Daily Taoist 1_18 – Buddha Zhen Reads TAO #7 of the Tao of Taoism — Using the Dao Te Ching

Anti-Aircraft Tao Book

Official YouTube TRANSCRIPTION for Daily Daoist 18:

Well, that mosquito hawk went down with one swing. This thing is a weapon. So this is a valuable notebook / anti-aircraft weapon. Took out a mosquito hawk in one swing. Of course, they are very slow. [laughs] You couldn’t ask for a better– Well they do zig-zag around you know. Anyway… yeah.

I wiped it off. I didn’t see any bug guts here. But this is now a– What did I do with it… This was…. Shine some light on here. I wiped it off. If there were any bug guts on here–maybe I got it off. Okay.

So back to our lesson. Sheesh. Okay. We were on NUMBER 7 over here.

As one argument begins, another is ended.

Interesting way to say it. It’s not saying, As one ended, one is beginning. It’s when another one starts. It’s kind of like if you’re not paying attention. It doesn’t exist. There’s lots of arguments that can be starting all the time. But it’s the moment you actually become involved in it–that you are now in the next project. (Is the way to look at it).

That’s why I as an artist have found that I really have to do one project at a time. It’s kind of like why I’m here. I got to thinking, ‘Well if I go in there and start doing this… then I’m gonna come back here… and reset up… and I’m moving the camera… and it’s like… Well I’m complicating things.

But somehow I kind of like what we’re doing here in the format. And I’m thinking that if I do release these over time maybe I can kind of build a following. Because even though I’ve been publishing for four or five years or more… I’ve just kind of put them out when I’ve had an event. I’m not a regular poster. So by building up all this ammunition and kind of maybe putting them out on a weekly basis–perhaps you guys will appreciate that. [laughs]

So that’s what I’m thinking right now. I’m looking for a way to build my, my following. My following. I’ve never called it that but I guess that’s what it is. But… my base. “My fan base.” That’s what I would have called it before. And so anyway, maybe this is going to be one of tools to do something. So, otherwise I’m going to go back in there and try to make some money. Make the audio-book like I said, try to sell some products through Audible. Get on Audible.com

But anyway, here’s my– I’m practicing with this book and what I’m going to do. Because I’m really not sure. I’m honestly not. I never planned on making this an audiobook. Some of my books I plan on making audiobooks: like Sid’s Place, and Masonic Kung Fu–I’ve actually recorded–not the whole thing. I’ll have to start over…

Here we go.

Who else do you argue with and why?

Besides your parents and your loved ones–who else do you argue with?

I was arguing with Oscar. I think that’s what I said in his Eulogy. I kind of said, “Thank you for arguing with me.” But it was–in his case–it was really interesting. Because he wasn’t really a fan in some ways. He never liked my folk rock music. He was one of those German heavy metal people. He liked the singer that sounded like he was channeling Satan or some demon through him. That was the kind of music he liked… He gave me all kinds of copies of it. So I’ve got some on my phone. I’ve tried listening to it. But it just doesn’t motivate me. That grinding doesn’t–you know–resonate with me, like it did for him so– So he never was even much of a music fan. But he did like a lot of the other things I do. [laughs]

Here we go.

What is it that you want to teach the world in general?

In other words, everybody’s going to say, “Oh I wish the world this–,” “Or I wish…” Everybody’s got something. What would you– What do you think the world would be better off if they knew? Or behaved like? Or something…

What have you achieved that you would like others to achieve?

So how are you setting the example? How are you the role model here?

What would you achieve that seems too difficult?

So what are your challenges? What should you achieve?that seems too difficult?

What habits, fears, and insecurities do you need to lose?

Let’s work around. Let’s get it all out there. By the time you put all this out here you can kind of see what’s going on here.

It’s kind of like looking at all the terrain. How many fences do you have? Where’s the bathroom? Let’s put your life together here a little bit.

What does the world– How does the world limit you?

That’s a big question. You make your own perspective.

Sometimes to me–it’s almost superstitious. I think, ‘The world doesn’t want me to be successful. Why aren’t my books selling? My albums? Is the world limiting me? Trying to keep me poor?’ [laughs]

Is it the Mormons working against me? Gotta have to realize I’m not marketing well.

So maybe this is a good marketing thing I’m doing right now. Instagram. I don’t know if I can make any money off these. I’m doing this for free. Just for your benefit. And like I said, I’m not completely altruistic. I really want to build my fan base.

What is your current career cycle?

