Climbing and mountain, crossing a river. (ritual, experience, spiritual, cross)

[Master Vigil]

I was reading "Awakening to the Tao" by Liu I-Ming, and I came across this essay...

When you climb a mountain, you put forth effort with every step, not resting until you reach the summit. When you cross a river you take care with every step, not relaxing your attention until you reach the other shore. Even if you have climbed a mountain nearly to the summit, if you leave off that last step to rest your feet, you are still on the way, not yet there. Even if you have crossed a river nearly to the other shore, if you take a single careless step, there is still danger.

What I realize as I observe this is the Tao of physical effort to carry out the Way.

The Great Way is hard to know, so you are lucky if you come across it and know about it, and your efforts should be to really put it into practice, to actually tread the Way to its completion, thereby repaying your debt to whoever taught you about it.

Do not let a little bewilderment make you change your mind, do not let a little experience of its effect induce you to relax your work. Do not let a little material hardship divide your mind, do not be discouraged that your strength is insufficient. Do not have false imaginings about attainment of the Great Way, do not fear that the road is long. Keep going with steadfast determination, keeping your attention on the Way, going straight forward, and naturally a day will come when you arrive. This is like putting out effort every step of the way when climbing a mountain, finally to reach the summit; like paying attention every step of the way when crossing a river, finally to reach the other shore.

What do you think? What is the difference between knowing the path, and walking the path? And what is the difference between walking the path, and being the path?

[ChrisP]

Originally Posted by Master Vigil

I was reading "Awakening to the Tao" by Liu I-Ming, and I came across this essay...

What do you think? What is the difference between knowing the path, and walking the path? And what is the difference between walking the path, and being the path?

I've read that before and my heart has not changed really:
Walking the path and knowing the path are integral. You only come to know the path as you walk it, and while walking it your knowledge of it makes the walking easier.

Ummm.. ... I'll try and put that a couple of different ways, see what works best for you.

You must experience something to truly know it, and your experience grows future effort decreases.

[Scarlett Wampus]

In my opinion Liu I-Ming's books are quite pretentious. What is the nature of "steadfast determination" when spiritual and worldly ambition are dropped? What debt is there when what is given is freely offered from the start? Aren't thoughts of "completion" also "false imaginings about attainment of the Great Way"? Yes practice requires effort, that goes without saying, but misplaced effort is worse than no effort at all. He is full of himself and needs to empty the trash. I wish he'd put more effort into that.

I'll stick to the Tao Te Ching and the Hsin Hsin Ming.

[Scarlett Wampus]

I regret the tone of what I wrote. The unintentional irony of "he is full of himself" slaps me in the face. Darn.

[ChrisP]

Originally Posted by Scarlett Wampus

I regret the tone of what I wrote. The unintentional irony of "he is full of himself" slaps me in the face. Darn.

lol, effortless mate.

[munchkin]

What do you think? What is the difference between knowing the path, and walking the path? And what is the difference between walking the path, and being the path?

knowing the path is kowing whcih direction you've chosen to take, walking the path is following the way pointed, being the path is what can happen when we no longer need to follow the way we flow with the way

or thats how it appears at this moment to my spirit, maybe that will change tomorrow

beccaxx