Hey. Hello there. The Daily Taoist here. Here to bring you some more things to hopefully help. Well they’re definitely gonna help you. Even if you don’t think they are. Once you’ve kind of got a good idea. Sometimes you’ve just got to find the time to understand it. And then you’ve got to find another time to implement it. And then you’ve got to find another time to say, “Yeah. That was a good idea because it’s gonna work.” If it doesn’t work you then you’ll be saying, “Ah… That good idea was a bad idea.” [LAUGHS]
Alright. #31b
Daily Taoist Buddha Zhen here. Richard Del Connor. And we’re reading from my book, the TAO OF TAOISM based on Lao Tzu’s book, THE BOOK OF CHANGES. Or Dao Te Ching.
Here we go. #31b
The left side of our body is a Yin female polarity.
This is China. We’re in China 2,000 years ago in China. So these are all things that made a lot of sense to them. And still do. But anyway, that’s 2,000 years ago.
He says,
The left side of our body is a Yin female polarity that will only extend itself in friendship when we trust one another.
So it’s saying this arm over here is — doesn’t always trust you. So the right one…
By offering our left Yin side in friendship we stand alongside the right Yang side of our friend.
So in other words–
Friendship is balanced by trust.
Okay? So in other words really what it’s saying is you’re side by side. As long as you’re facing someone and you’re shaking right hands: Now you’re kind of opposing. You’re both kind of equal. Now, the moment you offer your left hand. See that shifts you over. They put out their right hand and I put out my left, I put over here and I’m facing. So that puts you now side by side.
So the right and so in other words the positive negative Yin Yang…
It’s a very clever little way of kind of– kind of shows something and expounds some other deeper things which I don’t think I really want to get into. Because we’re– But anyway.
The Yin-Yang concepts and female and the– and the hesitation, the trust and the everything–
This is an interesting point: There’s a whole bunch going on. All this is 31b, 31c. I broke it down because there’s so much information in this #31. And I broke it down into these three things.
But this whole thing about the Yin side. The trust. The positive-negative. And being side by side. That means you’re friends. As long as you’re facing each other, you’re not friends. You can be total enemies. When you’re side by side, you’re friends. You have to trust that person. If this person wants to kill you, that’s not the best place to put them. [LAUGHS] You want to have them in front of you where you can see what they’re doing. Wouldn’t want to put them right behind you either.
Okay? See? So anyway, you get the concept.
Here we go. #31b
Describe how you trust people.
Describe HOW you trust people.
How did you develop this trust system?
How did you develop YOUR trust stystem?
How DON’T you trust people?
How don’t you trust people?
There’s certain things you just don’t trust. Everybody draws lines.
Okay. Here we go.
How did this DISTRUST develop?
How did you decide where to draw that line?
HOW did this distrust develop?
Describe your female nature.
Describe your female nature.
Whether a man or woman. Everybody.
Some men are much more feminine than women.
The 5 SOUL THEORY kind of all the sudden illuminates them.
But okay, here we go:
To who is your trust extended unconditionally now?
To WHO is your trust extended UNCONDITIONALLY now?
And I don’t know if I should say anything about this now, but I was actually raised on the wrong interpretation I was raised, “Men had CONDITIONAL love,” and “Women had UNCONDITIONAL love.” And it’s COMPLETELY THE OPPOSITE. 100% of the time. Completely the opposite. A woman will only love you when she’s got what she wants and everything’s alright otherwise NO. Totally conditional.
A man, he’s gonna keep loving you no matter what. He’s gonna go to his job and he’s gonna be consistent. He’s the one who’s patterned. The same with his job. He’s content, conditioned. He’s got a mind that has the ability to go to the same place for thirty years and work. Which means he can be with the same woman and go to the same home and work for thirty years too.
So a man has the unconditional ability built into him much more than a woman does. And I was raised, like I said, to believe just the opposite of that. Totally screwed me up. It messed me up. Because I honestly believed that women had unconditional love. So I expected that. I never found it. So I could’ve saved myself a lot of trouble if I wasn’t pursuing a lie.
Where are we? Five minutes. Okay.
To who is your trust extended UNCONDITIONALLY now?
To who are you uncondiditional?
To whom is your trust extended with reservations now?
Certain things you trust entirely but other things…
WHAT do those you trust unconditionally OFFER YOU?
I’ll read it again. What do those you trust UNCONDITIONALLY offer you?
So by trusting them, what does that give you access to?
What do those you SLIGHTLY DISTRUST offer you?
So those you have reservations about–you trust them a little bit–maybe not much but–
But actually, if you only slightly distrust them — that means you mostly trust them. So you mostly trust them, but you slightly distrust them. So, what are you getting from them?
Okay, then I’ve got my suggestions here. Hey only six minutes! That was a good one.
So yes, this goes to the Yin Yang concepts which I’m totally like rethinking and throwing out. And the– and the Chinese they have this belief that this is the Yin side and Yang side. Which is true if you’re right handed. It’s stronger than this side. It does create a Yin and a Yang.
I just realized in Kung Fu training if I make people think that way they’re gonna think this is stronger than this and they become kind of like wieghted over here.
I kind of wiped out that in all my Kung Fu training. We don’t use the Yin Yang. I say, “Move the energy both ways.” It can come in the Yin and go out the Yin. I do everything both ways. We do our exercises, we do our punching–try to do everything even. Most all the Kung Fu is right-handed. It’s like 70-80% right-handed. You know it’s not a complete exact balance of left and right kicks.
So I’ve created extra drills to bring up the left side of the body. So.. anyway, like I’m saying, I have agreements and disputes with the Yin Yang concept. And that’s the Tao. We can find out realistically how to put it. Now don’t impose certain concepts unnaturally onto Nature. [LAUGHS] You know, sometimes– Okay.
But there you go. That was #31b. of the TAO OF TAOISM. Read to you–in fact I’ve got time to read it one more time. Let’s read it one more time.
The left side of our body is a Yin female polarity that will only extend itself in friendship when we trust another.
So it’s saying, unless she trusts you–you’re not going to get anything.
By offering our left Yin side in friendship we stand alongside the right Yang side of our friend. Friendship is balanced by trust.
So remember, friendship is a side by side relationship.
This is great stuff to talk about. I’m just wondering how much to say sometimes.
But here we are. The Daily Taoist back. Buddha Zhen here. And we’re reading from my TAO OF TAOISM. How to improve your life using the DAO TE CHING. The BOOK OF CHANGES by Lao Tzu about 2,200 years ago.
Anyway, we’re on #31a. And #31a of the Tao of Taoism, my interpretation of the Dao Te Ching.
Now I love Confucianism. Now you’ve gotta remember I’ve gone from being a Hippie– I’m still a hippie. An enlightened hippy.
Us hippies were just kids. Kids rebelling against our parents. Yeah. [LAUGHS] We were a bunch of kids rebelling against our parents. But we were doing it with art. We were looking at a lot of things we disagreed with. And I still disagree with. We had some great core values to being a hippie. In terms of wanting to do music and stop the war. The free love thing got a little out of control. But it was about marriage. Because marriage was required–and all this type stuff. And for women who had sex before marriage–they were “ruined.” They were like soiled goods. So they were lowered in society so we needed to kind of change the way society thought. So that’s what the hippies did. We changed all that. Before that, a woman couldn’t have sex before marriage or she was called all kinds of things forever.
Obviously, that’s not the case anymore. So we changed that.
So anyway, “Thank you hippies!”
But anyway, as a hippy I’ve come to realize that a lot of the structure and the rules… We burned down the R.O.T.C. buildings because that was basically where they were trying to sign up kids to go kill them over in Vietnam. And I totally agree with that and the fact that we pushed so hard. I mean we shouldn’t have to push so hard. And you push hard like that and then you should get a response. The response we got from our government was horrible.
You’d think that if you had a revolution and you revolt, then the government should go, “Oh. These people have something important to say.” No. The louder you scream about things being wrong the more the government is often times going to turn around and actually look at you as being a foreign enemy and start killing and shooting your kids. Just because you’re making too much noise. That’s what they did.
Kent State Murder Day is coming up and–I started that last year. I got booked for that accidentally and then realized what it was and made that the focus of my whole show. And every year I’d like to do a show. And this year, I’ll try to do an online show. I mean, I’ve got to plan it. I… think.. I would… I feel kind of obligated to.
So anyway. Getting back to this. I’m a hippy, but I’m an enlightened hippy. I see things from a bigger picture than I did when I was a kid.
So here we go. #31a.
The celebration of victory and love of weapons– ‘kay.
The celebration of victory and the love of weapons–
(tanks, rockets, stealth bombers)
–are vile lusting for death.
Is it “A vile lusting for death?” or is it just, “vile lusting for death?”
So in other words, every one of those things you’re saying is beautiful–was designed to kill people.
That’s it. Not even for hunting. Not even for animals. Not where you could actually use the carcass of whatever you kill. No. It’s to obliterate. It’s just destruction. The buildings. Not like, “Oh let’s just kill the people, and not hurt the buildings…” No. It’s destruction. Totally. So as we worship these things we’re worshipping total destruction. So that’s why “VILE LUSTING FOR DEATH.”
“Those people gotta die!” You can’t just take away their buildings and bodies and not have them die. That’s why death is so important.
So when you celebrate victory and the love of weapons you’re celebrating your desire to kill something. Wow!
Let’s– one more sentence. This is Lao Tzu. This is why him and Confucius may not have gotten along. They SAY they didn’t. But that’s because most people can’t harmonize these things. But you can. You can totally. I’m totally into Lao Tzu, I’m a hunter and totally into Confucianism. You can balance all these things. If you can get the proper perspective and proper intentions.
Military parades are funeral processions in advance.
This is written by Lao Tzu. Remember? Over two thousand years ago. The Emperor would have little parades you know. All his soldiers and their weapons…
Military parades are funeral processions in advance.
In other words whenever you put those things out there, it’s always because you’re showing, “Hey! This is what we’re going to use to kill some people with.” And everybody goes [gasp and clapping]. “Oh great! I can’t wait for you to dispose of them.” And in people’s backyards–you know, and kill them.
But that’s what we do. That’s what the world is. And that’s what the government tells all the people. To all the people it’s like a football team. “Yeah! I’m rooting for that team.” Even though that team’s carrying a nuclear bomb–they’re going to blow it up and kill you in the arena. “It’s my team though! And…” It’s just stupid.
Anyway. Like I said, we’re all cattle and so the cattle are excited by these parades. “Oh yeah! Let’s go kill some people!” “Who we gonna kill?” “Uh– We’ll find somebody.” [SIGH]
Okay. Let’s go down this page. Ready?
What sports do you enjoy most and why?
What sports do you enjoy most and why?
How do you celebrate victory?
How do YOU celebrate victory?
How do you feel or disregard the loser?
If you’ve ever played any game there’s always a loser. From soccer to chess.
How do you feel or disregard the loser?
Interesting. If I was to reword that– I don’t know. I haven’t read down this whole page.
How do you feel or disregard yourself?
If you were the loser– that would be an important question to ask here.
How much effort is expended to befriend the loser after the competition?
So after the competition you’ve won, how much effort do you spend to be friends with the person you just conquered? (Won, defeated… whatever.)
Explain the importance of winning.
Explain the importance of winning.
Remember, these are your words. Don’t try to answer the question the way that I want or your teachers taught, or your parents taught… Well, it might be what your parents taught, but anyway these are hopefully– These are supposedly your words. So make them your words. This whole thing. Okay? That’s important.
If you put other people’s words in you’re just fooling yourself, lying to yourself, cheating, creating a false image. Looking in a mirror that’s not reflecting your true image back. You’re lying to yourself. You’re cheating. You’re hiding… Okay… You’re a normal person.
But hopefully, by reading this book you’re going to able to not be a normal person. You can stop hiding from yourself. Start seeing the truth.
How–okay. What do you do with your winnings and trophies?
Okay, so if you’re in a competition: and you win something, and you get a trophy or whatever: What do you do with it? Where are they? All your winnings and trophies. What have you done. Explain your thing in your life. Where are they?
Do you celebrate with liquor? And what else?
Do you celebrate with liquor? And what else?
Do you take time off after a contest and rest from training?
Do you take time off after a contest and rest from training?
Shifu suggestions:
That last one was a setup too. It was to see if actually, when you have a contest, if it’s unnatural. You were having to push yourself into an unnatural reality. Compete. Because in our Kung Fu school our goal is to just always have you ready to compete all the time. Anytime. That’s it.
Explain your interest in weapons.
Explain your interest in weapons.
Can you guys see my weapons?
I don’t know if this may really jack off–make the camera go wonky, but let me see– I’ll try to move the whole stand. If we move down here and we turn–There’s a couple. There’s some more. Whoops. See that wall down there. There’s swords down below. See some whip chains, rope darts and meteor hammers. Way down there towards the end near the top there’s a couple of tiger hook swords, and there’s a whole bunch of swords there. Oh, at the very end looking at us down there is some certificates and flags of mine.
