Friday 17 February 2012

New Banner - Older Quote

I've made a new banner for my blog. All the photos on the right are real photos I've used on this blog in the past, but the middle quote is new, because it's older. ;-)



Yep, the quote I thought was the original actually wasn't! I always thought the saying was:

"The journey of a thousand miles start with a single step."

but that's a modern interpretation. Lao-Tze's actual words translates closer as:

"The journey of a thousand miles starts beneath one's feet."

It makes more sense actually. Lao-Tze was the founder of Taoism, the concept that gives us Tai-Chi and the Yin-Yang idea of perfect balance.




He also created the concept of Wu Wei - which kind of translates as "Without effort". What he was meaning was the way of Nature and the Universe. Planets turn, seasons come and go, plants grow and water flows... all in a natural unforced way - Wu Wei.

It makes more sense that he'd see a journey starting beneath feet than in a step forward. Stepping forward is an action of force... starting with a contemplative standing position is completely different. To me "beneath our feet" is where all our our dreams and hopes lie. It's who we are, our central core, and the best possible place to start any journey. :-)

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