SPIRITUAL MIRROR

The one thing that makes sage different from most people is their self-mastery. They always assess their current state of being with the clarity of detachment, while most people remain blind to their own faults.

It is as if the sages examine themselves carefully with a clear mirror. They review what they have said and done in the recent past, and note the words and actions that fall short of the Tao ideal. They are especially interested in how they react in times of stress. This is because trials and tribulations tend to bring out one’s true character. It is easy to be pleasant when everything is going well, but not so easy when the going gets tough.

The sages are tough n themselves. They know that many people will use stress as a way to excuse their poor behavior, but they do not allow themselves the easy way out. Instead, they use difficult times as opportunities to demand even more from themselves.

The Tao Today

Hold up a spiritual mirror to look at yourself. Are you able to see your faults reflected in it? Some people look into such a mirror and see only an illusion they have conjured up. That illusion tells them they are never at fault, and other people are the real problem. You, on the other hand, heed the words of chapter 71 of the Tao Te Ching: “Only when one recognizes the fault as a fault, can one be without fault.”

The Tao of Joy Every Day

~ Derek Lin