As you can see, there’s some weapons on the wall. And if you come over here there’s actually another weapon over here. Yeah, a couple. In fact way on the very top of this thing, which you can’t see, if you were to go up here, across here hanging… Is one of my first staffs I ever got. And I’ve got it in a black sash. Make it kind of sacred or whatever. Didn’t like people to touch it. It’s weird because it’s slick. It looks like it’s varnished but it’s all my sweat and oil that’s like built this varnish onto it. So I don’t like people to touch it. I pick it up– and pick it up it’s like glass. It’s amazing.
But that’s what happens when you use these staffs for a long time. They become a personal thing. Because you wear them down and they actually–I’ll show you later. But yeah, that’s the Chinese style. We’re much different.
When I was in Utah and the’d never even seen them, the Karate guys. Quite a few of them bought them from me. Because I was buying them for my students because I teach staff. In fact, a couple of them wanted me to teach a staff class at their school. But I just couldn’t coordinate between all my classes and Mr. Mom and everything else I was doing. I couldn’t fit it in. But I did work out the program to do it. I came real close.
But yeah, they were amazed at those staffs. They thought they were–the whole concept–because mostly you get a piece of wood, it’s a dowel. Just a little spinter from a big tree. But this is the whole tree. When you look at my staffs there. The whole tree and the branches come out all the sides. It’s really amazing. It’s called White Waxwood. Look it up on the internet.
Here we go. How many minutes we got. Ten? Let’s finish this thing. How we doing.
Explain your interest in weapons.
Oh, that’s what I did.
How do these weapons portray you?
Well for me they represent all the different things I was exploring. Exploring the body and possibilities. So these weapons–I don’t think there’s anything else you can do.
How do these weapons portray you?
They portray me because all of these weapons require mastery and a certain kind of focus. Like musical instruments, each one requires a certain kind of relationship. You have to understand that in its own terms. In an intimate way. Each of these weapons. That kind of represents how I am. I tend to be very intimate in each of my projects. And each of my weapons. And each of my musical instruments. So I get a relationship with it. So that I’m not forcing it to just do what I want it to do–I’m figuring out how to — from what its Tao is, its’ Nature — how I can extract of harmonize with it. To create this other third thing. The instrument plus me creates the third thing.
Okay. How do you feel when using your weapons?
I get out here at night when its all dark . I need more room. And I’d just spin them around a little more. The chains kind of rattle a lot. [LAUGHS] In the dark’s cool too. Just come out here in the dark. It’s two in the morning. “Can’t sleep.” [swish swish] Alright. Then I go back to bed.
Okay. Explain how you imagine using these weapons?
That was a long time ago. But that’s gory. That’s why I enjoy playing with them so much now. That’s because I’ve gotten past that. But no, you’ve got to imagine lopping off arms and legs and stabbing… You’ve got to go through that phase. You have to learn the weapon. What they were designed for. And then I can play with them and use imaginary monsters…
But yeah, you’ve got to get past that gory stuff. I had nightmares for a few years. That was back in the mid-eighties. But I did. I’d have nightmares about them–actually using these weapons. Hurting, killing people. Death. So I had to get past that. Now I realize how dangerous they are. Like shooting a gun. You’ve got to realize this gun can shoot somebody. You’ve gotta, you’ve gottta accept that fact. You cannot like say, “Oh that’s not gonna hurt somebody because I’m not gonna touch it.” The moment you touch it–it can kill somebody. You’ve gotta come to grips with that. And then you’ve got to decide never to do it. See? So you’ve gotta go past that part. You know, I think that’s the problem with a lot of young people. They haven’t gotten past that. They haven’t learned the weapon. They haven’t learned to shoot it. They haven’t felt the power of the weapon. And then the respect for the weapon. It’s kind of got to go in that order.
A motorcycle. Well the first thing you’ve got to do is learn how to drive it without killing yourself. Then you get cocky on it. Then you’ve gotta get past cocky and get safe. And that’s the same with a gun. Just like a motorcycle. It’s got those LEVELS OF LEARNING. That’s what I call them. And I do. I teach the “8 LEVELS OF LEARNING.” And that does it.
Okay. Here we go.Are we going to finish? I’ve got thirteen minutes. I’ve got a make it in fifteen.
Explain how you imagine using these weapons.
I already did.
Explain your peer group and circle of friends.
Wooow. I’m not sure…Well, because we’re talking about celebrations. So your peer group are all the people you celebrate with. And do things together.
Explain your peer group and circle of friends and then think of them in terms of military and processions and I don’t know. Plug them into this. You’re in the army, those are your fellow soldiers. If you’re not in the army they’re still your fellow warriors and citizens who believe in war and see the parade and think of bombing people.
Describe any membership requirements and dress codes you enjoy.
This is where people say Confucius and Lao Tzu– Lao Tzu says kind of like a hippie, “I don’t want to dress in all these things…” But if you’re in the court and you’ve got to do this. And you’ve got people coming from other countries–you’ve gotta impress them. You can’t go in there in a T-shirt. You know, you’ve got to look like–anyway.
So there’s a harmony. There’s a natural Tao to being in government. Different than when you’re working in the field. You wouldn’t wear a tuxedo when you’re out there working in the rice paddies. So you’ve gotta harmonize with each of these situations. And that’s what people got confused with when they read this stuff.
Oh, real fast: Explain your loyalties.
And like we said earlier, when Trump asked for loyalties in the government–that meant that they were already corrupt. Because no government would ever give loyalties to its ruler when he asked for it. So that means that all those people who bowed to him were already the people who were corrupt. So everyone who liked Trump in the beginning–that’s your swamp. Those are the people you’ve got to get rid of if you ever want to end the war.
Then my other Tao was saying, “Hey! Let’s keep going!”
So it’s like, alright… Let’s compromise. We’ll do one more and then we’ll take a break. [LAUGHS]
You’ve gotta work with yourself. You know you can’t just push yourself all the time. You’ve gotta–You’ve gotta find your own Yin and Yang. So here it is: I’m going to do this #30 and take a break.
#30 of the TAO OF TAOISM. Written by me, Buddha Zhen, Richard Del Connor, Zhen Shen-Lang. Based on the book by Lao Tzu which I call THE BOOK OF CHANGES. Okay? Dao Te Ching. The Book of Changes.
It’s about basically the book of all the– everything changes. The book–Or you could even call THE TAO nothing but “Changes.” Because THE TAO doesn’t exist. It’s just your way of trying to understand: what was–what is now–what it’s becoming… It’s just a constant flow of change. All reality is a constant flow of change.
Okay. Here we go. #30.
Cruelty, destruction, and arrogance are unnatural evil forces.
Man! Should mail a copy of this to– Well, Trump’s not gonna– He doesn’t read. You see? That’s the problem. Trump could never do this book. Trump is never going to be a better person. He’s always going to be a terrible, terrible person. Because he’s not capable of reading this book. That’s a shame. Because I would like to at least improve him. It’s not like I want to– hurt him. He deserves to be hurt. He’s hurt lots of people. Even killed–anyway, inadvertently perhaps killed people. Yeah, what to do with that guy? Put him in prison. Make him read my book the rest of his life. Heck–
Okay, #30.
Cruelty, destruction, and arrogance are unnatural evil forces.
Remember, I define evil as anything that works against the good of the person. In other words, anything I don’t want you to do to me is evil. I don’t want you to take my car. That’s evil. I don’t want you to take my house. That’s evil. I don’t want you to shoot me. That’s evil. I don’t want to go without food. I don’t want you to take my food and make me hungry. That’d be evil. Anything that hurts me is evil. Anything that helps me is good. Hey, you’re gonna give me some more food. That’s nice. That’s a good thing to do. You’re gonna give me some more money. Hey, that’s a good thing. Gonna give me a better car. That’s a good thing to do. Thank you, I could use it. See? All these things are good.
See? You can see the difference between good and evil. One helps the person. And one hurts the person. So–
Do you enforce laws, rules, and punishments for disobeying those laws and rules you dislike?
Alright. Let’s read that again. I’ll read it maybe twice. Make sure we get it right.
Do you enforce laws– (Okay, so do you like a parent) –enforce laws rules and punishments for disobeying rules and laws you dislike?
Like what about smoking pot? Now what if a policeman smokes pot. They probably test him so much he couldn’t. Anyway, if he could, but he wanted to smoke pot, but he’s gotta arrest other people and put them in handcuffs for doing it. Even though it’s something he wants to do. See thats… So he’s enforcing a law that he dislikes.
Do you believe that when a person breaks a law they should “pay the consequences?”
Ah. Should people suffer? Should you make them atone for it. Okay? There’s a whole bunch of answers to that but I’m just looking for yours right now. I’m not sure if this is the place to go into all the psychology and everything of what’s going on here.
So let’s just go through this and I’ll try to influence you as little as possible. [LAUGHS] Because if you’re seductive [sadistic] evil qualities–You need to see them. You need to let them out. So I don’t mean to– I’ll probably. You’ll probably be hiding them, “Oh, I’m not gonna say that. He’s not gonna like–” So don’t write it for me. Write it for you. Write the truth in this book and then look at it, and then that’s the only way you can get better. You can’t hide from yourself. Well YOU CAN. In fact, that’s probably what you’ve been doing your whole life. Everybody who’s looking at this has probably hid from themselves to some extent.
Me? I mean, I wasn’t trying to. I was trying to be something I wasn’t. So I was trying to hide my artistic Nature. I was trying to be a Carpenter when I wanted to be a Musician. So I was kind of hiding a little bit.
So, yeah. We all do it in our own way. How do you– Okay.
Do you believe that a person who breaks a law should “pay the consequences?”
Do you believe the rule, “Spare the rod–and you’ll spoil the child?”
Do you believe in that rule? That it’s correct? Spare the rod and you’ll spoil the child?”
Do you believe that too much patience or affection will “spoil the child?”
So in other words, if you don’t punish them enough they’re not going to be good. And if you’re too good to them, they’re not gonna turn out good.
“Spoil the child.” Do you ever say, “spoil the child?” “You’re spoiling him.” Do you ever say that? Have you ever used the word, “spoil?” (In regards to other people.) Have you ever said it?
Can you kick or hurt a dog, cat or other small animal when they misbehave?
In other words, when they’ve done something bad. They’ve pee-ed on the floor. Or something that really just makes you mad. They’ve done it before. Do you kick them? Punish them?
Do you enjoy hunting animals?
I guess, “enjoy.” Now I used to– I’m a hunter. Was a hunter? I’ll always be a hunter. If I had to I’d be a hunter now. But if I don’t have to I don’t really want to. I’ve got other things more important. [LAUGHS]
But anyway, as a hunter do you ENJOY hunting animals?
Let me tell you, because you probably aren’t a hunter. There aren’t many hunters around. Last twenty years they’ve kind of disappeared. Everybody’s afraid of guns.
The point being: as a hunter I don’t enjoy killing animals. But I do enjoy hunting. So I don’t care if I ever even catch–if I’m successful. I always enjoyed every hunting expedition I’ve been on whether or not I bagged anything. Seriously. I’ve always enjoyed them equally. The one’s where we did actually kill something were actually more problematic and had more stuff. And you gotta gut ’em, and hang ’em, and bleed ’em and drag ’em back in the snow. It’s a lot of work actually killing an animal and bringing it back. So I wouldn’t call that more fun. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed that part. So I enjoy hunting, and maybe I enjoy hunting less [more] when I’m unsuccessful.
Do you enjoy killing people?
And then in parentheses I put, “in games.” [LAUGHS]
I remember this one little kid I was talking to and he was all proud of himself because he’d had 29,000 kills in one year. So in one year he was proud he had killed 29,000 individuals. Of course they were supposed to all be bad, but you know they were still ranging from probably elves, fairies and dwarves and demons and humans and soldiers and whatever. 29,000 people killed. Because you were aiming at them and trying to kill them. So that’s 29,000 to actually go, “I want you to die. Die. I want you to die. Die. Die.”
Even when I was hunting, I wasn’t really saying, “I want you to die.” It was more like a contest of trying to–of anyway… You’re just–
Okay. Where are we?
So, do you enjoy killing people? (In games.)
Low battery. Sheesh. I told you I’d have to take a break right after this.
Here we go.
Explain your viewpoint on guns.
I keep mentioning this. So lay out yours. Say it to yourself. What’s your viewpoint on guns. “They’re all evil…” Say whatever you believe. Okay?
Which sports do you enjoy? And why?
Which sports do you enjoy? And why?
