Tao of the Day

MartinJon
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Tao of the Day is the world's only live daily talk show dedicated to the Tao Te Ching — running every weekday for over five years. Each morning at 6am Central, wellness coach and author MartinJon guides listeners through a verse from his own New English Version of the Tao Te Ching — applying Lao Tzu's 2,500-year-old wisdom to burnout, recovery, caregiving, and the art of returning to yourself. Join live on NoomVibe weekdays at 6am Central, or catch the podcast wherever you listen. Support my efforts here: https://buymeacoffee.com/martinjon

  1. 13h ago

    Tao of the Day S6_073

    Today was a robust Monday with Sany and #9 Jay K chose #6 and Melissa picked #44, her angel number from the weekend. I went into #73 to fill time until Terilyn came up and we selected #26 for her.#6 "The Great Feminine"Everything is born from the feminine,Even Heaven and Earth.The Feminine that births is a Mother,She nourishes and supports without possessing.Despite your awareness of itYou are using it right now.#9 "The Danger of Extremes"Having to prove yourselfWill allow challenges to best you.Focus your attention on moneyAnd lose sight of what is valuable.Keep in mind outside influenceAnd you will be its prisoner.Do what you do and move on,It isn't yours anyway.#26 "Wasted Movement"Without knowing darknessLight is mysterious and distracting.Without knowing stillnessAll movement is wasted.This is why the Master travelsAnd never leaves home.No matter how amazing the manifestationShe knows there is nothing that she is not.Why should anyone seek to be influenced or entertained?If you let yourself be entertainedYou lose touch with your root.If you let yourself be influencedYou lose touch with who you are.#44 "The Influence of Excess"Fame or integrity; which of these do you focus on seeing and obtaining?Possessions or fulfillment; in which do you spend your time investing?Success or failure; of which has offered you the most growth?Under the influence you spend yourselfAccumulating only loss and regret.Fulfill your needs and be content,When you know excess is excessiveYou'll be open to receiving harmony.#73 "Nothing Falls Through"There are men who love feeling, and to feel they kill.There are men who love feeling, and to do so remain calm.Who is to say which will experience more turmoil?There is purpose in walking with death, as there is in walking with life.The inner workings of Tao can never be understood;It makes no commands, yet all things come on their own accord;It never acts; but all things act on its behalf;It is empty, yet within it lays all things and their Master Plans.Tao is a net holding all things together, connected.Its mesh is wide, but it holds so well nothing falls through.

  2. 6d ago

    Tao of the Day S6_072

    I started out talking about living reasonably in relationships and read #1 then was joined by Melissa who chose #39, Loyce, and her choice #17, and finally Sandy with #72.#1 "Expressing Tao"Words are particular,They cannot express Tao.To have a name is to be limited to manifestationThat which is nameless is the source of manifestation.Self-referential, those who name, name themselves.Want to experience the depth of the mystery? Stop identifying.Want to experience the shallowness of the manifestation? Differentiate.Either way no one can tell,The difference is in your experience.#17 "Of Masters and Leaders"In the time of the great Masters there were no leaders.Then, those whom the people loved, led the way.After having created the positionThe people feared their leaders,Then they despised them.Having created leaders, their faith in Tao was diminished.Having become a leader, his trust in the people was diminished.When there are great Masters there are no leadersShe works day and night and says nothing about it,When the work is done the people say"Amazing! We did it all by ourselves!"#39 "Unity"Unity is the standardWhen achieved, all things are harmonious.Heaven achieved it through purity.Planets achieved it through solidity.Beings achieve it through purpose (life),Generation after generation,Every individual being findsTheir own unity, their own harmony.If Heaven were to lose its puritySo too its union with the Planets.If Planets were to lose their soliditySo too their union with Beings.If beings were to lose their purpose (lives)Without unity, all would perish and decay.The Master honors everything in every form,She knows that there is nothing between the highest and lowest,Differentiating we lose touch with Unity.Always adjusting to find UnityThe Master lets herself be lived,Constantly being renewed and shaped by Tao,Rugged and full of resolve.#72 "With Nothing to Teach"The knowledgeable, having lost their sense of awe, seek to be entertained.Losing themselves in that process, they turn to more knowledgeable authorities.Do not make light of what is important to people, and they will respect you.Therefore, The Master, although she knows herself, she is not arrogant.She loves herself as she is, but she also loves others as they are.She has nothing to teach, and the knowledgeable have nothing to learn.

