From the earliest days of the shaman, a worldview emerged that emphasized our connection to the stars and constellations, particularly the North Star, or what we call the Big Dipper. It conveyed the belief that we are a continuation of both spirit and our ancestors, part of a much larger family, both physical and spiritual. Staying connected to the past is often seen as essential for moving forward, especially when it aligns with the path we’ve chosen and helps us stay true to our authentic selves. Sometimes, we hold on to attachments and things that no longer serve us, while trying to preserve what still does.
Cosmic forces have always been at work, with the physical world and what we call nature serving as a reflection of the spiritual realm—inseparable from it. This is the meaning of transcendentalism, and where Taoism would become the glue that put the pieces together that fit into a common understanding. This is the belief of Indigenous peoples the world over. They may put their own signature as to meanings, but the commonalities have always been present.
Why the Book of Lieh Tzu that we are following as my own interpretation called “My travels with Lieh Tzu”, became what might be called a central core for learning for the Taoist precept, and a requirement in Taoist monasteries and temples throughout Asia, and also was to become the laymen’s approach to understanding the Tao. To become transcendental would mean to follow the stars as though your own destiny depended on it. To be called upon to become one with the dragons, would ensure your ultimate destiny was secure… and to repeat what would be the view whereby the physical world within each of us was meant to be but a mirror of the spiritual world.
Moving forward means discovering what truly defines us, looking beyond the present into the memories that separate reality from the dreams or imaginings we hold. I often start by asking what makes us transcendent, even cosmic—how is it our spirit connects us to the stars.
Sometimes, I think we need to suspend disbelief. Disbelief is the inability or refusal to accept something as true, is a key concept to explore. To suspend something simply means to pause it, allowing us to ask, “why not?” We should stop basing our lives and actions on untruths. Believing in our eternal nature and the idea that our spirit transcends this life starts with accepting the possibility. From there, we should consider who or what we might become and how we can reach that destination.
The journey to understanding begins within us, as identifying the roots of our memories is the first step forward. Each person has their own unique markers, as no two individuals share the same past. But what truly makes us transcendent? How do we move beyond only our personal or family concerns to connect with the cosmos and the world around us? How do we see ourselves in a new light, letting go of the past and forgiving the mistakes of ourselves and others? It’s not an easy process. This question isn’t new; every generation has wrestled with it. I doubt the answer lies solely in a religious or philosophical context because it starts with an understanding that there is no “one size fits all”.
Our spirit emerges with a purpose and reason that existed long before our arrival, continues within us in the present, and far beyond our departure. It’s that yin/yang thing I wrote about a few months ago. Understanding the laws of nature and becoming one with our role is not just an illusion or just a dream.
My travels with Lieh Tzu / Interpolations along the Way
Chapter 3 – King Mu of Zhou
44. Floating through time forgetting all
Losing one’s memory of past events is not necessarily a bad omen of things to come.
Once there was a man who lost his memory. He would receive a gift in the morning and forget it by that night. He forgot how to walk and how to sit down once home. Today he would forget what occurred yesterday and tomorrow would not remember what happened today.
Those concerned for his well‑being called on all to determine the man’s problem. His fortune could not be told, just as the shaman could not fix what was wrong. A doctor came and left in a quandary. A Confucian who lived nearby heard of the man’s trouble and claimed that he could cure the man of what ailed him. In return, the family offered half their fortune if a cure could be discovered.
The cure was in transforming the man’s mind, thereby changing his thoughts. The Confucian took away the man’s clothes and he then looked for them. Tried starving him and the man searched for food. Tried shutting him up in the dark and he looked for the light. A cure could be found!
Within a single morning the man was well once more. Upon being awakened, the man dismissed his wife, punished his sons, and chased away the Confucian with a spear. Asked why he was not happy that his memory had returned, he responded:
“Before when I forgot I was boundless. Not noticing whether heaven and earth existed. Now suddenly, I remember all the disasters and recoveries, gains, and losses, joys and sorrows, loves and hates of a lifetime. All come rushing back to me. My forgetting allowed me to find peace and know no fear. Now I fear that all the emotions will come rushing to worry me for the rest of my days. Forgetting differences exist I could float through time forgetting all. Will I ever be able to forget that I am forgetting again.” 2/30/95
Number forty-four of one hundred fifty-eight entries.
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