This is a little confusing. Something I probably should elaborate on. I don’t know how much I elaborate in the book. But we’re talking about life being in cycles. And you have a education cycle. The elementary school thing I think is a cycle. The middle school. And the high school. These are all like little cycles. They have beginning, middles and ends to them. So they’re like cycles. Even if they might be shorter or longer–they’re still to me cycles. So that’s what I’m talking about.

So we go through cycles in employment. Like maybe the first couple years you know you just work for your parents. And then the next couple of years you are a volunteer for something… But anyway, each of these is a cycle.

So what is your current career cycle?

Okay, you know what your end career cycle is and where you’re going. But what is your current career cycle?

What is your current love cycle?

Some people are in that you know just don’t want to date, or I want to do this… I’m in school. Or I want to get married. Or I am married…

What is your current physical cycle?

So where you at there? Think of yourself as a kid. As a teenager. Where you are now. Has it all been the same? Or you know– What…We’re looking at you.

Describe your position in your career–current career cycle.

So if you can kind of visualize the–it has a beginning, middle, and an end. Where are you in that? Are you in the end of it? Are you in the beginning of your–

I’m at the beginning of my current career cycle. I’m just starting all kinds of stuff so I’m at the very beginning of my current career cycle.

Describe your position in your current love cycle.

Ah. I’ve got my cat. That’s it. I’m really really happy. And he gives me head butts and nuzzles me everyday… And when I really want some attention I’ll just grab him and hug him. Pick him up and he’ll purr. Or I’ll just lay down and he’ll sit on my chest. And that’s enough. I’m happy. Ahh. Contact and a little compassion. So that’s my love cycle. So I’m kind of in the middle of it. I figure he’s probably got another ten years to live. He’s about– How old are you? Five years. Six years old. So we’re kind of in the middle of my love cycle with him.

But I did sign up for that senior– You know that bachelor thing. The senior love thing– whatever it is. I just sent in an application. I don’t even know if they’ll respond to it. I tried to make myself sound as honest as I could. I’m pretty whacky. [laughs] In terms of the normal man. Remember, I’m not the normal working class kind of guy. I’m an artist and a musician so I think they’d probably want to throw me in the mix. We’ll see. Anyway.

What is the end of this current physical cycle?

I’m actually looking–trying to look about ten, twenty years– In the next ten years, which is what it’s going to take me to get through this Shaolin Chi Mantis program. I’m not sure if I’ll make it all the way because I’ve got to go back and do Buddha Kung Fu and Tai Chi Youth. And nobody cares about the advanced program in this. Nobody gets that far. So when I finish this Beginner Program I’m not even going into the Intermediate–I’m going back and I’ll probably do Tai Chi Youth. And then I’ll jump ahead and do Buddha Kung Fu. And then when I’m… done with that: I’ll be– I’ll be good enough. You know. And if anybody was really ambitious and they make all three of those programs they’ll more Kung Fu than they need. If they want the Praying Mantis then–I don’t know. I’m not guaranteeing I’ll ever do the Praying Mantis. Get to that. There’s no demand for it. So I don’t know If I want to spend three years doing something nobody wants. [laughs]

Especially my last years.

So anyway, I’m looking at my next ten years and how to get all this Kung Fu done. So anyway. That’s my physical cycle.

So I’m at the beginning of this last– It’s not my last one. It’s just my last big one. Because then I’m gonna have to take it a little easier. I might not be able to push myself as hard. So, I don’t know. I don’t want to ever grow old. But I think at some point I’m going to have to admit I’m old.

So I’m thinking now that I’m 66. So I figure I’ll go to 76 full blast and see if I can’t just pretend that I’m not, like, an old man. See what happens. [laughs] Hope I don’t blow up.

Because really, I don’t have any restrictions on me right now. I go, go go through the workout. And boom. I don’t give myself any slack. So I’m gonna keep going through the workouts and not give myself any slack and that’s where I’ll be. And I’ll kind of be establishing what this program can do too. Because I’m a 66 year old man. I’m in decent shape though.

So anyway. What other cycles am I in? My business cycle. All my cycles are starting over. Are basically starting. The last six years of being a homeless Shaolin monk kind of put my life into storage. It was a cycle of just kind of burrowing stuff away. Gathering the acorns. Burying them and protecting them for six years. It was a very defensive, scary existence. It was amazing how much I was able to be happy the last six years of–

Anyway. Let’s get out of here. How long has it been? Nine minutes. Right before it’s ten.