  3. Sep 25

    Tao of the Day S6_071

    A whole day of talking about going baout your business stared with Sandy and #7 then Melissa joined for #17. I took over a bit to keep things rolling wiht #36 and julie wrapped up this Friday with #53.#7 "The Wisdom of Not Having Preference"Tao is infiniteIt doesn't grow old or tired.Because it has no preference for itselfIt can always persist.The Master puts herself lastAnd always finds herself first.By being detached from preferenceShe can give herself to what isAnd find fulfillment there.#17 "Of Masters and Leaders"In the time of the great Masters there were no leaders.Then, those whom the people loved, led the way.After having created the positionThe people feared their leaders,Then they despised them.Having created leaders, their faith in Tao was diminished.Having become a leader, his trust in the people was diminished.When there are great Masters there are no leadersShe works day and night and says nothing about it,When the work is done the people say"Amazing! We did it all by ourselves!"#36 "Going about your Business"If you want to take a deep breatheYou must first empty your lungs.If you want to make something weakThen observe it first as powerful.If you want something destroyed,Then see it first glorified.Identify your rigid desires,Meet them with flexibility.The soft overcomes the hard,The slow overtakes the fast.Just quietly go about your business,The results will speak for themselves.#53 "Tao is Easy"There is nothing simpler than to walk the way of TaoThe only thing you'd fear is getting sidetrackedAnd yet many people think there is an easier way.They pacify themselves with possessions and entertainmentDistracting themselves enough to never see their bankrupt lives.They continue to acquire and convince others to join them in struggle.Everyone eating and drinking yet consumed by starvation and thirst.Excess is a thief, and the victim is the true self.This is not easy, this is not Tao.

  4. Sep 23

    Tao of the Day S6_070

    A wonderfully rich show today started with Dayo and #27. Melissa gave us an update on her journey wiht #30. andy has also been on a journey and chose #1 then Jay K joined with #31.#1 "Expressing Tao"Words are particular,They cannot express Tao.To have a name is to be limited to manifestationThat which is nameless is the source of manifestation.Self-referential, those who name, name themselves.Want to experience the depth of the mystery? Stop identifying.Want to experience the shallowness of the manifestation? Differentiate.Either way no one can tell,The difference is in your experience.#27 "The Mystery of the Process"Although a good traveler may have plansThey are not rigid, nor is the outcome.Although a good artist creates,The creations are arrived at through intuition.Although a good scientist observesIt is done for the first time every time.By embodying these strategiesThe Master accepts everyoneAnd makes use of every situation,Nothing is wasted andEvery moment is imbued with light.What is the good if not a vision for the bad?What is the bad if not a lesson for the good?Accept this completely,Or you will suffer in all you do.It is the great secret.#30 "Tao Does Not Dominate"Governing, in any capacity, when led by TaoDoesn't use force to gain power.Every force applied will suffer equal counterforce.So violence, however it is intended,Will always rebound upon itself.Where armies march briers growAnd in their wake follows hunger and villainy.Skillful in what she doesThe Master achieves her goal and stops;Neither forcing nor manipulating further.She knows that dominatingGoes counter to TaoAnd whoever opposes TaoWill certainly die early.#31 "Of Weapons and Mourning"Weapons are horrible tools,The Master avoids weaponizing anything.Weapons promote fear and separation:Avoided by those who walk in blessingsEmbraced by those who walk in delusion.If compelled to use them, she uses restraint.There is no glory in victory if weapons are used,Her enemy is not evil but human like herself.How can she see glory in their slaughter?When the Master is compelled to engage a weaponShe does so gravely, and filled with compassion,Knowing that this is the first state of her mourning.

