The Tao of Darkness and Light

The Tao doesn't take sides;
It gives birth to both good and evil.
The Master doesn't take sides;
she welcomes both saints and sinners.
(Tao Te Ching)

How would you feel when someone implies that you are not attractive? What if you "accidentally" upset someone who is important to you? Or what if someone you love suddenly falls really sick? What if you have to deal with someone who is mean?

Walking the Tao does not shelter you from the yin and yang of life. Darkness and light necessitate each other. Often your spiritual journey starts in earnest because you can't take it anymore, because you are tired of running into a wall and you scream at the world and God "why me?", and for the first time that you can remember someone actually answers.

Walking the Tao is a journey of healing. The light shines away the darkness over time,  fear is being replaced by peace, a foul mood turns into joy and laughter. When you read about the Tao you are likely to hear so much about the good stuff, the joys along the Way, the miracles, the synchronicity. Yet, a little darkness has to be part of the Way as well.

 After we walk our spiritual path for a while, we unload most of the accumulated pain, we experience joy, happiness, love, goodness, beauty and light wherever we turn. In fact, we can become addicted to that feeling. So one day we will naturally realize that this good stuff is another kind of limitation as well. While we are on earth, Heaven on earth will have to be an utopia.  This notion would reject suffering which is part of life. By portraying us as magician we would put ourselves above others which is simply not the case. We are all one.

With the realization that the yin and yang is part of life we manage to open ourselves up. We welcome everything, good and bad, with equanimity. We become vulnerable. No one expects you to suffer; no one wants you to be weak in the presence of evil, but please show respect and love for everything that She brings your Way. By being open to good and evil you become a true master.  We suddenly let go of the notion of how things should be and we walk the Tao whole-heartedly, only to find that everything is perfect as is.

By Christian and Su Zhen