Daily Reading - Allen James' Daily Guide to Success series

Another beautiful day in Southeast Missouri....enjoy it and re-energize for the work week....

Our reading for April 21st is a quote by Lao Tzu, known as the father of Taoism, one of China's largest religions, "Music in the soul can heard by the universe".

Several years ago I had the opportunity to teach a college level course entitled, "Introduction to Philosophy: The Spinning of the Tread". The knowledge I had previously gained regarding the subject while I completed my doctoral work was enhanced by the mere preparation for teaching the course.

Tao, “the Way,” (refer to September 16th and September 17th in "A Man's Daily Guide to Success") according to Taoism, is a creative process by which we can live in harmony by freeing ourselves of the obstacles with which we clutter our life. By cultivating "wu-wei", characterized by being humble and prudent (or using our sense of reason and common sense), we can be a part of the simplicity and spontaneity of "The Way". Our desire for virtue or achievement is counterproductive and unnecessary say the Taoists, they values mystical contemplation and balance. We are viewed as what we truly are; all but a speck in "big picture". For the Taoist the Chinese principle of yin-yang, complementary duality, is a model of complete harmony (Story of Philosophy, 1967).

Over my lifetime I've viewed the passing of Haley's Comet, multiple eclipses, a number of meteor showers, and even got to experience the aurora borealis once. Witnessing these events reinforces what I contemplate each night I sit out on my deck or lay in a field and look heavenward, "What a little thing we humans really are in the vast universe in which we exist.

Allowing ourselves to experience moments such as these "put us in our place" as well as giving us the much needed time to "think" about who we are and what our purpose while a living, breathing human being for the short time we're on this Earth should be.

Every year in at this time the Earth passes through the dusty tail of Comet Thatcher, and the encounter causes a meteor shower--the Lyrids. This year the shower peaks tomorrow morning, April 22nd. Forecasters expect 10 to 20 meteors per hour, although outbursts as high as 100 meteors per hour are possible. Although the moon is forecast to be extremely bright, we should be able to get a glimpse of this amazing display of the greatest of our universe in the moon free pre-dawn hours.

The psalmist, David wrote, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord" (Psalms 98:4). Allow the universe to hear the music your soul makes each and every day.

Keep looking up. : ) AJ