  5. Sep 22

    Tao of the Day S6_069

    A day filled with transition (today is the equinox) Meillisa was warned to stay calme wiht #64, Sandy addressed her pace with #9 Jay K dealt with returning and yeilding in #40 and Terilyn chose #60.#9 "The Danger of Extremes"Having to prove yourselfWill allow challenges to best you.Focus your attention on moneyAnd lose sight of what is valuable.Keep in mind outside influenceAnd you will be its prisoner.Do what you do and move on,It isn't yours anyway.#40 "The Movement of Tao"Tao is always returningIt is also always yielding.In the manifestation all things are born into existence,Yet surrender and are renewed every moment within Tao.#60 "Combating Evil"While governing anything, use restraint,Treat it like cooking a small bit of fish,Getting it perfect takes less than you think.Centering all things in Tao,Evil, with nothing to oppose,Returns to a state of illusion.All harm dissipates in the face of those that know their true selves.#64 "It's so Easy"It is easy to stop something before it is set into motion.It is easy to plan something before beginning it.It is easy to break something before it has grown strong.It is easy to hide something before it has grown big.Preventing problems has never been the problem.Tiny sprouts do this and grow to unimaginable heights,Every journey has started with the first easy step.Avoiding the easy is what has created all difficult problems.Rushing past the easy things will end up costing you,Grasping onto the destination you lose sight of where you are.Forcing things to be what you want, when you want,Will only turn those things against you.Therefore, the Master monitors her desire for an outcome.She remains as calm at the beginning as at the endSo she can see what is in front of her.She embraces the mundane and doesn't prize rarities.Doing this the Master reminds those around herOf who they have always been, and they are inspired.Caring about nothing but Tao she cares for all things.

  6. Sep 17

    Tao of the Day S6_068

    We had a great day talking Tao today. Jay K kicked it off with #18 and Melissa fokkwed that wiht #58. Sandy has been through a lot and selected #37 and Alicia selected #22. #18 "Out of Touch with Tao" When out of touch with Tao Etiquette is observed. When etiquette cannot be abided We find excuses to make it proper. When excuses gut the family, Chaos favors the hierarchy. When all the neighbors are in chaos Blind loyalty is demanded. #22 "Looking Away from What You Want" To become complete Know that you're partial. To become straight Know that you're crooked. To become full Know that you're empty. To be new Know that you're worn out. He who wants it all Must know what all includes. Thus, the Master stays centered in Tao And becomes an example for the world. Because she knows her light is forfeit People can see it. Because she has no point to prove People can trust her words. Because she has no identity She becomes a mirror for others. Because she has nothing to attain Nothing can be kept from her. Thus, when it is said "To become complete know that you're partial." It is wise to heed and surrender to it. Only by living in collaboration with Tao Can one find completion. #37 "Inspired Action" Tao never does anything Yet inspires everything to do. When beings maintain the action of Tao They spontaneously transform from within. When that transformation acquires a name (an identity) External forces inspire actions from desire. Actions without identity Are free from external goals. Without desire, honoring stillness, All things are at peace. #58 "To Oversee, Don't Interfere" In overseeing anything, don't interfere, Let everything flourish in its own time. Interfering, you get met with resistance Or worse, apathetic adherence. Misery and misfortune are tied to expectation. To expect success is to focus on failure, To expect happiness is to invite misery, To expect moral adherence is to flirt with tragedy. There is no escaping it, expecting good yields bad, This is interfering, it has always been true. The Master therefore is content to simply be an example She has no desire to impose, and trusts all she oversees, She is firm but yielding, she is sharp, yet none are cut by her She is radiant, but easy on the eyes.