Everybody’s got certain sports. But why not the other ones? Why this one over that…? Think about it. Maybe you don’t even know. But think about it. Why didn’t you choose football instead of soccer? Why didn’t you choose badminton instead of tennis? Probably can’t find badminton on TV. [LAUGHS]
Alright. Here we go.
What should be done with homeless persons?
Oooh. Remember. I wrote this book back in the eighties. Rewrote it in the nineties. Last rewrite was ten years ago before I ever knew I was going to be a homeless person. Although I had lived out of my van a couple times in the eighties. I started my record company that way. I was a union carpenter working at the airport at LAX for a year and a half or something. And I lived out of my car. I got the job and realized it was one of those like long haul jobs and I was the Steward and so I was going to be one of the last people fired on the job. Which is kind of cool. Sometimes you’re just hired and you go for a couple of weeks. And then you’re gone. But in this case I was the Union Steward so that was a long term job. So I would just work. Go to my Kung Fu school. And then I’d go park at the beach. And do my Kung Fu and play music in my car or go to band rehearsal. That was in the mid-eightes. Mid-eighties.
Where were we? Yeah. Maybe 1982, ’84. It was before the ’84 Olympics. So it would have ben ’83 before the Olympics. Maybe I was working when it started. I’m not sure.
Explain your viewpoint on– Okay– Oh– Explain your viewpoint on guns.
Explain your viewpoint on gun laws.
Okay. So you said guns. Tell what you think on gun laws. I never thought this was going to be an issue. But it was a long long time ago I wrote this. Before this became this hotbed thing.
Explain your viewpoint on other weapons.
So me, I’d bring up nunchuks. You don’t even know what they are probably. They had a big heyday because of Bruce Lee. He made nunchuks famous. For like ten years every criminal and every person in the world carried nunchuks. And that’s why they had to make all these laws against nunchuks. It’s because of Bruce Lee. If he would’ve never made nunchuks famous they would have never had to make laws that they were illegal. So that’s the one thing he did. He made nunchuks famous. And now nunchuks are dead. Kung Fu is dead. Bruce Lee is dead.
What are your favorite wars and why?
What are your favorite wars and why?
Remember. A lot of people just love World War II things. I’ve actually got a World War 2 book. And as soon as I wrote it I get all this advice: “You’ve gotta put World War II on here. There’s all kinds of people–that’s all that they look for is World War II stories and World War this… So, yes…A lot of people have favorite wars. They just love to keep them alive in their minds and their worlds and their books and their videos. They… anyway–
So WHY do you like those wars?
Put the whole answer there. You might be surprised, or hopefully you might learn something about yourself.
What are your favorite violent movies? And why?
Violent movies… and why.
Me personlly, I have BOOM Desperado. Desperado One, the scene in the bar. Where his gun case opens real slowly and they can see– “I’m just looking for the man named, Bucho.” Anyway, that scene. That movie, Desperado., I love it. Very, very violent. Ugly sometimes. I’m not trying to be the total– Goody 2-Shoes. I’m just– Let’s all be honest. But I love that battle scene. That’s one of my favorites. I just watched it. I found it on YouTube. I saw it just recently. [LAUGHS] A month ago or something. I was like, “Yeah!” I had to play that scene. I just enjoyed it.
And okay. And that’s killing, horrible sadistic things.
Okay. Where were we? Where are we? Oh we’re over here on this page.
What are your favorite horror movies? Books? Or Stories?
So Horror movies, books and stories. What are your favorites? ‘kay?
I don’t even know if the “WHY” even matters because you wouldn’t want to say, “Well I like this movie where they cut up…” You don’t want to try to come up with a reason. So don’t try.
But maybe–I don’t know. Maybe if you could look at the influence why–or who got you to start looking at them or liking them. Look at maybe a few things like that. Okay?
If you were given a Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde potion– (Remember? You drink it and then you turn into your alter character? They used to call it the evil or whatever it is–that other ego–the animal ego or whatever. ) –What monster would you become?
So if you were this other monster–as opposed to the civilized animal: you know: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde- Dr. Jekyll I guess was the nice guy. And then Mr. Hyde was the really evil… Anyway, what monster would you– Describe the evil you. What would be the evil you?
And describe your car, clothes, status and social image.
I was thinking of the evil one of you. But do both of them. Do your Dr. Jekyll images of you: how you’d dress. Your car clothes and status. How they’d be different. Dr. Jekyll would maybe drive a Ferrari. Maybe, or– You figure it out. Anyway. This is for you to look at yourself. That’s what this is for.
Alright. Buddh Zhen here in thirteen minutes and this is your Daily Tao #30 and we were talking: Lao Tzu says,
Cruelty, destruction, and arrogance are unnatural evil forces.
Hey. We’re trying to get to Part 2 here. We’re back on #29.
I went and deleted some stuff. And it looks like I didn’t set up very well, my phone. Anyway, let’s see if I can finish it.
Here we go. And it’s called “DO NOT DISTURB.” That’s the setting I need to work on in my phone. It’s the “DO NOT DISTURB” setting. So I just clicked it on and I’m hoping we’re not gonna see any “NOTICES” popping up.
Alright. Here we go. Finishing #29. It asked what setbacks or losses you’d had.
Now. Do you have Nature’s support in your current efforts?
So, do you think what you’re doing is Natural? Well, like maybe your effort is to have a baby. So you’d definitely want to be in harmony with Nature. You don’t want to be going against Nature. You want to feed her. And take care of her. And do all the things that Nature would want you to do.
Does it ever feel like the world is against you?
Does it ever FEEL like the world is against you?
[LAUGHS] As I’ve said, looking at my life you’d say, “It looks like the world has held you down.”
No, the world didn’t hold me down. This is just not a world that could offer me opportunities that I needed. You know, it’s just not the right world for me. It’s not that the world was bad–It’s just meant for somebody else. Not me. Okay… we’ll get it.
Umm, How does Nature depend upon you or appreciate you?
Yeah. I’ve saved lots of lives. Brought families together. Marriages together. I’ve got people to say that they couldn’t hold a job and now they can because they’re now more responsible. A couple people have said they would’ve committed suicide if it wasn’t for me. So I know I’ve helped lots and lots of people. And if Nature was really a Mother and watching this–and she saw how I was interacting and helping and improving the health of a lot of her kids…Nature would–Heck. Nature would pay me a whole bunch of money. [LAUGHS]
“What’s in your wallet?” “Nature.”
Okay. Here we go.
Do you have backup plans and other goals to turn to when opportunities disappear?
I just recently did some podcasts about ‘Plan A’s’ and ‘Plan B’s.’ And… backup plans and other goals to turn to.
I’m a person who just has multiple goals. So when one is problematic or shut down, then I just change lanes and keep going. So I’m always moving forward.
For the Common Man, I’d say you should always have a couple other things, like painting the house, or some other projects… as secondary. If you can’t do this, or maybe you’re stuck at home. You’re isolated with the Corona Virus: Go paint your house. That can’t be illegal. Actually, I’m surprised that isn’t… If you’re stuck at home with the Corona Virus: start remodeling. [LAUGHS] Work at home. I think that’d be awesome. Me as a carpenter, man, if I was forced to be at home and had all my tools… You’d say, “Hey. What happened to your house? How’d you get this mansion here?” [LAUGHS]
“The Building Department was closed so I couldn’t ask them about a second story addition. So I just had to do it.” [LAUGHS] I’m being–I’m being comical. I actually believe in obeying all building regulations. So if you are going to make home improvements do them legally. Even in a situation like this Corona Virus Shutdown. I’m actually in isolation. Forced– What do they call it? Forced home containment? What is the name for it? [Shelter in Place] Social Distancing is a nice word. Okay.
Describe your ability to be stubborn and– Well actually, I’ve got something in front of that.
Are you single-minded in your goals without stopping or being stopped by anyone?
I’m almost. My life is a lot of things of course, been deterred by other people or myself. But yes. I’d like to think I am.
How about you? Are you single-minded? Do you get where you’re going? Or do you stop half-way? Do you start things and not finish–not finish them? In fact, look how many projects you’ve started in the last five years and how many you’ve finished–and you can better idea of who you are.
Describe your ability to be stubborn and persistent.
And remember, this is PART 2 of 29. [note: PART 1 = missing. To be rerecorded as Daily Taoist___]
Describe your ability to be stubborn and persistent.
Those look to me different. Stubborn means you stop. Persistent means you keep going. But–I don’t know. What’s your difference on those? Come up with your answer.
How do you know when to change your mind or give up?
We’ve got some real yin and yangs here.
How do you know when to change your mind or give up?
What cuss words do you use?
That’s weird. I was just thinking about this a minute ago.
What cuss words do you use?
There’s a relative, who’s always cussed a lot. And when he’s around me he cusses even more because he knows I don’t like it. You know, it’s just kind of weird and I was thinking, “What–I kind of–thought to myself of using a comeback or using one of his cuss words… But then, I do something ugly… If somebody farts, and you go, “Well I’m gonna fart–and how do you like it?” That’s, that’s not good. But I don’t want to cuss at somebody to show how ugly it is. Because obviously, they can’t see that. So anyway.
What cuss words do you use?
[LAUGHS] But it did make me realize that I’m always going to talk to this person as little as possible. But that was the end result as I thought to myself. You know I just really don’t want to have this person in my environment because they’re going to make noises with their mouth that are gonna make me feel uncomfortable. Or unhappy like a fart. Who wants farting in your presence? When you can just say, “Later. Go fart somewhere else!”
Hey. Is that it? What cuss words do you use?
Yeah, remember: cussing is farting. Your basically trying to sound really ugly. You’re keeping people at a distance. BUT, some people like farting, other people will cuss and you can fart together.
Okay. That was SECTION 29. Oh yeah, let’s go back. Do we have time for it? Oh yeah, we have plenty of time. This was PART 2. So we didn’t read it maybe on the beginning of this lesson.
Those who interfere with natural principles create the destruction of their efforts.
So if you build something unnatural, Nature’s gonna tear it down.
Nature is balanced by opposing forces.
So it doesn’t matter if there are opposing forces. You can find balance.
I just though a couple things there.
Opposing Nature creates a natural opposition.
Once again, those things are going to just happen. Everything always kind of settles back.
You can push up here temporarily but you’re not gonna stay there. You’re coming down.
Man! This is a great book! That’s what I like about– Oftentimes I’m writing books, I’m writing for myself. And then I just make them so they’ll work for other people. A lot of these books like this one– This one was written 100% for me in the beginning. Then whe I formed my Kung Fu school I said, “Well, let’s change this over for my students.” And then about ten years ago I thought, “Well, maybe let’s see if I can change it over for the world.” And so, yeah. So you’re getting a kind of presentation of it. And then I’m gonna go in and record the audio book. So I recommend you go get the audio book. It’ll be recorded nicer, and you can listen to it. It o there wa pwon’t be so distracting. And hopefully I won’t ramble so much. [laughs] I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
Alright. Let’s see. Okay, and by the way: the last question– I hurried off on the last video. Was, Do you enjoy reading how-to books? This is a how-to book: How-to put yourself together.
And by the way, I think I mentioned there was a pausing in on one of the videos. Maybe it was the last one and it kind of shut down. I think– did I do it? I think I did. You go into your SETTINGS and you put it on AIRPLANE MODE. Okay? So now you won’t get phone calls and stuff that actually shut down my recording program. But the program sends NOTICES. So I’ve told most of my programs, “DON’T SEND ME NOTICES.” My bank apps and all these different apps. I turned all the notices off on almost every single one. With a couple exceptions, including my phone which tells me when there’s something on my calendars or something. So the only way I can shut that down is tell them, “I’m asleep.” I still have to go into NIGHT MODE. So that’s AIRPLANE MODE plus NIGHT MODE and I think I can shoot without interruption. And I think that’s why it jammed up: I was getting a couple of notices. From the SETTINGS of my phone.
Okay. So here we go. #28 of the DAO TE CHING, or my version of it. The TAO OF TAOISM by me, Buddha Zhen. And this is THE DAILY TAOIST coming to you. And if this HAPPENS I’d love to be The Daily Taoist man. It’d be good for me. I’m enjoying this– maybe more than you are. [LAUGHS] It’s something that I would enjoy doing for ME. Let alone for you. Because I can’t really afford to be doing things for other people that aren’t of any benefit to what I’ve got to do now. I’ve got to focus my life. Remember? We’ve been talking about that in previous lessons. And that’s what I’m doing. I’m deciding who I am. What I am. What I’ve got to do. What’s important to me. And, kind of putting my life back in a new focus. In a new path.
# 28: Life’s lessons are learned by aggressive awareness that watches patiently.
Wow. How much of that’s me? And how much of that’s Lao Tzu? I don’t know right off hand. [LAUGHS] That’s a great line. It sounds like ME a lot. But remember this is Lao Tzu and my interpretation. So I definitely flavored this.
