to show how "taxing" it is to live for, serve, and purchase for only for one's Self. We can "UN-Self".

Here’s an important announcement: Next week, I will have a bonus episode, that addresses some of the main and neglected themes of this Tao Te Ching text. Hopefully it’ll be enriching. The following week, we'll turn to Verse 11.

This podcast is an original labor of love, designed, written, and co-produced by many, whose central idea is that Tao te Ching is good news for today. Tao still speaks. Audrey Davis is our artist. Molly Hartwell sings her song, “Put Your Roots Down.” Fortress Press holds the copyright for quotations from my Tao Te Ching translation. Thanks to you for your attendance in this class on Taoism.

May your days begin in peace, and become wombs for radical hope.