  7. Sep 15

    Tao of the Day S6_067

    Today Sandy and I talked about her accident from over the weekend and #41, Jay K spoke about #6, and Dayo joined me with #61.#6 "The Great Feminine"Everything is born from the feminine,Even Heaven and Earth.The Feminine that births is a Mother,She nourishes and supports without possessing.Despite your awareness of itYou are using it right now.#41 "Laughing at Tao is Perfectly Reasonable"Those who live with sincerity, when they hear of Tao, immediately begin to embody it.Those who live casually, may trust it at times, but aren't quite sure what do with it.Those who embrace the manifestation completely laugh and scoff at the very idea.If they didn't laugh and scoff, it wouldn't be Tao.Therefore, you may have noticed:Progress doesn't always seem to advance.Beauty oft times can come off as obscene.The powerful can tend to seem weak.True love can appear tough or indifferent.Wisdom can be mistaken as childish.Great art can appear unsophisticated.Tao is hidden in all of these,Imparting what is needed,Completing everything.#61 "Being Great"Being great requires the ability to be humbleSo as to receive that which is attracted with tranquility.Attraction is the most primal of expressionsTo receive that which is attracted is to know oneself.All great beings realize when they error, having realized itThey admit it and correct it to the best of their ability.The greatest beings seek out those who can help identify their faults,They consider their enemy a part of themselves that requires attention.To be centered in Tao is to nourish all related things,To not interfere or meddle in the errors of others.

  8. Sep 4

    Tao of the Day S6_066

    It was a day where we focused on stillness throughout. I started off wiht #63, Melissa had another shock involving her insurance and we talked about #15. Sandy joined with #1 and Marianne with #28. Jay K wrapped it all up with #66.#1 "Expressing Tao"Words are particular,They cannot express Tao.To have a name is to be limited to manifestationThat which is nameless is the source of manifestation.Self-referential, those who name, name themselves.Want to experience the depth of the mystery? Stop identifying.Want to experience the shallowness of the manifestation? Differentiate.Either way no one can tell,The difference is in your experience.#15 "Ancient Tao"The Ancient Masters" ability to comprehend the mysteryWas so profound and subtle that they were misunderstood.One could only describe how they must have appeared.Careful as someone hearing the ice crack midway through crossing a lake;Observant as someone surrounded by toxic threats;Courteous as a guest in awe of her host;Unpretentious as a felled branch in a wood;Vacant as someone staring into space;Dull as a man with nothing to boast about.Can you be still, adding nothing until the mud settlesAnd it gives you the opportunity to see clearly?Can you be still until, on its own accord,The next action presents itself to you?The Master has no need for herself.She doesn't seek or expect attention.Not needing to appease herselfShe has no requests.#28 "Knowing There's Depth in the Shallow"Know the world through the masculineBut access your power through the feminine:In this way, you will be open to receive.If you can receive then your actions will support,They will never be forced, and you will be innocent.Know the world through the lightBut connect to it within the dark:In this way, you will be open to the truth.If you can see truth, manifestation will not fool you,It will fall away, and nothing will elude you.Know the world through the particularBut know there is no particular here:In this way, you will accept all things.If you can accept all things, you will be a beaconThat will guide you, and all beings, back to source.The manifestation was formed from the void.The Master knows the manifestationYet stays focused on the void within it.That is how she uses all things.#63 "Problems are no Problem"Be still and you will act without doing,Be still and your work will happen regularly.Be still and your senses will engage the subtle.Similarly engage a stranger as the multitude.See the majesty of mountains in a grain of sand.The Master knows greatness cannot be grasped.Remaining still, she allows greatness to flow through her.With no desire to achieve it, her stillness guides her,Making subtle movements the difficult seems easy.She knows that all of life is not without its problemsSo problems turn out to be no problem at all.#66 "Leading from Behind"There are great benefits to humilityAll rivers flow to the seaBecause its position is lower.The Master emulates this by always being a servant,Inspiring from below, leading from behind,No one is oppressed, they find their own way.Like rivers so too will the people flow to the Master,Never feeling oppressed or as if they are in danger,The whole world supports her and keeps her in their hearts.Without a reason or a desire to competeShe is never met with competition.

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About

Tao of the Day is the world's only live daily talk show dedicated to the Tao Te Ching — running every weekday for over five years. Each morning at 6am Central, wellness coach and author MartinJon guides listeners through a verse from his own New English Version of the Tao Te Ching — applying Lao Tzu's 2,500-year-old wisdom to burnout, recovery, caregiving, and the art of returning to yourself. Join live on NoomVibe weekdays at 6am Central, or catch the podcast wherever you listen. Support my efforts here: https://buymeacoffee.com/martinjon

Information

  • Creator
    MartinJon
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    531
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © MartinJon
  • Show Website
    Tao of the Day