But here we go.
Life’s lessons are learned by aggressive awareness that watches patiently.
There’s a bunch of noise going on out there. Sorry about that. Sounds like the trash can.
Wholesome values create pathways to goals as rewards unfold naturally according to the virtues of the person who also realizes that the path rewards are not the goals.
WOW! This is great stuff! This is great stuff. We should all review this on a monthly basis. Read this book every month.
Life’s lessons are learned by aggressive awareness that watches patiently.
Say, that’s very good. And most people don’t pay attention. I mean, tell me the colors of the houses down your street when you walk to the bus stop or whatever. What are the colors? Pay attention! But in order to really pay attention that means you’ve gotta aggressively pay attention. Okay? Look at that. “Hey, I didn’t even know that house had a white porch,” you know. And then there’s a grey house, you know… You’ll start to notice.
It takes awareness. It takes an effort. Cows, no matter if they’re all looking at the same thing… They ain’t seein’ nothin’. [LAUGHS] Their–their heads just pointed that way. So that’s how most people are. Their head’s just pointed a certain direction. They don’t see nothin.’ THEY DON’T SEE NOTHIN’. What am I? Talking very educated.
Now. Let me read it one more time and we’ll continue.
Wholesome values create pathways to goals.–
(I like that. There’s always a path to the goal but let’s do it with wholesome values.)
–As rewards unfold naturally–
(In other words, you’re gonna get some rewards as you’re headed towards your goal.)
–according to the virtues of the person–
(Okay, so your values now are going to determine the rewards that are going to happen along your path. Like Trump’s rewards are scorn and scandal. And he’s gonna be– I mean, to be honest with you he’s gonna try to pardon himself. But he needs to go to court and go to jail for all of the stuff he’s done as Presideent. I’m serious. He should go to jail. Yeah. We’ve gotta. We’ve gotta let people know in the future that they can’t just hijack our government and get away with it. He needs to go to jail. But anyway, those are his rewards that should unfold naturally.)
–according to the virtues of the person–
(His virtues are very very illegal.)
–who also realizes that the path rewards are not the goals. —
(And he realizes that these– Well actually, that’s one of the reasons he’s so screwed up. He thinks that all these rewards that he’s getting: these payolas and everything… He thinks these are his goals. That’s why he’s gonna pay the price for that. His goal should’ve just been: to be a good President. Do the best for our country and all this. But no. He’s just picking all the fruit off the tree. And it’s like, “We want you to help us run this farm.” And he says, “Oh sure!” And then he goes in and slaughters all the animals… and eats all the stuff… He’s just making a mess of the whole place. He’s not taking care of it. He’s not making it better than when he got there. He’s just pillaging. So that’s our President: pillaging our country. Pillaging our democracy.)
Okay. Here we go. What time is it? Five minutes? Okay. I’ve got a fifteen minute limit to get this on IGTV.
How much effort do you put into learning something new every day? [LAUGHS]
Every day! What do you put into learning something new? It’s so frustrating.
I’ve got a friend I’m trying to get to work with — I don’t want to say names, but a fellow producer. I’m just trying to get him to work on one of movie projects. “I don’t have time. I can’t even put in an hour a week.” You know, he’s just– So anyway, he doesn’t learn anything new every day. I’ve known him for quite a few years, I couldn’t tell you what he’s learned. I couldn’t tell you what he’s learned in the last few years. Nothing as far as I can tell.
But anyway–
Describe your patience.
Describe your impatience.
How much does it bother you when people are late?
How much does it bother you when people are late?
Are you good at ‘killing time’ — when you have to wait?
Are you good at killing time when you have to wait?
How do you do it? So what are the ways you do kill time if you have to? See what… anyway–
Do you squeeze Kung Fu– (Remember I told you I wrote this for my students.) –Do you squeeze Kung Fu practice in when unexpected gaps appear in your day?
When I was in Salt Lake City I was going to mix down, well I did. I paid a mastering engineer. I had to get it mastered so I could make a CD. And then I didn’t have enough money to make CDs. It was two or three years later I ended up getting a CD made. Sheesh. Being poor sucks!
Being poor has always hindered the production of my life and my ability to even help my family.
But as far as my stepfather was concerned: That’s okay. He didn’t care how much my family or me suffers or that I’m homeless. He’s just my FATHER.
I’ve got to go to a different planet. This planet sucks! Sorry I said that. This is a horrible planet to live on. [LAUGHS] Unless you want to be a cow. If you like working it’s a great planet. It’s a slave planet. If you want to just work and get paid–this is where you go. The planet to come and have a job.
Alright. Where were we?
Um, How much does it bother you– Oh, anyway. When I was waiting, the guy was almost an hour late. But when I was waiting for him I was doing all my Kung Fu practice. It was a morning thing. So he was supposed to be there like 9:30 or 10:00… He got there at like 11:30. I forget but he was an hour, almost an hour late. And I don’t even care what his excuse was. But the point is that while I was waiting I was doing all my Kung Fu workouts. So by the time he got there, I’d done them all. I’d done my Tantuis, some stretching and all that stuff so I was like, “Yeah. I got my daily workout routine totally done.” And I went in there and mastered in the studio.
So in a way, his being late–If he would’ve been on time, I wouldn’t have done that. I wouldn’t have got that workout in before the session. But having got the workout in I was in I was even– in my prime.
So you can make the day better by taking advantage of other people’s mistakes. Work with the Tao. Don’t fight against it.
Anyway. But anyway, there’s lots of advice I could give you. But it’s not gonna do any good if you don’t have that Nature. We’ve got to build in your Nature. Otherwise my advice isn’t going to fit into your Nature.
So let’s just figure out who you are. Don’t worry about what I’m telling you is good advice. Just figure out who you are and then you can figure how to take the advice that you like, and make yourself a person who can actually utilize that advice. Okay?
So, do you squeeze Kung Fu practice in when unexpected gaps appear in your day?
Summarize your values.
That’s all it says. They’re very vague questions to me but anyway:
Summarize your values.
We all have a value system. “Yeah. I go to work and I get paid. And I expect my wife to be there and kids to be clean…” You’ve got a value system. Or I expect to be treated well at work. And have a safe place. I need a parking spot. What are your values?
Who influenced your values and how did they devleop?
So if you’re back to the worker thing and you want to work, you want to have a place for your car and stuff… Are you imitating the role model of your dad or your mom? It’s one of those types of relationships and scenarios that your trying to fit into it. And feel omfortable… taking over that cog in the wheel.
Remember, I’m not making value judgments. I mean, you can probably tell that I don’t ascribe to some of these things…
Here we go. Fast. These are not– My value is to make you happy. Don’t try to be an artist like me. And I shouldn’t try to be a worker like you. See? We’ve just gotta play in our– We’ve got to find our Tao. Our Natures.
How many of your values were developed by you as opposed to the ones your parents may have taught you?
And remember that later– like fifteen years later, 20 years later I wrote the ACT ZEN book. Act Zen to Be Zen. And that’s based a lot on this book, and Buddhism, and a lot on my UCLA script writing classes. I learned about character development. So I put all that together: that’s ACT ZEN. Great book. Great book. Another one of those books you’d like to read at least once a year.
How many of your values are your parents and your religion’s teachings?
So look at– Where are your values coming from? Okay. So you said a minute ago that you have values: “I will not lie. I will not cheat. I will not steal. I will not kill.” Not everybody makes that value. Hopefully you do. Put that value down on–If you can write down, “I do not– I will not kill.” Really. I’d like to see you write that down.
Let’s see. So how many of your values are from your parents? And how many are from your religion?
Kind of separate them out and know where you’re coming from. And then you can say, “Oh what about all these other values I’ve got?”
Well, where’d those come from?
Kind of put yourself together. That ‘s what ACT ZEN does. It figures out where you learned everything. And where everything you do came from.
As an actor you need to know all your motivations. We’re not going into the spiritual thing. I didn’t even mention the spiritual thing back then. I’m just looking at your psychology of how you react and act. Which is mostly programmed, environmental.
But as we of course have always noticed whenever we do character program. A lot of people seem to be born in with certain traits. And now my SOUL THEORY explains them.
Here we go.
Despite all your values, how do you determine right from wrong?
You’ve got all these values working for you , but what do you really– How do you choose right from wrong?
“Well, it’s whether I like it or not.” “Smells good or it doesn’t smell good.”
What is it? How do you determine it?
What’s my time. Twelve minutes. Okay.
Explain the– It says, Oh–
List your virtues.
How are you a virtuous person? How are you a role model? How are you better than average?
How are you virtuous? How are you better than the average person?
Got any virtues? Hope so.
Explain the significance of money to you.
Okay? How significant? My relatives all call it, “My money.” “That’s my money.” “I don’t want the government taking it.” “Less government is less money…” They’ve got all these weird perspectives. Their money. Their money. They’ve all been bankrupt with their money. They’ve taken their money and they’ve all been bankrupt. All my relatives, they’ve all gone through at least one bankruptcy. I think every single one of them. They’re all Republican. It’s a normal thing I think.
Gotta hurry up. Thirteen minutes.
Explain the significance of money to you.
Like I said, my parents they get theirs. My mom said she’s gonna die with it. Remember I told you, my step father died and won’t give any. My mom says they’re taking it to the grave. They don’t think it’s right to even give it to me when they’re dead. I have no idea what he did with all his money. He’s a millionaire. Well he probably gave everything to her. But it, yeah. So I guess she’s got everything. So she’s a double millionaire.
But anyway, she said when she dies I’m not gonna get any. My parents! Like I said, I’ve got to find a better planet. I’ve gotta find a planet with good parents on it.
What rewards have come to you recently?
And be thankful. We’ve gotta be thankful. Because I actually did get a few rewards from my parents. Even my horrible realtives. They actually bailed me out a couple of times. One of my cousins without– I told him I’d make it a donation to Tai Chi Youth, but it was really to me. He gave me a thousand bucks. And without that I couldn’t have been able to rent the truck and everything to escape. I would’ve been stuck in Vegas even longer. So I give thanks to my cousin for that. One of my brothers gave me his old car when he replaced it. So I do get little things. And I do remember every one of these little things… I appreciate them. But overall… you know…
I’ve gotta hurry real fast.
What rewards have come to you recently?
What rewards are near?
What rewards do you have coming up here?
What goals were completed recently of yours?
And what goals are near?
Real fast.
So remember these rewards and goals may tie together and that’s what we’re kind of looking for.
I’ve gotta hurry and end this here.
But look at your goals and then look at the rewards you’re getting and try to figure out the relation and put your virtues–look at the whole thing and see if Lao Tzu is right.
Alright. I’m gonna do one for of these before I take a break and have lunch… Get these done.
I need to get all these done right now and then I’ll be able to release them on a regular basis. But I’ve gotta. Unfortunately, I got messed up and backed up and coverered up one of my classes. I lost a class. I can fix my mistakes. But I made a mistake. i can fix it and know what to do. And I’m gonna fix it by finishing this project: I’m gonna go all the way to the end of the book.
So if you’re here. Feel good that I’m going to go all the way to the end. [laughs] Here we go.
#27
Proper performance of any task is obvious by the lack of need to repeat the task.
See? And that’s why me as a musician I always try to record it–I mean I could sloppily record and then say, “I’ll fix it up some day.” But that’ll never happen. Especially for me. So I’ve got to make everything good the first time. Leave it and then know it’s good. Same with my books. And there might be a typo or something in it. But I get them as good as I can. Feel good about it, and then I’ve gotta move on. I’ve actually found I think three typos in this book already. “AHHHH.” [LAUGHS]
Okay. Here we go #27: Yeah, this is a good one. Proper performance– (They’re all good. Learn every one of these here because they’re worthy of consideration.) [sigh]
Daily Taoist here. Let’s blast!
Proper performance of any task is obvious by the lack of need to repeat the task. Each person’s methods are recognized by the balanced observer to be correct and efficient in terms of the path or way of the individual.
Ooh. There’s a few cool words in there. Alright. So… You ready? Last sentence.
An unbalanced person can learn from the successes of balanced persons. And a balanced person can learn from the mistakes of an unbalanced person.
Yeah. That’s kind of my friend Oscar. He tried so hard to help me. But he was out of balance–and it was just nice to have a friend. A friend is someone– My definition of a friend is: someone who is trying to improve your life.
My definition of love: is somehe sone who is working to improve your life. Love and friendship. Almost the same. Love just seems a little more committed. Friend’s just one step away. But that’s it. If they’re not trying to improve your life they’re not your friend. You’ve got lots of acquaintances. You can know a thousand people who think you’re wonderful. Say nice things. they’ll take you out to dinner. Send you Christmas presents. They’re not your friend and they’re not your lovers. Or someone that loves you. If they loved you they’d make sure that something improves in your life. They could not leave you just like that. Like a field. Like a plantation. If you love those plants, you’re not gonna just say, “Oh they look nice.” And then come back a year later. You have to water them and take care of them. Love requires effort. That used to be one of my slogans. It’s in a couple of poems I’ve written. I’m trying to teach people that LOVE is not a word. In fact that’s tht name of the poem I think, “Love Is Not A Word.” Love is effort. If somebody’s not putting effort into making your life better–then they’re not giving you any love. And they do not love you.
