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Written by Dr. Terry Chitwood

The Taoist Writer: Merge with Dust

Commitment Brings Grace
As the Holy Flows Free

Flow River Flow

Simplicity

“The Tao brings no more important lesson to writing than the benefit of simplicity. Verse 48 of the Tao Te Ching tells us: ‘To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.’ Inexperienced writers typically try to emulate the worst kinds of writing, what they may imagine to be ‘educated’ writing. The result is often verbose, pretentious text . . . “(The Tao of Writing by Ralph L. Wahlstrom, p.101).

Taoist philosophy contains concepts of flowing, effortlessness and simplicity. A few words, precisely placed, describe lucid writing. Poetry epitomizes lucidity. Taoist philosophers write poetically . . .  paradoxically. “Untangle the knot, soften the glare, merge with dust” (Tao Te Ching  by Lao Tsu, translated by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English, Chapter 4, lines 4, 5, and 6, p.6). Merge with dust. Let your ego die. Write from your deeper self.   “. . . One gains by losing” (ibid. Chapter 42, line 9, p.44). When you write, lose unnecessary words. You’ll gain style.

Flowing

Your pen flows across the paper, weaving words like a river winding. Each word intricately interlinked, yet the words continue flowing. Writing with a taste of Taoism.  Images of outer nature flowing from your inner nature. Let your writing develop its natural rhythm. With effortless ease, let your rhythm express itself.  Let your writing have its own heartbeat. Become the beat.

Photo Credit: Photo from UticaFlowerCompany at Flickr Creative Commons.

Linked with Thought-Provoking Thursday.

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Commitment Brings Grace
As the Holy Flows Free

Filed Under: The Taoist Writer, Writing Tagged: Lao Tsu, poetry, Tao Te Ching, Taoism, Taoist Writer, writing

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October 20, 2011

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