Tao/ Ying and Yang

What is Tao (Dao)?

Tao is translated literally as 'way,' and is the concept upon which the ancient Chinese philosophy Taoism is based.

I am obliged to begin this short entry by saying that (unfortunately for the reader and knowledge-seeker), by its very nature, tao is undefinable by words. The first line of the Tao Te Ching states "The Tao that can be explained with words is not the Tao."

However this undefinable nature ultimately describes it. One can say it is the primordial essence of life and the Universe- a similar concept to God in Christianity. Ambiguous and omnipresent, it is our actions and experiences; it is the flow of the universe (hence 'way' as a translation); it is the underlying force necessary for balance and harmony in the universe, world, and within each person.


Why Tao/ Ying and Yang for these collages?

I will not be too wordy here- the collages speak for themselves -but I do want their intentions to be properly understood.

They represent the nature and philosophy of each person and couple- their tao if I may -and their sharing of it with the world, whether it be through words of advice, general life knowledge or simply the love they have for one another.

Each is a couple, for life is meant to be shared and it is only through the sharing of life and the supreme loving of one another that we can really accomplish anything. Each couple is a ying, a yang, and one whole. In the end, each couple represents a perfect culmination of their tao.




If you are interested in learning more about Taoism and Chinese philosophy, here's a start:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao
www.thetao.info
Personal Tao blog

even more.. Tao:Yin & Yang

p.s. the quality and color of some of these photos is not the greatest! sorry


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more..Tao:Yin & Yang

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Tao:Yin & Yang

This is series of postcard-sized collages on recycled cardboard. Found paper, glue, acrylic paint. September 2010.

Some ideas, lyrics, quotes that inspired these:
They are one person/
They are two alone/
They are three together/
They are for each other
"Helplessly Hoping," CSN

Dualities: light/dark, sun/moon, male/female, active/passive

Love and it's ultimate power.

"Tao means path. It signifies not just any path, but the specific path to living in accordance with the unity of the universe."
-Ralph Alan Dale, from introduction to Tao Te Ching


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rien que du bonheur dedicated avec gros bisouilles to Camille

IMAGINE PEACE/ Yoko Ono

VISIT THIS WEBSITE! explore, read, learn, and do:

IMAGINE PEACE Manifesto & FAQ

"Something especially wonderful was told to me just recently. Two scientists who were researching the effect of waves in the ocean for two years, came to the conclusion that the smallest stimulus to the water be it a drop of a pebble, or a child splashing the water at the shore, affects the whole ocean, each time. Well, I thought we do affect each other on land, but I hadn’t realized that that was true in the ocean as well! What a blessing! Nature is making things so easy for us!

So now I call ourselves the small pebble people. Send small pebbles to the world. Don’t make big splashes with large stones. That will attract people and the wrong people as well. Our quiet revolution will not make announcements, but one day will be accepted by all people as the norm of life. The human race has done that with many things. Like we wanted to fly, and invented aeroplanes. We wanted to see the other side of the moon, and we have. This time, we want to heal our planet, and bring peace to this world. We will...

It’s time for you to start your own campaign today. You will see that it spreads and covers the world very fast, and meanwhile it will make you one of the small pebble people. Small pebble people are people who know that small pebbles, when they’re dropped in the ocean, will immediately affect the ocean of the whole wide world. Again, don’t throw big stones. It scares people and creates repercussions.

So we’ll just keep dropping small pebbles. Together. That’s how we will change the world. We change, and the world changes. Have trust in what you can do. Have trust in how fast we can change our world for the better. Why? Because we have to."

Sound familiar? Mother Teresa said, "We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop." She also said that the solution to world peace was simply to go home and love your family.

It all starts within!

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LISTEN TO YOUR EYES/ Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa (1910-1997) founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India in 1950, and for over 45 years happily ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. Upon acceptance, she was asked, "What can we do to promote world peace?" Her answer was simple:

"Go home and love your family."

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Romeo + Juliet

"When he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun."


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all you need is Love/ Benji & Andressa