Alright. Here we go.
Are you generally satisfied with the work you do?
Yeah. Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not supposed to answer for you. [laughs]
Are you generally satisfied with your work that you do?
Explain your work standards of excellence.
Ah. You see now, that’s what defines sometimes– That’s why it’s so important to differentiate between the WOMAN soul and the WORKER soul. The WORKER soul is willing to accept whatever you say are the terms of excellence. But a WOMAN’s only going to agree to what she’s gonna agree to and that’s it. You can’t force her to agree to something she doesn’t want to agree to. A WORKER will agree to whatever you say. Whatever your terms are. Okay? Your standards of excellence.
You want that shiny? He’ll make it shiny. A WOMAN soul’s gonna say, “Ah that’s shiny enough.” Okay.
How do your standards relate to your goals?
So, your standards of excellence and your goals.
If people judge you by your work–what is their judgement of you?
So when people see you. Let’s say you’re a cashier, in the store. And they see you. What’s their judgement of you as a worker? And, as a person? I
If people judge you by your work–what is their judgement of you?
What do they think of you based on the way you handle the cash register?
There’s a wide variety of people there, in terms of… Check that out. Rate people. Judge them. Then try to figure what the quality of their life is. And what they’re like when they’re not working. Based on what they’re like when they’re working.
What are you artistic standards of excellence?
Artistic standards of excellence???
I think I’m trying too hard for you guys. Well, remember I wrote this for my Kung Fu students. So yes, they’re supposed to have artistic standards of excellence. They’re doing Kung Fu. I forgot. [LAUGHS] This was actually written remember for my Kung Fu students. So when i wrote this I was writing for a certain type of audience. Not everybody. This probably doesn’t interest most people. Most people don’t care about their standards of excellence. I thisepnk right there I just [SNIP SNIP] I just separated off about 50% of the planet. 50% of the planet does not operate on standards of excellence. It’s just meeting your standards enough to get paid and that’s it.
They don’t operate under any particular standards other than whatever it takes to get paid. Okay? So that’s half the population. So that’s why this book probably only has a limited audience. Okay.
How do your work standards–
WELL ACTUALLY I WANT EVERYBODY TO READ IT THOUGH. Remember, if I’m gonna stop wars–I’ll make some other books that are easier. I have hope for them. You tell me hard this book is.
How do your work stands relate to your goals?
So in other words, you’ve got these standards of excellence and how does that relate to any of your other goals?
Obviously, they should all tie together. That’s what we’re working to: is to tie all this together. But sometimes we’re fractionalized. Sometimes you just know how to be a good student and you don’t know how to be a good worker–that doesn’t make sense. They’re both the same. So we’ve got to make everything fit together–and then you’re in harmony and then you can be as successful as you can be.
How do you determine the quality of your work? In other words, usually your parents–or your father determines your standards of quality. In the Confucian family the Father tells the Mother that these are his rules. And then the Mother exacts those rules and plays the rule. So the Mother is the enforcer and the Dad is the legislator. He’s like the Senator: he makes the rules. And then Mom, she is the school teacher who teaches the kids and like I said… it’s that triumvirate, that pyramid.
Let’s see. How reluctant are you to repeat a job if it’s okay–not great.
Boy, that’s one I bump into every day. So many times. So many times I hit that… and sometimes I just have to say: And there’s a slogan I use. And I still use it. Still echoes in my head. Maybe it will help you. “A JOB WORTH DOING ONCE IS WORTH DOING TWICE.” That echoes in my head… so many times. I’ll look at it and go, “Oh…. If it’s worth doing once–I’ll do it twice.” In fact that happened with my bed. When I got it out and I was trying to find a leak. My airbed. And I couldn’t. And I put it in there and it still leaked… And it’s like, “AHHHHHH.” I wanted to pretend it’s okay, but it wasn’t. There was still a leak. So I thought, “It’s worth doing twice.”
So I took all the covers off, took out here in the living room. Soaked it down where I had more room to work around it. Found two more holes. [LAUGHS] But there’s still another hole. I’ve gotta do it again.
Alright. Here we go.
Does it seem that life repeats its hardships?
Is that a perspective? I’ll have to evaluate the question more.
Does life seem to repeat its hardships
Does it seem impossible to get ahead?
Whew! Living on the street for six years… it almost seemed impossible… but look. I’m here. But I had to develop an alternate strategy. Couldn’t figure out how to make money. Couldn’t do it through fundraisers. And I couldn’t do it through family. I couldn’t do it through friends. I couldn’t do it through selling books. I couldn’t do it through selling Kung Fu classes. I couldn’t do it through selling music. I couldn’t do it through performing. I couldn’t–I mean I tried everything I could to make some money but I couldn’t do it.
And so finally I had to play the system. I had to play the long game and I had to get Section 8. And I was hospitalized. And I did that. I was in Martin Luther King for six months. And then I was in a homeless shelter for a year. Man, I had to play a long game to end up in this situation where I’m settled. This is not the way I wanted to do it though. I tried to just make money. My thing. But I had to form an alternate strategy and play the system.
Where were we?
What slows down the progress of your dreams?
Not having family support. No money. If I had money I might–I’d-I’d… SHEESH! [LAUGHS] I’m like thirty years behind in all my projects. Because I don’t have enough money to finish them and do everything I want with the projects I started thirty years ago. I’d just reach a dead-end because I couldn’t put any money into them.
But yeah. So money is my big impediment. I don’t have family. Family won’t give me money. No friends. No sales. No fans. No customers. [SIGH] That’s why I say. I don’t know if I want to come back to this world for another life. This is just too frustrating. It’s just not really– I could’ve accomplished so much more.
I’m actually– Should I tell you? Ah, Ill tell you. What the heck. I’ve actually–the Vedic Scriptures— I kind of got goose bumps the other day when I realized I’d already figured out the answer to my problems. In the Vedic Scriptures they talk about different Heavens. Different afterlifes. Different worlds your soul can live on. And I think that’s what it is–I just got on the wrong planet. I’m on the cow planet. And I’ve really got to find an art planet. Find a place where there’s creative thinkers, and artistic thinkers, and scientists. And that’s the planet I need to be on.. This is a terrible planet to be on if you’re an artist. Absolutely the worst planet to be on. Your own family! I’m disowned and disinherited by my own mother because I’m an artist. So you don’t want to be on this planet. Earth is a horrible planet to be on.
So if I am gonna have another life–and I don’t want to just give up–Maybe I should just be a ghost forever. Maybe that’d be more fun. If I am gonna be alive again it’s gonna have to be on another planet. Because this planet sucks! It really sucks.
Okay. Where are we? And that’s fine. You know. All the cows are as happy as they can be. [LAUGHS] And I’m not trying to say, “Ah you cows! It’s your fault!” No. It’s my fault. I came here and decided to live with a bunch of cows. That was MY mistake.
Okay. But I’m learning. I’m getting smarter. I’m getting smarter see? I’m getting my new strategy. My next strategy is: get a better planet to live on.
Do you really seek advice, or prefer to do it yourself?
I’M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR ADVICE! Like Oscar. He couldn’t even give me good advice. But I was still asking questions. We would argue. But even when he was giving me bad advice– I could at least–like–argue with him. It was good–that way I was kinda still figure out what the advice was. Poor Oscar. He tried so hard to help me. But he couldn’t. He was–just not equipped. [LAUGHS] He didn’t have what he needed to help me. And I think that broke his heart when he realized that.
He was always my friend to the end though. Yeah, I’ve gotta give him that. He was my friend.
How do you enjoy helping other people do better?
Hey, my picture froze [camera image freezes].
Alright. It looks like we’re jammed up. Ooop my picture froze. I’m gonna have to quit. Maybe I ran out of memory.
Do you enjoy reading autobiographies of successful persons and do you enjoy reading ‘how-to’ books?
The counter’s rolling. I’m gonna quit here. And this was #27 of the TAO OF TAOISM, which says,
The proper performance of any task is obvious by the lack of need to repeat the task.
Alright. Welcome back to the Daily Tao. Buddha Zhen here. And I’m on TAONUMBER 25. And this is a big one.
And… I also… I think I improved my lighting. I did add something up there. Washed my face. Pinched a little bit. Hopefully it doesn’t look like I got stung by a bee. [LAUGHS] And combed my hair. So, anyway… Those are my efforts– In other words… Remember we talked about the self-discipline? That’s my self-discipline is that little extra effort to look nice and everything. A lot of people just spend all their time looking nice. But they’re not doing anything for themselves on the inside. But, you know, I need to spend a little more work on the outside.
I’m not faulting anybody. We’ve just got to see where our balance is and see if we want to shift it.
Okay, if I was an actor I’d need to spend a lot more time on the outside than the inside.
Okay. Here we go. Each per– Well, that’s what I’m trying to change. I’m trying to help actors be a lot more that tools.
Okay, #25.
Each person can exemplify the ultimate powers of Nature by intelligent and natural actions.
That’s only the first sentence. There’s a whole bunch. Let’s read that one sentence again because that’s important. So in other words that’s saying if you’re smart and natural, that’s better than being stupid and unnatural. Right? Why when I say things like that do I picture Mr. Trump?
Each person can exemplify the ultimate powers of Nature by intelligent and natural actions.
As each goal is planned, initiated, incorporates ideals, and is completed: so are the seasons of life imitated.
I’m gonna read that one sentence again.
As each goal is planned, initiated, incorporates ideals, and is completed: — (That’s the four seasons there.) —so are the seasons of life imitated.
Intelligent goals must be natural and within Nature’s patterns so that the ultimate powers can be utilized and harmonized with. Not opposed. In this way goals that are also Nature’s goals are natural goals that enhance life.
Wow! There’s a lot there but, kind of simple thoancugh. It’s basically saying that you can develop your life to have goals, processes, and beginnings and endings that… kind of flow like Nature. And you and yourself are a natural Nature. You have your own Tao. The Tao has its Tao. And now your Tao and the Bigger Tao are in harmony with each other. And so now you’re kind of–It’s kind of like swimming. Swimming in water. Okay?
So, here we go. Real fast. This is two pages long so let’s see what i can do. Um, this has got a lot of blanks to fill-in so this may go really fast.
List your current goals in terms of the four seasons of Nature.
So first of all, come up with all your goals. Now figure out how they fit into the seasons of Nature. Which ones–you know… Where are they at? Are they at their Autumn? Are they dying? Are they old, and something you did ten years ago? Or is it the winter: Is it something you’re planning but it’s not ready because you don’t have resources like the sunlight? Is it the spring? Where now you’ve got everything together and you’re really putting all your effort into making it happen? Or is it the summer when everything’s flowing along and you’re starting to pump the product out and building the business? See?
So you’ve got these seasons you can work with.
So you want to take your goals and then start looking at them in terms of how they fit into a seasonal structure.
So let me go along. Because, like I said, I broke this down into the four seasons. And then I gave you some kind of clues for the four seasons to help you understand them a little better.
So in this case, AUTUMN. So I’m summarizing this because remember our goal is to figure out how to make this work for us. In our lives. So that’s why I’m kind of superimposing these human concepts on this book.
AUTUMN: Clean up and prepare for the future, fertilize and planning.
Okay. So once again. The… goals that are at this stage of the operation. Which are your AUTUMN GOALS. You’re cleaning them up. You’re preparing them for the future. You’re fertilizing them. Maybe… they’re like I said, might be dead stuff. So you’ve gotta fertilize them. And you’re in your planning phase.
Okay. So you’re in kind of a [SCRUNCH] mulch situation.
Okay. So what are the goals? You list them out. And then you put down–you’ve got a column to put down these goals.
The IDEALS that are incorporated. So if one of your goals has the of maybe pleasing your wife. That’s the whole reason you’re doing it.
Maybe another one is because it satisfies this long term thing you wanted to do since you were a little kid.
Maybe this other one is because you’ve–you’re doing it for somebody else. And when you’re done they’re gonna pay you a whole bunch of money. [LAUGHS]
Your ideals.
We’ve got to be more idealistic.
As one of your ideals–how does it satisfy your ideals… Your Nature… as far as being a better person?
“Well this is going to improve my ability to do this. Or maybe it’s gonna make me understand this better.”
I don’t know. Try to put some ideals in there. I’ll have to think about that more myself.
Okay. And then it’s got two other columns. So you’ve got the goal.
What IDEALS are incorporated in this goal?
