Refelections on the Tao Te Ching Chapter 1

The other day I was listening to a talk by Dr. Wayne Dyer. He mentioned how he had spent 81 days writing about each chapter of the Tao Te Ching. Every year I like to do something for Lent - a result of my Christian upbringing when we used to give something up. When I was doing my confirmation training the vicar suggested maybe we should adopt a new positive habit. I thought reflecting on the Tao Te Ching was a perfect project. Each morning I am meditating on the chapter then writing in my journal afterwards. I will share what I wrote each day in these blog posts. Please note this is channelled writing.

The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named is not the eternal name
The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth
The named is the mother of myriad things
Thus, constantly with
out desire, one observes its essence
Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations
These two emerge together but differ in name
The unity is said to be the mystery
Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders

The essence of life is a great mystery that cannot be explained in words. It is central to all of us: in our breath, the movement of our bodies and in our thoughts. We are all one, connected by this essence. We believe we are separate - on enlightenment we will realise separation was just an illusion and we were enlightened all along.
'All things are by nature void' the Heart Sutra Quantum physics has proved this - nothing is solid, everything is energy. The outward manifestation comes from what is within us. Our thoughts, our beliefs create our reality. There is no denying this. If we want peace we have to think peaceful thoughts. Anger will not create peace. Being is becoming. We become what we are, what we thing, what we say, what we do. But we don't need to 'do' anything. Allow live to unfold, have faith in the divine mystery. We don't need to know yet we already know everything. If we think we don't know we are in denial.
We use that pretend ignorance as an excuse to not live life fully. If we only remembered we would never be afraid - of anything! Fear is the most destructive force. Yet sometimes we need to be destructive - destroy old patterns, old structures, old beliefs to allow the new to emerge. Now pray, meditate, create peace and calm from within. We are all creators and always creating.
Everything is a process, nothing is static or stationary. Energy moves and everything is energy. The source of all that is.