The Tao of Mind

Shen, yi, qi
The three treasures of taiji

Song, san, tong, kong
The keys to entering the gate

Where the mind wills
The body reacts

Yi and xing
Must be separated

Hence yi zai xian
Is of utmost importance

So as not to confuse the domain
Of the mind with the body

We are all stupid
No need to figure out

Practice the methods of the ancients
Seek not and you will find enlightenment

For if we have to figure out ourselves
Then the methods are not being transmitted

Learning and understanding
Are two different things

Just as practicing to understand
And trying to understand intellectually

Hence the masters of old like to say
The secret is to practice

Those were words of value
Except they forgot to mention

That one should practice
What has been transmitted

And not be too smart
To try to second guess the methods

Be it martial arts,
Be it Buddhism

The methods of the mind
Are not easily grasped

And certainly not by
Thinking or guessing

For as Lao Tzu said
That which can be said

Is not
The real Tao