Like for me it might be philosophy, or Buddhism, or something like that. You might have something specific in there.
Now, then there’s two more lines. The first– It says, “FIRST STEP.” In other words, what’s your next step? What’s the thing you’ve gotta do? And what’s your OVERALL STRATEGY? Gave you a teeny little line to do it. But what’s your Strategy? “Oh, I’m gonna do this and then… (your Strategy)… then I’ll do this and this.
Okay. You’ve got four goals and you do all that.
Next one is WINTER GOALS.
This is where you’re organizing and PROTECTING. And you’re establishing TERRITORIES and BOUNDARIES. In the case of a farmer you’d be laying out your fields and this is where you’d be deciding where to put the crops and everything. So you’re establishing– you’re building the future. You’re building the house. You’re gonna build a business. The first thing you’ve got to build is build the building.
Okay? So what are your goals?
What are the IDEALS incorporated in those goals?
The ideals. Once again we can expand on this. I’ll give that more thought too.
And the our FIRST STEP in your STRATEGY. So each of these goals: SEE what the next big steps are. I not only made you just put it out there: I made you think, “What should I really be– Where am I GOING NEXT?” Okay?
SPRING: Your Spring goals.
This is where you’re planting the seeds. And you’re beginning to work on your project on a daily basis. You’re out there tending the field. You’re watering and you’re pulling the weeds. Now you’re working specifically. If you’re like me as a musician this is where you’re recording in the studio. Editing and overdubbing, mixing… and all this type stuff. So this would be the Spring. This is the Springtime. The CREATION of the product.
Then comes SUMMER.
That’s when you harvest and sell. You complete your projects and you end the work. In the case of the record you package it up and sell it up BOOM and start the advertising and go on tour or go to thenext record. So in your case, if you’ve got your IDEALS, your FIRST STEP, and your STRATEGY… But your SUMMER? What things are you finishing right now? What’s this thing you’ve been working on? The car in your garage you’ve been working on. So it’s done… That’s done… You’re in your SUMMER. Okay?
So here’s some questions to ask to illuminate all of this stuff. But this is for you. I want you to make this work for you. You lay out your goals. You kind of try to figure this out. You sort it out and in the process you’re going to learn something. You’re gonna see something. Or… You can’t know everything. [LAUGHS] Or you wouldn’t be here. [LAUGHS] You’re gonna lay it out. See if you can’t learn something from your own stuff. Okay. Here’s what–
How do all your goals fit together and what is their combined result?
What’s an overall perspective if Iwas to look and this and say, “Okay. What does it look like this guy’s trying to do?”
How does this combined result of your goals fit on YOUR PATH?
How does this COMBINED RESULT fit on your path?
How to define your path. I don’t think we’ve talked about that enough.
But anyway YOUR PATH and that’s gonna change and should always change. But from where you can see it right now, this section of your path: Where you are you going.
Hopefully you are on the right path.
Which goals do not really fit on your life path? And why?
It’s not like you have time for everything, but you better come up with a better excuse than that. Because everybody has a limited amount of time. So you’ve gotta figure out what–Why is that not deserved? (For you to put time into it?)
Okay. So putting everything in perspective there.
Lastly: List your methods and techniques for planning the strategies of each goal listed above.
Ahh. So if you do look at all those things–How do you determine–What’s your strategy for getting anything done? Okay? Alright! Probably didn’t say anything. Probably didn’t think of anything. Probably when, “I dunno.”
But you’ve got to get a list. Get a list. Get a “TO DO LIST” for every single project you’re doing.
So if your project is to…even mow the lawn once a week on Saturday: Put up a list on the month whatever– and– You can do this so many different ways… But anyway you’ve got your Saturday mowing list. Well, I wouldn’t make a list just for my mowing, but on the calendar–You just go ahead and on every–All through your calendar you WRITE, “MOW THE LAWN.” on every Saturday of your calendar. And then as you come to that you say, “Ah, yeah, I’ve gotta mow the lawn today.” (or the next day — before…) You say, “Oh yeah, I’m gonna mow the lawn tomorrow.” You see? So that helps you get it done.
So there’s all kinds of methods and techniques you you use to make your strategies happen. Planning and “To Do Lists,” “Goal Lists,” updating your “Weekly List,” calendars… These are all important things.
So just look at life as one of those things you’re going to always kind of– you’re revitalizing. Well that’s why we’re here. We’re looking at it from lots of different ways. Okay?
Here we go. Did I make it? Eleven minutes….
Okay. Tao of Taoism. I’ve got time to read the beginning again. This is a tough one. A big one.
This is #25 of TAO OF TAOISM. Actually, my verson of it. The Tao of Taoism.
Here we go.
Each person can exemplify the ultimate powers of Nature by intelligent and natural actions.
(I’d sure lie to think Nature is intelligent and natural.) [LAUGHS]
As each goal is planned, initiated, incorporates ideals–
(That’s the part we need to work on.)
–and is completed: so are the seasons of life imitated.
Intelligent goals must be natural and within Nature’s patterns so that the ultimate powers can be utilized and harmonized with. Not opposed.
In this way: goals that are also Nature’s goals–
(You know Nature might want you to have that farm. Saying, “Yeah. Go ahead and have that farm and feed all those people. That’s a good idea!)
–This way, goals that are also Nature’s goals are natural goals that enhance life.
Yeah! So let’s all enhance life. Let’s all be individuals, personally driven. Have our own ambitions. Have our own desires, our own likes, our own wants. But still all harmonize and work together.
Alright. Buddha Zhen here, saying the world can be a nice place. Just need to have nice people in it.
Oh yeah. My formatting. I’m realizing what I want to do is read THE TAO at the end of it as well. So when we’re done at the end, I’m usually in a hurry, I’ll try to read THE TAO again so we can kind of see where we were coming from.
The last one was harmonizing our desires with Nature. And our own inner Nature.
Tao #23
Actions equal your Nature.
I’ve got a song about this. But let’s just read on.
Intelligent actions equal an intelligent Nature.
Did I write that to compliment myself? [LAUGHS]
The rewards of actions are Natural events.
Rewards of actions… Ahhhh. See…. BING. A little light bulb went off. Because I’m looking for rewards… finance… sell… sales or something. But I can’t find that Natural event. That’s why I’m saying, “Do I get out of Patreon?” I was hoping Patreon would be a Natural event. That would help me market and find people who would appreciate and support me. But it was not the Natural event I guess I’m looking for. I don’t know. I’m lost. I’m lost on this planet. That’s why I don’t want to come back. There’s not a Natural event for me as an artist. Or a creative thinker… Or a philosopher… I can’t find the Natural events for me to tap into. To get sustanence or provide nourishment for other people. I can’t tap into that. I’m just like a lone wolf out here all by myself with nobody to talk to.
So the Natural events for me to grow and share with you– I haven’t figured that out yet. That’s why I’m trying YouTube and my websites. Is that my Natural event?
Here we go.
Goals are attained through Natural behavior.
Well, I don’t force myself to do this. In fact actually I have to force myself NOT to do stuff… to be a creative person. Because I’ve got so much other stuff to do.
So my Natural behavior though is to always tend back to creating the art and spending less time doing the other things I might want to do.
Trusting Nature, The Tao, is trusting one’s own actions.
Yes, I’ve come to harmonize with the fact I’m a creative person. I accept the fact that I have these needs and desires and abilities that need to be–just utilized. Just be who I am. So I’ve known that ever since I was a teenager. And that nobody else can see it. That’s–I could never figure that out. So hurtful… that people couldn’t see my Nature. Which I’ve had ever since I was a teenager.
My own mother, she sent me a card. Might have had a check in it. I’ve gotten two checks from my mom in the last two years. I think my relatives pressured her because they know I’ve been kicked out and my mother didn’t give me anything. She’s a millionaire. And I’m homeless. Anyway, so… but one of those things she gave me–she gave me a card. There was two. I kept them both. They’re very very confusing. I showed them to my friends and my friends went, “Wow. That’s weird.” But one of the card… well– [LAUGHS] It says, “I hope you find your dreams.”
It’s like, I found my dreams FIFTY YEARS AGO. I’ve just been playing with them and working and creating them ever since. But because my mother never saw it as a money pot–in other words, the dream is always at the other end of the rainbow. And when you actually find your rainbow that’s your dream it always comes with the pot of gold. See? So my mom married her, my evil stepfather who passed away last year and left me nothing so I could stay homeless. He was evil. [LAUGHS] he was a horrible person. That was my stepfather. Anyway he– I don’t really want to got there. But I had a reason for going here. But um… Yes, so anyway.
Where were we. Anyway. She said– She couldn’t– “I hope you find your dream.” I found my dreams, but my parents refused to accept that you’re allowed to have dreams. You’re not allowed– They call me “A Dreamer.” And they think it’s wrong to be a dreamer. It’s a sin to be a dreamer. In fact that’s one of the reasons my mom disowned me. She said I’m “A Dreamer.” That wouldn’t work. “Just get a job like everybody else.” She thinks it’s wrong to support dreamers. So she took me out of her “WILL” so she wouldn’t support a dreamer. That was her motivation.
Okay. Here we go.
Describe your personality.
Well, I’d like you to describe it. [LAUGHS] It’s changed though. I wasn’t so comical. You look at pictures of me as a kid. I was like this robot I was like Data [from Star Trek]. No emotion. No smile. I look at those pictures like– That’s why I’d like for some people to tell me what I was like. I had my own perspective. I was just being me. But when I look at those pictures I think, “Man, that’s a pretty–” I don’t know. I wasn’t sour but, I definitely wasn’t as jovial as happy as I was– as now. So my personality has changed you know to what it is now. And having kids made me able to just make a mockery of myself. Once you have kids, you lose all your ego. Your self-esteem. [LAUGHS] No, not all of it. You know, you…basically… you have to just– When you become a Mr. Mom. You have to get down into that world.
Which is also what destroyed my reputation with my kids, in terms of Taoism [Confucianism]. Which is okay, but in Taoism [Confucianism] the father is ‘grave’ at home. I was like, “What?” That was one of my favorite translations of that. But it always bothered me the most. So it took me fifteen years–or ten years to figure it out. Father is ‘grave’ at home. “What?” “What is that supposed to mean?” Well, what it means is when Father goes home and he starts playing with the kids–they’re never going to take him seriously. He’s just like the neighbor father. He’s like the other kid. Or he’s like mom. Or he’s like big brother. He’s not special anymore. So when the Father comes home–what they mean by ‘grave’ is he’s always acting like he’s in a funeral. He has his whole other world of friends, socializing, and business, and partying. He doesn’t take the kids. So he’s got a whole other social world. So when he comes home to his children–in Confucian society he’s a King. And his children treat him with respect. Sure he can go play. But he plays seriously. He’s a teacher. You treat this person like a college professor.
See, I didn’t have that with my kids. So my kids will never have that kind of respect for me. They see me as just the daycare worker. [LAUGHS]
Okay. Where were we? It’s six minutes. Let’s see:
Describe your personality.
You describe yours. Describe mine while you’re at it. I’d love to hear what you say.
Describe your spiritual character.
Oh man, has that changed over the years too. Remember? I was a Catholic. And I was an Atheist. And then I became a Buddhist. And then I became a Native American Pipe Carrier. Then I became a Taoist. And then, oh yeah, I studied the Muslim religion. I won’t call myself a Muslim but I’ve read their Quoran twice… And I was friends. They used to always invite me the Temple. I’ve hung out with Muslims. But I decided I didn’t want to join. I’m trying not be part– Even the Chan Buddhists, there’s a couple of sects of Zen Buddhism that have tried to claim me. And it’s like, “No, no, no, no, no. I’ll just go ahead and be independent.”
Nobody’s really helping me get to where I am and nobody’s network has really got what I need to go forward. I’m just better… being who I am and carving my path. It’s all coming together. My Tao is coming together. Creating my Nature. I’m creating my environment–my world.
Describe your student, employee attitudes and quality.
As a student and employee. As a subservient person.
I am so obedient. I am just digustingly obedient. I shouldn’t say it like that because it’s my success. If you hire me you get the best. You get the best worker. If I’m not the best worker I’d be shocked. I’m always in the top 10% or less. I mean I always want to be a good worker. My upbringing. That’s the one thing my parents taught me is how to be a great slave. I come from the Pennsylvania Dutch and they believe in the work ethic. “You work hard. Serve God.” To serve God. I mean, that’s how they drill it into you. You’re serving God by slaving. [LAUGHS] So I come from that. So I’m a great slave. And I work very very hard all day long and I don’t complain. And I worker harder– In fact, most people say, “Slow down. You’re making us look bad.” You know. So… And as astudent–
“Hello Buddy” [to cat] “Wanna come up here?”
