FROM THE SIDELINES I PICK THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENT SAGES ( LAO TZU TAO TE CHING

                     

Wahala dey O! what is this kind of romance brewing between Moi and Asian sages as today, I continue my foray of mopping up knowledge from these crop of Learned Gents whose words could easily have been lifted from THE GOOD BOOK. 

Whilst not The Book of Proverbs or Ecclesiastes, their words have a cleansing effect on the Soul and make me want to JUST GET ON WITH BEING THE CHANGE I SEEK whilst hungering to know more of whom they refer to as THE ONE , but whom I have Come to know as JEHOVAH, THE ALMIGHTY GOD, THE I AM THAT I AM. 

My decision to quit discussing Politricks on Social Media, seems to have successfully de cluttered my mind and reawakened an almost lost passion for eating the written Word and rekindling a latent passion for ramblings. So its safe to say something good has come out of the self imposed hiatus No?, though I confess I suffered major withdrawal symptoms and had to fight the urge to talk about the wahala of Nationhood.  

I know I had decided to follow up my last write up with my POV on Shinichi's "Don't let your guard down after a victory" but thought not to- that would be like baiting sharks with the scent of blood and that isn't the intention of my ramblings- So here I am embarking on a different route today.

My focus via posts and motivational posters would be to interest or bore you on the Truism or Lack thereof of Lao Tzu's  Tao Te Ching (Tao) the scores of short verses he wrote about twenty five hundred years ago.

Funny thing about the verses though, they just never get old or lose relevance in Strategic Planning and forget whatever the Governments/military/Intelligence Tacticians of the West might think about Eastern Policies, they always resort to Tzu et al for sound Tactical teachings. My 2014 reintroduction to Tzu is voluntary I daresay, so this time around, not for me feelings of heightened trepidation and terror I experienced back in 1986 when it was compulsory study material in Philosophy elective Course back in Year 2 of Uni.

I don't intend to write or post the verses in any particular order but would rather just post any that jumps out at me and Alas! Non other than TAO 3 sets the pace for me... I hope you enjoy it as much as I did/do.

TAO Verse 3

If you overesteem great men,

people become powerless.

If you overvalue possessions,

people begin to steal.

The Master leads

by emptying people's minds

and filling their cores,

by weakening their ambition

and toughening their resolve.

He helps people lose everything

they know, everything they desire,

and creates confusion

in those who think that they know.

Practice not-doing,

and everything will fall into place.

                                     -   Lao Tzu