As a student I also– I am a very very good student. Always at the top of the class. The teacher’s pet . When I was at UCLA I was hired by several of my teachers. My teachers hired me and I went out in commercials and music videos. I was such a good student they could tell I was a good worker. And… in one of my– in fact the reason I got on Cinesong, I was hired for Cinesong was I — Kevin Dole. Where are you Kevin Dole? I love you. You’re a great guy. I worked for you for a couple years. For a year anyway. One of my students, fellow students at UCLA had to go to a doctor appointment. She goes, “I’ve gotta work on a music video tomorrow for REO Speedwagon.” She goes, “If you’ll take my place on the video–I still want to take the paycheck but you’ll get the experience of working on a music video if you’ll work for free.” “Okay. I’ll do that.”
On that REO Speedwagon video, it was the first one they did. Can’t think of the name of it but I can picture it though. And in fact I even saw it on YouTube this year. But anyway, that music video. In fact, I think I looked up all of them I did last year. Buy anyway, the… I did so well– Ane one of the things I did, being a guy. Anyway, being a worker as opposed to a woman is that I kept sweeping and cleaning… and I kept asking them if the wanted coffee. And they ended up hiring me and working there for a year or so. And they told me later. They said that the reason they hired me was because I was just so unoffended to just go get a cup of coffee and do mundane things that evidently other people would go, “Tsk… Really? You want me to do that?” [LAUGHS] I was like, “Sure! You want a cup of coffee?” So that kind of enthusiasm got me that job and got me to make all kinds of commercials. And from there, we were working at Apogee. And Apogee saw me and they liked me and they said, “Hey. We’ll hire you too. We like you. You’re a good worker.” I was a Production Assistant on all kinds of movies and lie, “Spaceballs” “The Unholy”… all these movies and i was just working in the production. I was a Production Assistant. So I’m not even in the movie credits. I didn’t care. I was a student at UCLA. I was actually going to night school and doing these music videos… Like I said I met her at night school.
So.. but, by being a great employee–that actually changed my life.
Where are we? My cat’s right in the middle of my book. “Hi buddy.” [to cat] “I can’t see the page because you’re on my work.”
Here we go. Let me move it over a little bit. “Let’s share this book with me?”
Describe your leadership qualities and skills.
Ah. Now that’s very important. Now remember, most people are WOMEN – WORKERS. They’re employees. And an employee is not a leader. He’s a follower. So you’ve gotta remember 80% of our population is followers. Okay? But! Half of those people have to leaders to lead the other followers. So we’ve gotta train the followers to be leaders. Okay so…just letting you know you may not have the–you may not realize the whole picdture here.
Okay. Here we go.
Describe your romantic relationship qualities. Okay?
I don’t know what I have now. I mean I want to be romantic. I remember during the seventies or in the eighties if I went three weeks without sex it was like, “Wow! There’s something wrong with me. What’s wrong with me?” And then I remember when started to become more relationship oriented in the eighties, I thought to myself, “Wow! I haven’t been in a relationship for three months.” I remember those two things happening once. So I was in so many relationships and things. But I was in them for the wrong reason. I was in the relationship for the sake of being in a relationship.I wasn’t in the relationship because it was going to benefit my future, my career, of all these things. I wasn’t opportunistic and greedy as I should’ve. As a rseesult i had great sex, and love and whatever… but who cares? It’s all gone now. If I could do it over I would rather have chose more wisely. [laughs] Rather than– I’d arather go for quality than quantity. I didn’t get the quality.
So my relationship qualities were then were just– I was a stud. I mean, I could score really easy. And I’m not saying that to be macho or anything. It was just– It’s a shame. It was kind of a shame. It got too easy. And a lot of girls would like hit on meand say, “You wanna have sex?” And say, “Well okay.” [laughs] It was a different world back then. One night stands were a normal thing.
Okay. Where were we. Not for me. I still always at my most rambunctious I was still looking for a relationship. Always. I can definitely say that. I was always looking for a relationship.
Okay.
Describe your family attitudes.
Ah. I had incredible family attitudes for a while. I thought I came from a better family than I did. When I tried to create my family. I was trying to create a little entertainment complex. You know. So, I was totally wrong. I was totally screwed up. My family concepts. Hopefully yours are better.
Real quickly:
What are your insecurites?
What are your fears?
Explain your pride.
Do you make mistakes and why?
Do you trust other people most of the time?
How are you helping other people attain their goals?
And sum up your Nature.
And lastly, people in the homeless industry do not help people get out of it. They don’t help them with goals. Nobody helps people with goals. That’s the most important thing we have to do in the world. That’s what I’m trying to do is: I’m trying to help you have goals and attain them. That’s really really important.
Oh, by the way, on that marriage thing. I wish I’d known a lot of this. I come from what SHOULD HAVE been a traditional family. They’re just Republicans. And there’s no tradition in Republicans at all. Greed. Power. Republicans: that’s why they have to cling to religion. Otherwise they’d have no structure and no spiritual basis whatsoever. They just use religion as a stick. They’re not really into it. They just use it as a stick, so it looks like they’re good people. It’s a ruse. R-U-S-E… I think. I’ve never written that word.
Alright. # 21.
The unseen forces of Nature are known to all who feel them within their own self.
Okay. That’s just kind of a nice little thing about being natural and feeling Nature.
The unseen forces of Nature– (with a capital ‘N’) –are known to all– (Remember he says, “The Tao.” And sometimes I use “Nature” instead of “The Tao.”) –The unseen forces of The Tao are known to all who feel them within their own self.
I feel The Tao. I feel Nature. I’m a little more comfortable saying, “Nature,” than thinking of “The Tao” running around.
Here we go. Okay. #21.
Describe these unseen forces as you know them.
What lurks inside your wallet– I mean, your body. [laughs]
Describe these unseen forces as you know them.
What is your soul?
Ah. You know me. If you would’ve asked me five years ago, I would have said we have two souls. We have our soul and we have the Supersoul. The soul of God. So when we die they split. One goes back to God and one has maybe some identity to it. So that was my concept up to a few years ago. In the last few years I’ve come to realize that, Ahh, maybe there still is this Supersoul, but this one over here is actually four souls stuck together. See? Oh that’s interesting. Because that still makes up five doesn’t it? Remember, I told you there’s five souls.
But I still think this one. I don’t know how this– I haven’t actually questioned this, so I don’t know how to fit in this fifth soul. But there are five souls and we have four. Maybe that is why we only have four. Because the fifth one is this one taking that place.
I only figured that out while I was talking to you.
Okay. Here we go.
Describe these unseen forces as you know them?
What is your soul– What is your life force?
Well I describe that as Chi. And I use the Tai Chi and the Qigong and everything to find it and move it around. I CAN FEEL IT. It’s kind of like buzzing. It’s kind of like a balloon. A soft balloon, and I can push it on myself. Or think of it as a big foam ball. A big foam ball. I can take that big foam ball and I can push it. And I can feel the foam as I push closer I can feel it more.
So that’s how I feel and see it.
What happens to your body when you die?
Wow. Well your body–I guess you just rot. So… there’s not big deal there. Although, a lot of people cremate. BUt the difference between cremation and burying–I’m not sure. Because I’m still, even as a physicist, I’m not totally under this “Matter is never destroyed.” You know, when you’re cremated. What’s the difference between cremating and going into the earth? I still haven’t resolved some of those issues. So I’m not the person to give you answers. I’ve got questions on that. [laughs]
What happens to your soul when you die?
This is interesting. Remember I told you that story. I think it was in August. Two Augusts ago when one of my best friends and mentor. That was my Taoist mentor, Ru Zhing Shi died and passed away in Vegas. But I didn’t know it until like a week later. Somebody called me up and said, “Ru Zhing Shi is dead.” “Wow. When’d he die?” And they said it was like that Sunday. And I thought, that Sunday I had a conversation with him in my brain. Well I thought it was me. I go through conversations and things. Scenarios in books and stuff… So I tend to– If God’s talking to me, I probably thought it was me inventing a screenplay. [laughs] So anyway. I had this conversation with Steve. And he asked me a couple questions about this and that, and I said. I actually said some harsh words to him. I’m not gonna tell you what I said. I wouldn’t take them back. I meant every word, every syllable of it. I told him some things that were true. And I actually told him what his Buddhis master told me.
So anyway. It was kinda weird. It was weird. But the point is I had this little conversation in my head. I didn’t think anything of it. And then a week later I find out, “Oh he died right then.” “What!?” So I don’t know. Did I have a conversation with my Taoist master. He really believed in the afterlife and was kind of into ghosts so I wouldn’t put it past him.
So… the other experience I had was just recently when my best friend died. And I searched around for him to see, “Okay Oscar? You got a message for me?” He died at like five in the morning and I didn’t find out until about eleven. So I was fishing around trying to find out if there was any message or anything he’d left for me. So I meditated for a while and I got one image. I did get something. If it was Oscar its gonna haunt me the rest of my life. I can see it right now. Darn tootin’ clear. But I got this image. And it was all black and there were four squares and they were fading back… and they were like little white rectangles. This is weird. Because you remember that see the light thing…When I had a reincarnation experience, several years ago, the light was the key. Like one of those rectangles… You could see the light and you’d pass through the rectangle. That would put you back into reality. And so anyway, that was the only thing I knew about the rectangles. But I didn’t see it as an outline this time as much as a window and I could see through it. But in this case, maybe because they were farther away– I saw it as the white windows and then one of them–Oscar was stuck in it. But the weird thing was–three of them were horizontal but the one he was stuck in was kind of vertical. Like our vertical format. Anyway, I’ll leave it at that for now.
So I don’t know about this thing. These are the images I’ve got. I work with them. I think about them… And they inspire me to live my life and be a better person. I’m here trying to help you be smarter. [laughs]
Here we go.
What happens to your soul when you die?
I do not know. But I will tell you this: When I was on the–When I did my Hanblechia, my Vision Quest on the Pineridge Reservation with the Lakota Sioux, back in the nineties: I had some experiences on the mountain, my Vision Quest and in the sweat lodge with the Chief, Richard Sparrow Eagle. A whole bunch of visions. A whole bunch of visions. And during that time Richard approached me, “I’ve been told you’re trying to go somewhere you’re not supposed to go.” [laughs] I was banging around in the spirit world. “I’ve been told you need to stay put.” That was like a weird thing you know that… I, I couldn’t take his advice. And so… I think he knew it. Yeah. He was told to tell me this or something. Anyway, uh… I had some amazing experiences… and stories about them– I wrote them down.The point being is– when I did that– I took off. And I almost died I think. I might have gotten stuck. I actually… I found this vortex of souls. I found all these souls that were all kind of merging from all over. I don’t know if there’s other planets or what the deal is… But anyway, all these souls were merging and I was getting kind of like a tractor-beam and getting sucked into this thing. And so he had to pull me back. And it was a very interesting story. I got pulled back by a bug. A bug had to attack me to bring me back from there. Yeah, that was a very interesting experience.
Let’s get back to this thing. Eight minutes.
NUMBER 21. The unseen forces of Nature are known to all who feel them within their own self.
Well I gotta tell you… The unseen forces of Nature.
Explain your concepts of reincarnation.
Mine change every few years. So, WHAT’S YOURS?
What lives have you already lived? Pretend if you don’t believe.
In other words, do you think you’ve had other lives?
I do. In fact it turns out I’ve had several that I can remember quite clearly now. Because I went back there a couple times.
And let’s see: What will your next life be? Pretend if you don’t believe.
So let’s say you don’t. Maybe you’re going to Heaven. Or you’re going to Hell. Maybe you’re going to Limbo. I don’t know. Whatever your concept is. Just, you put it down. We’re probably ALL wrong. So there’s not a right answer. [laughs] But what’s your answer. That’s all.
Should you be buried or cremated? Explain.
Remember? I can’t–I don’t have an answer for this one, een myself. Well I’ve decided for myslelf. I take that back. For me I’ve got a whole different thing. I’m hoping that people are going to actually see me as some kind of guru. Some sort of a person who’s got wisdom that other gnerations go, “Oh, that guy was so smart… or So cool… or something. Or creative. I’ll inspire artists or musicians or poets. And they’ll want to somehow feel like, “Oh well, this is all I’ve got…” If I could have a kind of monument to myself. A monument? Have a burial ground. The way I picture it is: I would have like a little area about half the size of my living room here. I’m here, and I want hedges all the way around, so people could sit here in privacy. People are going around the cemetary… You’d still have some privacy. You’ve gota private little bak yard that people could sit on some stone things. ANd I could be there. And maybe they could read or talk aabout my books or something right there. Over my dead body. [laughs] Never thought I’d be happy to say that.
Okay. Where were we?
What will you leave behind to show you were here for the benefit of mankind?
For most people that’s just reproducing and having children– so do a good job youknow. With those children. I took great pride in my children for a long time and felt like they represented me. Which was — wrong. [laughs] Because I thought they represent me as an artist. Then I found out, “Hey. My kids arent’ artists. Uh-oh.
So anyway.
What is the relationship between your God and Nature?
Well that was an intersting question. I’d love to hear some of thos answers. Differrent religions have different relationships with Nature. Anyway. Just put it on paper and look at it. I don’t know what the answer is there.
How do you utilize the forces of Nature within you?
How aware are you? If you’re an athlete or something like that then obviously you definitelyknow your inner Nature and forces.
How do you use the forces of nature around you?
Okay, and that’s important. And I’m creating my own little Nature. My own little world. My little studio environmentof studios and backdrops and lights. So I’m crating my own little world.My own little Heaven here. My own little Nature. But I’m having to use electricity and all these things that are acutually part of the real Nature.
How do you relate to the forces of Nature in other persons?
I used to a lot. Back when I was into the Native American thing–people would bring me tobacco and I would heal them and do all kinds of things. But this century, now that I’ve gotten away from my kids–I’m trying to separate more from Nature. I’m going back to being more mentally oriented. Spiritually oriented, as opposed to physically grounded, Earth oriented like an animal. I’m kinda like raising up from the Earth and trying to be– trying to be less grounded? I do my Kung Fu. I’ve got a Yin Yang. I guess the Yin and the yang is I do my Kung Fu and everything so I’m very grounded with the Earth and my body and physics and everything. And then I’m spending the other half of my life Trying to be spiritual, intellectual andcreative, and musical?
Okay. So in terms of relating to the forces in other persons–what I was getting at is I used to be a healer. It was very distracting because I could feel other people’s forces. It was kinda like being able to tune into their television station brain–I’d get images and stuff. Random. Not necessarily what they were thinking. Something that was maybe stuck in their thoughts. Something that imposed itself, like a stress. Something theyd do really bad to their shoulder. “AHHH–I got hit with a baseball.” “AHHH– I got hit with a baseball. “AHHH–I got hit with a baseball.” And then when I’d kind of see the person, I kind of see this person and some sort of baseball thing. Like a white ball and a flash.. I’d see these kind of like… [huff] So that’s why I don’t like being in touch with people. It’s just too confusing. I
I could tell you that one story. I did– There’s a few I’m real proud of. I did really heal some people really well. In ways that without me maybe wouldn’t have happened. But one of the ladies, but maybe would’ve happened without me. She was my therapist. I had a foot injury. The broken foot. No, it was something else. But anyway I was in for therapy, physical therapy and she said she had these problems. At the time I was still doing a lot of the healing. So I said, “Well, if you want I could give you a n energy reading. See if I notice anything.” She went, “Sure.” We were close enough. Because i don’t like doing it–especially to girls you know. But i don’t touch them. I just have my hand near. But I’d go down her back and I found a– I told her, “I don’t know what I’m doing, and I don’t know what I’m telling you but i’ll tell you what I saw.” I said, “I was coming down and I found this one spot that seemed cold and black to me. And that’s all I can tell you. And it seems to me it was right there.” I could just, I could feel this one black spot. In other words I could feel her Tao, her energy, but I could also feel this one spot that was not right. But later in the therapy, I of course went for more sessions and she said: She said, “I went in for an MRI and they found a tumor or cyst on my ovary or something, exactly where you pointed.” I don’t know if I helped lead her to that or not but I was glad she told me. But she was really appreciative. She was like, “Oh that was so helpful! I’m so thankful to you!” I might have led her–like I said, I don’t know how much credit to take– but we HAVE THAT ABILITY is what I’m saying. To read energy. This is not a special ability of mine. It’s just an ability you can have too when you get really good at feeling energy. You can feel good, or different, or bad… You can just feel the difference.
I’m a musician so of course I see this one very clearly. But this goes back to something in the translations. I’m not sure what to call them in this current world. In this century. But some people when they translate Lao Tzu: he refers to the “Goody Goodies” or the “Goody Two Shoes.” These are the people who feel good when they can take a rule and then hit somebody with it like a baseball bat and make them bleed. “Well it’s legal. This is the law. You broke the law and now I’m gonna use the law to hurt you.” [evil snicker] And they feel good about it. ua
Those are– They’re actually evil people. But they think they’re good people. That’s the irony. They think they’re the best people in the world but they’re actually very evil.
So we have to go to Buddha for understanding here. And this is one thing– I only rediscovered this a few years ago actually. That guy’s so enlightening!
Buddha said there’s only two things to create an evil person: ignorance and desire.
What? Just two things? Two things and that person is an evil person. Yes. That’s it. All you need is desire and ignorance.
Okay. All you can say is, “I’ll give you a hundred bucks.”
“Oh, I want that hundred bucks.”
“But you have to go over there and kick that dog.”
“Oh. Alright then. I guess it’ll be okay.” He’s ignorant. He goes, “Well I guess you’re not a bad man.” So he kicks the dog. Get’s a hundred bucks. He’s done something evil. It’s that easy. [laughs]
So that’s all evil is. If ignorance: somebody doing something they shouldn’t do if they were smarter–and not kick the dog. Which is dumb. You just don’t do it for a thousand dollars. Don’t do it for a million dollars. Don’t kick the dog. But unfortunately, evil is, “Well, I’m not evil for a hundred. But for a thousand dollars I’ll be evil.”
Evil is evil. All it takes is ignorance and desire. [laughs] It’s terrible. It’s terrible. Ever since I’ve known that I’ve realized, Man! How much evil is in the world. Most people are committing all kinds of little evil acts. So then at some point you create a big evil act and somebody catches you, “You’re evil!” “No I’m not. I’ve never done big evil. Just little evil…” And they don’t think they’re evil. They can’t see it.
So unfortunately the whole world has become blind to the fact we might be doing little evil things. Poisoning a little river. “Oh, It’s just a little bit of poison in the river. It’s not gonna hurt anybody.” That’s ignorance. And the desire was to get rid of it. So out of our ignorance and desires we are evil.
So watch yourself. We’re evil all the time. We justify it.
So back that. So those are the “Goody 2-Shoes.” There’s a lot of those in government. They love to get into government where they can use the government to hurt people. And say, “It’s legal. It’s legal you know. He stepped on that line. And the law says, you step on that line and I can… hit you with a baseball bat. Okay? So he stepped on that line. It’s legal. It’s the law. So.” WHAM. They go and they love to hit people. Anyway these sadistic people are running our government. There’s a lot of evil, evil, evil people who enjoy being evil–running our government. Like Mitch McConnell. He LOVES to jam up the government. For forty years he takes the greatest pride in hurting our country. But he’s getting paid for it. He’s ignorant. He thinks he’s doing something good because somebody’s paying him big money and other people are agreeing with him. So he thinks it’s okay. He’s ignorant. Ignorant–he really is. He’s got that desire for the money and the power. So you put those two together and you have one of the most evil persons in the entire planet running our country.
So anyway, let’s get back to this real quick. And see, I’ll come back to that.
Those are the “goody-goodies.” The people who think they’re the best people in the world and they’re actually doing the most evil in the world. Starting wars and– “We did this war for your own good.”
Okay. #19b.
Tao #19b Avoid adherence or blind observance of the “letter of the laws.”
The “letter of the laws” was in quotation marks. That’s an important thing. Like I was saying, “He stepped on the line.”
Well maybe he tripped. Extenuating circumstances. But this person doesn’t care. They’re only interested in the “letter of the law.” Not the ‘reality of the law.’ You know, maybe he wasn’t going to step on that line. Maybe like I said, he tripped. Or maybe he would’ve stepped on somebody’s foot, so he stepped over their foot so he wouldn’t hurt them, and he did that. And now he’s gonna get punished.
See… if you… “So you still stepped on the line! I’m gonna hit you with this bat.” WHACK. WHACK. WHACK. That’s adhering to the letter of the law. And that’s where our whole world has gone screwy. Because of people trying to hurt people. You know, because they can legally do it.
So I call “The nature of the rule…” The “Nature of the Rule” is if you step on that line–I’m gonna have to make it again. It’s made out of chalk. We’re playing a sport and I’m just getting ready to play so “Don’t step on that line” because then I’m gonna have to back and the chalk roller and make it all nice… We’re playing baseball here.” Or something like that.
You see, so the “letter of the law” is “DON’T STEP ON THAT LINE” before the game because then it’s gonna look ugly and people are gonna show up and somebody’s gonna have to come out and fix it. Okay? So that’s the letter of the law: “Don’t step on the lines before the game.” The chalk lines on the baseball field. But the NATURE of it is because it’ll look good and if somebody trips or falls that doesn’t mean they have to go to jail. You know, you’ve got to fix it. And hopefully that person won’t do it again. Maybe they knew they weren’t supposed to do it. They don’t need to be punished, you know, for stepping on it. And… You get the point–you get the concept. And if you’re smart enough to be listening to me–hopefully you understand what I’m saying. If you’re not smart enough to understand what I’m saying then I lost you a long time ago. I’m not that far here…
Here we go.
Like a musician, do you think about the notes, or do not think about the notes, play the song.
You see, that was a tricky thing last night. I didn’t know what key I was in when I was writing that song. I could hear it in my head. And then I was… I was playing my bass. Doing it like a guitar… And I come back to this thing… “What was that rhythm?” You know, I had to find it. And it wasn’t a matter of seeing it or reading it… it was like, “What was the way I played it?” And then BOOM I’d feel it. “Ah. There it is.” And that was the riff. I was playing THE SONG. Not the notes. I could know what was right. And then when I was playing the chords it was, “No… It’s supposed to go down there. That wasn’t quite right.” And I’m screwing around, “What was it?” And then I’d have to find it. Look for that thing that felt right.
Sometimes I have to explore. Literally have to explore and try, “No let’s go to this…” “THERE we go.” [bass impersonation] And then it felt like it with the progression. Worked for what I was trying to accomplish.
Okay. Here we go. So let’s read the whole thing again.
Lao Tzu says,
Avoid adherence or blind observance to the “letter of the laws.” And be always aware of the Nature of the rule. Like a musician do not think about the notes. Play the song.
Alright. So let’s see what I have to inspire you on that. That message that to me means a heck of a lot. [LAUGHS] That’s like one of my– Just like a Motto of my life.
Are you a stickler for details and fine print?
Are you one of those baseball hitters?
What laws do you obey so efficiently that you don’t evaluate all information before deciding what’s right or wrong?
And we do that with our kids, as parents you know. They do something. They break the rules–maybe for a good reason. They break the rules and our first reaction is [growl growl]. [LAUGHS] Maybe there’s a good explanation. Anyway, as a parent listen… and look for the real truth. Don’t just always make–
It simplifies our lives to have rules, and say, “You stay here in this area. You stay here in this area.” It just simplifies it. As a parent I know what it’s like to make rules. But at the same time don’t make so many that– anyway. That’s probably coming up in another one.
Like a soldier or a policeman are you bound to serve laws whether you agree with them or not?
Which laws do your enforce?
Like… now. Our politics… we have terrible laws. Make illegal things we…
Which laws do you enforce you don’t obey.
In other words what laws do you make other people do that you don’t obey?
Especially when you have kids. You make them obey laws that you don’t obey.
So–but you should be able to answer that.
Do you get mad when someone lies to you? Why?
There’s a lot to unpack buried in that which we can’t unpack right now. But that’s very important.
Can you trust someone who has cheated? Why?
I’ll read each question twice.
Do you trust someone who has cheated you? Why?
Do you feel guilt, shame, or frustration when you break a self-imposed rule?
Oooh. That you made yourself.
Do you feel guilt, shame, or frustration when you break a self-imposed rule?
Next, last one: Do you rely on rules to keep you in line?
Like Alcoholics Anonymous? Or religion? Family? Employers? The military? The police? Explain.
One more time: Do you rely on rules to keep you inline?
Alcoholics Anonymous, religion, family, emploers , the military, or police? Explain.
Now yeah. Remember I told you. Yes. I rely on lot you ts of– I don’t know if I’d even call them rules. Like I told you yesterday. I’m making these structures and when I go to a website. What are the rules? What am I going to do when I get there? Okay? Which websites am I going to get and ignore all the rest? Prioritizing. Trying to find a list so I can go down the list and– “Ah. Done.”
That’s it. Because I’ve got so many thousands of things to do. I can never define that. So I’m trying to make things so I can tell when I’ve actually gotten something done. Or at least the most important things. a least
That was #19b of the TAO OF TAOISM – USING THE DAO TE CHING TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE. That’s what we’re using. We’er going to improve our life with all of this.
So anyway, Buddha Zhen Shen-Lang here. Glad to have you along. And yeah, keep thinking. And if you’re thinking then you’re learning. And even if you’re disagreeing with me–at least I got you thinking. It’s okay. You can disagree.
